TRAINOR FAIRBROOK - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Management Team
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Leasing and Property
Candy Harper is the chair of the Leasing and Property Management Practice. Ms. Harper's practice includes the representation of parties, primarily landlords, in planning, negotiating and drafting a wide range of office, retail, industrial, cell tower and other commercial lease documents, including lease assignments and amendments. Having litigated lease issues for many years, Ms. Harper leverages her prior litigation experience when drafting leases. Ms. Harper also oversees the property management attorneys involved in lease enforcement and other real property litigation issues.
Ms. Harper is widely recognized for her knowledge of leasing and property management law. She has presented numerous seminars on leasing, lease enforcement and other property management issues, including seminars for the Continuing Education of the Bar, Lorman Education Services, Building Owners and Managers Association, Institute of Real Estate Management and the National Business Institute. Ms. Harper has also provided seminars for clients on specific lease or property management issues. Additionally, she has leveraged her expertise in her role as an instructor for the Building Owners and Managers Association's college-level Law for Property Managers.
Charles Trainor is the senior shareholder of Trainor Fairbrook, the AV-rated law firm that he founded in 1978. The firm includes the most experienced group of commercial real estate attorneys in California's Central Valley.
Mr. Trainor represents clients on matters involving sophisticated real estate transactions including purchase and sale agreements, leases, partnership agreements and loan documentation. He also counsels lenders and borrowers regarding mortgage origination and workout matters. He has negotiated scores of loan and workout transactions, and advises both tenants and landlords regarding office and retail leases. His clientele includes developers, landowners, title companies, lending institutions, shopping center owners, property management entities and construction companies. His practice includes the development of master-planned communities, resort real estate and golf courses.
Mr. Trainor represents lending institutions with respect to their real estate loans in the Central Valley. He has also recently represented the sellers in one of the largest commercial real estate transactions in Sacramento's history, the sale of six office buildings and land to a Texas-based REIT. Additionally, Mr. Trainor also represented the buyer in the largest land purchase in Sacramento's history. He also has represented the land seller/partner in Sacramento's newest regional mall development. Mr. Trainor represents the owners of dozens of office buildings and shopping centers in Northern California, and currently is representing several master-planned communities in their transactional matters. He and the firm also represent the owners of over a dozen public and private golf courses.
Mr. Trainor is a frequent lecturer for real estate industry associations and has taught numerous Continuing Education of the Bar courses to attorneys including Real Estate Broker Practice and Real Estate Purchase and Sale Agreements. He has also authored a number of articles relating to real estate and construction.
Mr. Trainor was the first attorney in Sacramento to be admitted to membership in both the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, which is an invitation-only organization of the top real estate attorneys in the nation, and the American College of Mortgage Attorneys, which is an invitation-only organization of the most highly regarded real estate mortgage attorneys in the nation. Mr. Trainor and Trainor Fairbrook are also actively involved in the Association of Commercial Real Estate as members, and as major sponsors of its Broker of the Year event and the Trainor Fairbrook Humanitarian Award.
Job Titles:
- Firm Administration / Accounting
Colby A. Campbell is a shareholder with the law firm of Trainor Fairbrook. Her practice emphasizes real estate, taxation, business planning and estate planning. Ms. Campbell has particular experience in structuring new joint ventures and restructuring existing joint ventures to accommodate concerns relevant in the current economic environment. These include those involving personal liability and asset protection, additional funding through the infusion of new capital and the corresponding restructure of the partners' economic relationship, creditor debt for equity swaps and a partner in bankruptcy or under other financial distress.
She also has extensive experience in business counseling, including the formation of corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies and joint ventures. Ms. Campell's experience extends to the negotiation and documentation of general business arrangements. Ms. Campbell's clientele includes commercial developers, commercial landlords and tenants and other buyers and sellers of developed and undeveloped real property.
Job Titles:
- Attorney in Trainor Fairbrook 's Litigation
Collin S. McCarthy is an attorney in Trainor Fairbrook's Litigation Department. His practice is focused on commercial real estate and construction matters. It includes drafting pleadings, briefs and motion papers, engaging and directing subject matter experts and summarizing expert testimony, assisting in the preparation of evidentiary records, and assisting with trial preparation. He has worked on a broad range of land use development projects, including residential, commercial, mixed-use, renewable energy, and long-range planning projects. His unique background combines first-hand experience working in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Mr. McCarthy also has experience handling a broad range of land use and environmental law issues, including all phases of the land use entitlement and environmental review processes. He has testified before local agencies on CEQA and other land use matters and has appeared in matters before both the superior courts and court of appeal.
Prior to private practice, Mr. McCarthy was a Graduate Law Fellow in the Environmental Law and Justice Clinic of Golden Gate University School of Law. He represented nonprofits and community organizations in all phases of litigation and administrative proceedings on matters of state and federal environmental law. He supervised law student clinicians and assisted with the development of legal advocacy skills, engaged with clients, co-counsel, and witnesses, and drafted various legal documents including trial court and appellate briefs, memoranda, comment letters, and public records requests.
