NEWMEYER & DILLION - Key Persons
Aaron Shumway practices law because he is fascinated by the risks/rewards that business owners face every day. From handling operations to employees, Aaron seeks to help businesses stay ahead of the curve by providing relevant information and practical advice. When litigation is necessary, Aaron has the advocacy experience to minimize potential risks so his clients can enjoy more of their rewards.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Office Managing Partner
Managing partner in the firm's expanding Walnut Creek office, Alan Packer has practiced law in California for over 20 years. He focuses his practice on real estate, home building, commercial construction and insurance law. Clients rely on his extensive knowledge and experience in this highly regulated arena to navigate the maze of regulatory changes, new laws and construction guidelines with emphasis on project risk management covered by insurance.
Alan represents homebuilders, property owners, and business clients on a broad range of legal matters. He counsels on risk management and insurance matters and handles complex litigation including cost recovery actions and creative dispute resolution. A consummate problem-solver, Alan casts an experienced eye on the myriad issues that can impact his clients' interests to propose fresh solutions that propel business forward. He adeptly untangles complicated cases and charts a steady course to resolve complex issues that impact the building and development within the construction industry and threaten litigation in other key business sectors.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate in Newmeyer Dillion 's Walnut Creek
Andrea Nguyen is an associate in Newmeyer Dillion's Walnut Creek office. She brings a collaborative approach to client service and helps ensure the firm supports each client in achieving their goals.
Andrea is admitted to practice law before the state and federal courts of California and the state court of Illinois.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law
Bahaar Cadambi is a partner in the Newport Beach office of Newmeyer Dillion. Her practice focuses on business, insurance, and real estate litigation. Bahaar represents businesses, homebuilders, developers, and general contractors in complex, multi-party real estate, construction defect, and insurance disputes. She also represents individuals and businesses across a variety of business litigation matters.
Bahaar takes a global approach to problem solving, offering her clients a range of strategic solutions to meet not only their immediate goals, but also their goals for long-term success. Her approach to litigation ensures that clients are informed of all potential strategies, the consequences of those strategies, and how the implementation of those strategies will affect their business.
Outside of the office, Bahaar is an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, Barry's Bootcamp and yoga enthusiast, lover of all things interior design, avid traveler, devoted wife, and favorite aunt to two nieces and one nephew.
Greg focuses on providing a holistic approach to representing and advising clients on governmental, land use, environmental, and water resource issues. Greg's prides himself on his availability to his clients and enthusiasm to protect their rights while navigating an ever dynamic bureaucratic climate. Prior to joining the firm, Greg represented private and public agencies alike, providing firsthand knowledge of the issues that can arise between these interests. He has provided advice and counsel on a wide array of topics including Government Claims Act, Proposition 218 and Proposition 13, exactions, California Public Records Act, California Brown Act, and Eminent Domain. Greg's environmental practice involves assisting, advising, and representing clients on issues ranging from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), contaminated site remediation and litigation, and analysis on site acquisitions. This includes representing clients before regulatory agencies and in court. Greg also works to assist and advise clients in the ever-evolving water rights landscape in California. Prior to joining Newmeyer Dillion, Greg represented water districts, providing in depth acumen on this niche area of law, including the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, the California Water Code, and asserting appropriative rights.
Professional Affiliations
OCBA, Environmental Section
Groundwater Resources Association
Greg is one of the founding partners of Newmeyer Dillion, which grew from three attorneys to over 70 lawyers in Newport Beach and Walnut Creek, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Greg prides himself in helping not only to build a law firm with a first-tier reputation and an A list of clients, but one that embraced culture, diversity, inclusion, teamwork, collaboration and an integrated and holistic approach to client representation and service long before it became popular.