Mr. McCarthy's professional experience also includes time as a land use litigation associate with two northern California law firms; working as a Litigation Specialist at an environmental consulting firm; and externships with the Washington State Office of the Attorney General and the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration's Office of the General Counsel.
MEMBERSHIPS
Member - State Bar of California
Member - California Lawyer's Association, Environmental Law Section
Member and Chair - Sacramento County Bar Association, Environmental Law Section
EDUCATION
J.D., Golden Gate University
B.A., California State University Maritime Academy
Job Titles:
- Member of the Management Team
- Lead Construction Counsel
- Managing Shareholder
Daniel M. Steinberg is the Managing Shareholder of Trainor Fairbrook, and the chair of the firm's Construction Department. Mr. Steinberg's practice focuses on construction and real property matters, including providing mediation services, negotiation and preparation of construction documents and litigation of contract disputes, construction defect issues, mechanic's liens, lease disputes, rent actions and ADA defense matters. He has extensive experience in the representation of developers, land owners, contractors, subcontractors and design professionals who seek guidance on construction projects and the resolution of claims that may arise before, during or after their project.
As a part of his practice, Mr. Steinberg is the lead construction counsel for one of the country's most successful food concession companies, which has more than 38,000 employees throughout the United States and Canada. Mr. Steinberg also provides construction counseling, contract analysis and negotiations for three Fortune 500 companies. On behalf of another client Mr. Steinberg successfully recovered 20 million dollars from a Fortune 500 construction company and national architectural firm in a construction defect case which involved five years of litigation and three months of trial. His extensive construction background and previous work in the construction industry has contributed to his successful representation of Sacramento's most prominent developers.
Job Titles:
- Shareholder in the Litigation, Property Management
Jennifer L. Pruski is a shareholder in the Litigation, Property Management, and Bankruptcy Departments of Trainor Fairbrook. Her primary areas of practice are business disputes, bankruptcy, property management and real property litigation. She has also earned a specialty in Creditor's Rights. She regularly represents property owners in lease disputes, partners in business disputes and creditors in bankruptcy. Ms. Pruski also has extended her representation to international banks relating to real and personal property foreclosures, collection work and the sale of commercial properties. She manages and supervises the litigation and collection efforts for a local Sacramento Valley property owner and developer.
Ms. Pruski is a big believer in dedicating herself wholeheartedly to her work: "Be the best. We live and work by this mantra. Every attorney at Trainor Fairbrook invests in themselves to continually add to their education and experience, and invests time in the real estate community, including various trade organizations. Every attorney has a special interest or group they participate in. And I pride myself on being available every day for my clients, either as a sounding board, or to provide creative solutions to resolve disputes."
Ms. Pruski previously represented joint venture partners in a lengthy binding arbitration relating to land valued at $52.5 million, which resulted in dissolution of joint venture. She also represented international banking corporation in obtaining possession of REO property from alleged tenant and others occupying said property. Ultimately, the court awarded possession of the property. In addition, she has significant experience obtaining favorable pre-trial motions-she represented a national real estate development corporation in a lawsuit brought by former tenant alleging breach of contract, promissory fraud, negligent misrepresentation, rescission, reformation and declaratory relief. A summary judgment was granted on all causes of action.
Job Titles:
- Construction and Litigation
- Member of the State Bar of California and of the United States District Court for Eastern District of California
Jessica Adams Robison is a Shareholder in the Litigation Department of Trainor Fairbrook. With almost two decades of experience in civil litigation and alternative dispute resolution, Ms. Robison has extensive experience representing developers, owners, general contractors, design professionals and subcontractors in complex civil litigation. Her practice concentrates on construction defect claims, delay claims, breach of contract disputes, mechanic's liens actions, premises liability and accident/injury. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Davis. She went on to earn her Juris Doctor from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law where she served as a Managing editor for the McGeorge Law Review.
Ms. Robison is a member of the State Bar of California and of the United States District Court for Eastern District of California. Further, Ms. Robison serves on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento and is a member of the Women Lawyers of Sacramento.
Michael Middleton was a shareholder and senior construction attorney in the Litigation Department of Trainor Fairbrook. His background as an attorney included the representation of clients in the areas of construction, business and employment/wage law. Mr. Middleton had over two decades of experience in civil litigation and alternative dispute resolution and had successfully participated in numerous jury trials, administrative hearings, binding arbitrations and mediations of construction employment and contract disputes.
Michael Middleton passed away suddenly in December of 2018. He was a good friend to all of us here at Trainor Fairbrook and will be dearly missed. He also was an excellent lawyer who will be immensely missed by his devoted clients and all who knew him.
Nancy Hotchkiss Smith was a highly respected Sacramento real estate attorney and the first attorney to join Charles Trainor to establish Trainor Fairbrook. Nancy spent her entire 32-year legal career with the firm, representing many of the largest real estate owners and lenders in the region. Nancy was legendary for her aggressive advocacy on behalf of her devoted clients. She was honored many times during her career including being rated as a "Preeminent Attorney" by her peers. She was the first Sacramento attorney to be certified by the American Bankruptcy Board for her knowledge of bankruptcy and creditor rights law.