Greg believes client service is key. This means establishing a relationship of trust, confidence, affinity and loyalty. It also means delivering timely, excellent, efficient and cost-effective results. To help achieve this, Greg makes himself available to clients around the world and around the clock. Greg represents public and private entities and individuals in complex and high stakes business, insurance coverage, real estate and construction disputes. He also advises on insurance policy placement and review; risk avoidance, transfer and management; and alternative dispute resolution methods, techniques and enforceability. Greg has had an active trial and appellate practice. He has helped defeat and defense multi-million dollar claims and suits and obtained eight-figure verdicts and judgments and hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements. He also has argued and helped obtain published decisions at the California Supreme Court and state and federal appellate levels that have changed the course of California law and practice.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Partner
- Office Managing Partner
Nathan Owens is the Managing Partner of the firm's Las Vegas office. Strategically located in the Western U.S., he maintains a diverse practice representing businesses in a variety of industries. Nathan works with clients to ensure their legal strategies align with and support their business goals.
An experienced and sought-after relationship attorney, Nathan represents businesses in transactions, lawsuits and arbitrations. He also helps clients manage their legal needs by connecting them with other attorneys that have a specialty or economic reach that brings value and efficiency.
Clients appreciate Nathan's experience and unique perspective as a business owner. In addition to his legal experience, Nathan has owned and operated businesses in retail, manufacturing, real estate and construction. Understanding, first-hand, the issues that businesses wrestle with, Nathan uses his experiences to understand each client's business to find solutions that maximize legal rights while balancing business needs and realities. Whether trailblazing innovative solutions to resolving complex business transactions or litigation or representing parties to real estate or construction disputes, Nathan outstrips the competition.
Jack Rubin is a senior attorney in the Newport Beach office. He focuses his practice on real estate, land use, and construction litigation.
While in law school, Jack served as an editor of the Law Review and was one of six students to earn the school's Environmental Certificate for his focus on environmental law and issues.
During law school, Jack worked as an intern for the Special Projects Unit of the Orange County District Attorney's Office and the Correctional Division of the California Attorney General's Office.
Professional Affiliations
Orange County Bar Association
International Right of Way Association - Chapter 67
James Ficenec is a partner in the Walnut Creek office of Newmeyer Dillion. From single-person startups to international corporations, Jim represents and counsels companies and individuals in all aspects of California business.
Jason Moberly Caruso is a partner in the Newport Beach office of Newmeyer Dillion. His practice focuses on various aspects of "contaminated sites" environmental legal work, complex litigation, and appellate matters.
Jeffrey Brower is counsel in the Newport Beach office and a problem solver. There is no "one-size fits all" approach to legal disputes, and Jeffrey approaches every problem with the unique ability to analyze complex issues to develop case-specific strategies to resolve disputes. Many lawyers and law firms embrace a formulaic approach to litigation that leaves clients wondering why they spent $500,000 to resolve a $50,000 dispute. It does not have to be that way. Jeffrey's primary drive is to allow you to spend more time managing your business and less time managing litigation.
Jon Walther is an uniquely-experienced associate in Newmeyer Dillion's Newport Beach office.
In the four years prior to joining ND, Jon served as a Judge Advocate (JA) in the United States Marine Corps. The rigors of this in-the-legal-trenches experience allows Jon to aggressively fight for his clients now in the civil context. He is an experienced trial attorney having served as defense counsel in numerous courts-martial and bench trials.
Prior to active duty, Jon worked as an associate at Shore Chan LLP (now The Shore Firm) in Texas, where he remains admitted, assisting with intellectual property litigation representing universities and other patent holders across the United States. This experience equipped him with robust knowledge of both federal and state level litigation strategies. Moreover, the patent law work further enhanced Jon's natural inclination for scientific and technically-oriented legal work.
While in law school at Southern Methodist University (SMU), Jon participated in, and then supervised, an indigent client legal clinic. Also, he studied Oil and Gas law which appeared on the Texas Bar Exam. Ultimately, Jon earned both a Juris Doctor and Master of Arts in Applied Economics from SMU in the same three-year span. He graduated as Order of the Coif for placing in top ten percent of his class.
Jon's background is being amplified at ND in his litigation cases, contract projects, and specialized work for the firm's Government, Land Use, and Environmental ("GLUE") Group. For example, he works on high-profile groundwater contamination litigation involving industrial solvents, state and federal laws, and state-of-the-art in situ remedial efforts. Jon also assists in transactional matters that become "stuck" on environmental hurdles which the firm helps clients clear to get their deals closed. Similarly, Jon assists in matters involving construction defect, the Occupational Safety and Health Act ("OSHA"), and complex state law litigation.
Michelle Brunson is an associate in Newmeyer Dillion's Walnut Creek office.
Michelle combines her natural curiosity and keen analytical skills to assess, understand and solve complex and nuanced legal problems. Whether representing businesses or individuals, Michelle approaches each matter as an opportunity to be of service and understands the importance of actively listening to clients to identify their objectives, and the importance of working collaboratively with her colleagues to execute a plan in alignment with those objectives. Michelle believes that preparation and the ability to adapt to evolving circumstances are critical in achieving positive outcomes for the firm's clients.
Before joining Newmeyer Dillion, Michelle worked at a trial firm and immersed herself in all phases of litigation. She is well-versed in pre-litigation settlement discussions, discovery and motion practice, alternative dispute resolution, and trial. Michelle's experience has allowed her to acquire knowledge in a wide range of litigation matters including business litigation, employment matters, and appellate practice.
In addition to her litigation experience, Michelle previously worked at a trust and estates firm where she assisted with marshalling assets and advised trustees on their fiduciary duties. Michelle's transactional experience informs her litigation practice because she is acutely aware of how important well-crafted agreements and well-advised clients are to avoiding costly and needless litigation.
Michelle is admitted to practice law before the state and the Northern District of California.
Newmeyer Dillion is the fourth largest indigenous firm and has been a leader in the Orange County legal community for 35 years. We are proud to be active members of these local professional and legal organizations such as: Orange County Bar Association, Orange County Building Industry Association, Building Industry Association Orange County Chapter, Associated General Contractors of California, Association of Southern California Defense Counsel, November 10th Association, Orange County Asian American Bar Association, Friends For Fragile X, KidWorks, Sunrise Rotary Club, & Building Blocks Fund Foundation.
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - January 10, 2024 - Prominent business and real estate law firm Newmeyer Dillion is pleased to announce the Newport Beach attorneys selected to the 2024 Southern California Super Lawyers list.
Newmeyer Dillion has actively supported the building industry's efforts to resolve homeowner claims through the Right to Repair law enacted by the California legislature. As counsel for an amicus building industry association, the firm has filed briefs in several matters to support and protect the right to repair, and participated in oral argument in the critical matter that resulted in an upholding of the builders' position.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Firm Managing Partner
Paul L. Tetzloff is the firm's managing partner. He is an experienced trial lawyer with a diverse practice representing national and international corporations and individuals in a wide variety of matters involving high stakes litigation, risk management, contracts, investigations and government relations. Paul's clients operate across a wide variety of economic sectors, including real estate, hospitality, commercial construction, financial services, manufacturing, and homebuilding.
Paul has litigated and tried complex disputes involving a broad range of tort and contract claims, including matters related to breach of contract, construction delay, extra work, mechanic's liens, construction defects, insurance coverage, statutory and regulatory violations, false claims, fiduciary duties, misappropriation of trade secrets, misrepresentation, unfair business practices, and fraud.
Prior to joining Newmeyer Dillion, Paul was a Judge Advocate in the United States Marine Corps. In his nine years as a Marine, he served as the Senior Prosecutor and Senior Defense Attorney at multiple locations, and as a Special Assistant United States Attorney. He prosecuted or defended more than 300 Marines and civilians, including those charged with premeditated murder, sexual assault, aggravated assault, drug distribution, and larceny.
While a Marine, Paul completed two deployments with infantry battalions as an operational advisor in combat, advising on targeting, rules of engagement and detainee operations. He deployed with 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines to Ramadi, Al Anbar Province, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and he deployed with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines to Nawa, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Prior to joining the Marine Corps, Paul earned his law degree from the William Mitchell College of Law, and an undergraduate degree in business administration from Augsburg College, where he was a four year letter winner at quarterback and two-time captain of the Augsburg varsity football team.