Nancy Hotchkiss was the President of CREW Sacramento in 1989 and served on its Boards and Committees for many years. She was President of the California Receivers Forum and the Barrister's Club of Sacramento. Nancy was a long-time member of Fremont Presbyterian Church, serving in numerous capacities including Board member, Nomination Committee, youth leader and Sunday school teacher. She lived her faith every day by how she treated and interacted with others. Her youth home worship meetings during the summer were famous, always ending with a BBQ and the pool.
Nancy was the heart of Trainor Fairbrook for many years. She was taken from us much too early after a valiant fight with brain cancer, but her lasting impact on her clients, co-workers, CREW members, family, friends and the community will never be forgotten. Her love of life, the law and this firm will always be remembered.
Nancy Hotchkiss was a high achiever in all aspects of her life. As an attorney, she zealously represented her clients and developed significant personal relationships with her clients. She made decisions regarding her cases based upon ethics, pragmatism and her clients' best interests. To say that she excelled in her field is an understatement.
Each year CREW Sacramento hosts the Women of Influence Awards Ceremony where they honor the accomplishments of women in the commercial real estate industry who are leaders in their field and have made an impact on our community. In 2010, Nancy was given CREW Sacramento's coveted "Woman of Impact" award for her many contributions. In 2017, CREW Sacramento renamed its top award after Nancy Hotchkiss.
The Nancy Hotchkiss Woman of Impact Award recognizes a woman that has made an impact on the local commercial real estate industry, her family and the local community. The nominee should be an achiever in her field or occupation, considers family and friends equally, if not more important than, her career, and displays generosity to others. Her impact on the local community may derive through participation in community service organizations or through the impact on individuals through personal volunteerism done not for recognition, but simply because assisting others is the right thing to do regardless of the visibility of her actions.
Nicholas Kohlmeyer is a skilled transactional attorney who assists clients with sophisticated real estate transactions, including acquisitions and sales, financing, loan documentation, easements, leases, and title matters, focusing on negotiations requiring collaborative deal-making. Mr. Kohlmeyer works with developers, investors, brokers, and property owners to close deals on commercial buildings, shopping centers, and agricultural and undeveloped land. He has significant experience guiding clients through complicated transactions and projects, from preliminary discussions and evaluations through negotiations, agreement drafting, due diligence, and closing.
Mr. Kohlmeyer also regularly represents landlords and other property owners in chapter 7 liquidations and complex chapter 11 reorganizations throughout California bankruptcy courts. He has also represented property owners in eminent domain and inverse condemnation cases for total and partial takes involving public projects related to gas pipelines, flood control, water conveyance, transportation, energy transmission, and other public works projects.
MEMBERSHIPS
Member - State Bar of California, Business Law and Real Property Sections
Member - United States District Court for the Eastern District of California
Member - Sacramento County Bar Association, Real Property Law Section
Member - California Lawyers Association
Member - Sacramento Valley Bankruptcy Forum
EDUCATION
J.D., University of the Pacific McGeorge, School of Law
B.S., Business Administration, Creighton University
Job Titles:
- Member - Sacramento Valley Bankruptcy Forum / Member - ACRE 's Broker of the Year Awards ( BOYA ) Committee / EDUCATION
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Commercial Real Estate
Trevor W. Martin is an attorney in Trainor Fairbrook's Real Estate Transactions, Leasing and Property Management Departments. Mr. Martin's practice focuses on Real Estate enforcement and Landlord-Tenant related disputes. He is experienced in real estate transactions and disputes, intellectual property issues, and complex business litigation. Mr. Martin is bar certified in California and Texas.
Prior to joining Trainor Fairbrook, Trevor was the founding and managing partner at TWM Legal Attorney Services in Folsom, California and Managing Broker for Land Catchers Investments Inc. Trevor has a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Davis, with emphasis in electromagnetics and radio frequency telecommunications. Mr. Martin went to study at Lincoln Law School of Sacramento with the intent to master the fields of real estate development and sales, as well as to enter the field of litigating business disputes and intellectual property rights. Trevor's extensive Real Estate background and previous work in the Real Estate Industry has contributed to his successful representation of prominent Business Owners.
William H. Davis, who has an LLM in taxation and is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, is a longtime shareholder with Trainor Fairbrook, having been with the firm since 1986. His practice is focused on high net worth estate and tax planning, trust administration and trusts and estates litigation. With over thirty years of experience including business and litigation matters, Mr. Davis is suited to analyze and recommend estate planning avenues to help achieve the personal and financial objectives of his clients.
His trusts and estates litigation practice involves trust disputes, probate litigation, breach of fiduciary duty claims, business and asset valuation disputes, undue influence claims and trust formation proceedings. He brings the proper sensitivity required when disputes arise among family members or professional fiduciaries, and is seasoned to recommend and implement alternative dispute resolutions, if appropriate, in lieu of trial. Mr. Davis also acts as a mediator and arbitrator in trust administration and trust litigation matters.