Professional Affiliations
Orange County Bar Association
November 10th Association
Ryan McCarthy Davis is an associate in Newmeyer Dillion's Newport Beach office. He brings a collaborative approach to client service and helping ensure the firm supports each client in achieving their goals. His background offers a variety of unique skill sets that complement the firm's service team, including:
An excellence in legal writing. Ryan leverages his past experiences assisting in publication of articles and books for his research professor Orly Lobel in the fields of anti-trust and digital technology, along with his extensive dispositive motion and writing practice in the field of medical malpractice, to digest and analyze the pertinent facts and law to present the most persuasive argument to the Court.
Expansive scope of subject matter knowledge. Ryan previously worked for a Healthcare firm responsible for representation of healthcare entities and individual providers in litigation and administrative actions, along with other complex civil disputes including the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and class action lawsuits. Ryan's law school experience also includes work in criminal defense, criminal prosecution, federal administrative law, anti-trust regulation, and employment law. Ryan has broad knowledge in a variety of subject matters and can create effective solutions for unique problems based upon this wide-ranging experience.
Results driven representation. Ryan's work and representation of his clients is centered on knowing their "why." Ryan understands constructing the most effective and efficient path forward requires an intimate understanding of what a successful result is, a perceptive vision to anticipate potential challenges before they occur, and being adaptable to the constantly changing legal and business environment.
The Team, The Team, The Team! Drawing from his years spent on the lacrosse field and his love for all things sports, Ryan understands the greatest achievements come when every individual responsible for a case is pulling on the same rope and brings that attitude to all of his legal matters.
Professional Affiliations
San Diego County Bar Association
Orange County Bar Association
Job Titles:
- Partner
- General Counsel for Businesses
Tara Dudum is a partner with Newmeyer Dillion's Walnut Creek office. A native to the Bay Area, Tara is passionate about helping her community solve its most pressing legal issues. Surrounded by a family of self-starters and entrepreneurs, she is always mindful of the unique challenges and burdens faced by businesses, employers, and property owners and is passionate about moving them through those often uncharted waters safely.
Tara's practice focuses primarily on business and employment law and her clients span across industries, including retail, e-commerce, real estate, manufacturing, hospitality, and beyond. She often acts as outside counsel for clients, providing day-to-day legal advice to owners, executives, supervisors, and human resource professionals.
Tara's practice is grounded in a client-centered approach, in which she prioritizes client communication above all else. She understands that only when she is armed with critical insights gained through direct and continuous client engagement can true value be delivered to her clients' businesses and lives. This approach allows her to craft legal solutions tailored to her clients' specific business needs and goals, both immediate and long-term, without sacrificing efficiency. No matter the legal issue, Tara strives to provide every client with superior, innovative, and effective legal counsel.
Tom Newmeyer is one of the founding partners of Newmeyer Dillion, and takes great pride in the firm's entrepreneurial spirit. Starting in 1984 on a shoestring budget with just three attorneys in Newport Beach, the firm has grown to over 70 lawyers with additional offices in Walnut Creek, California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Tom believes that business side of establishing and growing a law firm has given him, and the other lawyers at the firm, a special ability relate to business clients and understand their needs. As an entrepreneur, Tom understands that the needs of the client come first. You cannot grow unless your existing clients stay with you and they will only do so if you give them greater service than they expect.
Tom has represented entrepreneurs, partnerships and corporations, large and small, in all areas of business litigation, including unfair competition, trade secrets, contract disputes, corporate and partnership dissolutions, trusts and estates, and labor and employment. He has extensive experience in representing clients in diverse areas including "green" technologies, subprime mortgages, internet and computer software, as well as real estate. Tom successfully defended a real estate developer in a $130,000,000 trial and a hybrid car manufacture in a "bet the company" arbitration.
His most recent cases have involved claims of securities violations against real estate investment pools, dissolution of a corporation providing specialty financing to niche markets, and prosecuting fraud claims against an international bank.
Tom has had an AV rating from Martindale Hubbell (the highest such rating) for over 25 years. He has been recognized as one of the best lawyers in the national Best Lawyers in America peer review publication. He is consistently recognized by Super Lawyers, including being named to its list of the Top 50 Orange County Lawyers several times over several years and as one of the nation's top lawyers in its national Corporate Counsel edition.