GARCIA RAINEY BLANK & BOWERBANK - Key Persons
Tax Law: Ms. Carney Mehr provides tax planning and litigation services to individuals and businesses. She has prepared responses to Civil Grand Jury investigations relating to government pension plans, handled administrative hearings and appeals before various retirement boards, as well as utility and sales tax issues. In addition, Ms. Carney Mehr assists businesses and individuals with advantageous tax and estate planning and defends individuals before the IRS and Tax Court.
Job Titles:
- Honors Program, Participant and Editor
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Partner
- Managing Partner of GRBB
Jeff Blank is an esteemed attorney whose unwavering commitment to zealous advocacy and community contributions has defined his illustrious career. Boasting over two decades of experience, Mr. Blank adeptly represents businesses and individuals with precision and finesse.
Known for his complex problem-solving skills, exceptional communication, and fairness, Mr. Blank serves as the managing partner of GRBB, where his practice thrives on the bedrock of referrals and repeat business. Combining empathetic listening with strategic counsel, he provides clients with not only a sympathetic ear, but also compelling business advice tailored to their unique needs and objectives. Mr. Blank's bespoke legal strategies are crafted with precision, ensuring that each client receives personalized attention and unparalleled representation.
Renowned for his astute comprehension and adept navigation of intricate legal landscapes, Mr. Blank particularly enjoys working within the appellate sector and defending complex cases, including class actions, particularly those relating to intellectual property. After an efficacious career and track record, he was hired by Northeastern Law School in 2017 to educate internationally trained lawyers. Since 2017, Mr. Blank has held the honor of educating an Intellectual Property & Technology class in the school's Master of Laws (LLM) program every year. He was then asked to develop and teach an Intellectual Property & Media course in Northeastern's Master of Legal Studies ("MLS") where Mr. Blank teaches non-lawyer professionals who would like to use the law as a means to achieve their goals in environments where legal knowledge is an asset.
Mr. Blank also represents and defends major sports supplement companies and sports and apparel companies against false advertising claims and ADA claims among others. As a real estate broker, he has drawn upon his foundational experience and formal training to build a thriving real estate litigation practice.
Formerly a certified baseball agent, representing professional players helped pave the path for Mr. Blank to represent players in a wide variety of legal matters. Additionally, he represents agents in grievance proceedings and employment contracts.
In addition to the intense negotiation experience Mr. Blank obtained as a baseball agent, Mr. Blank earned a certificate under the California Despite Resolutions Programs Act from the Loyola Law School Center for Conflict Resolution and completed an intensive "Mediating the Litigated Case" course at Pepperdine's Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. Mr. Blank holds the deep-rooted and proven belief that alternative dispute resolution (ADR) should be explored in each litigation matter before jumping into trial, which can be both emotionally taxing and financially burdensome.
After graduating from UCLA School of Law, Mr. Blank served as an attorney at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton-an AM Law 100 law firm, Mr. Blank was a commendable member of the firm's Business Trial practice group in addition to its Real Estate and Land Use Litigation practice group. He also served on the Orange County office's Recruiting Committee. Additionally, Mr. Blank conducted mentoring and managing assignment coordination for summer associates in the Orange County office. He was nobly elected by his peers to serve on the firm's Associate Issues Committee, where he proudly accepted the role and responsibility.
Education
J.D., University of California Los Angeles, 2001
B.A., Communications Studies, University of California Los Angeles, cum laude, 1998
Job Titles:
- Founding Partner
- Partner
- Artist
- Founding Partners
- Special Counsel
Ms. García Guillén has been a commercial litigator for over 19 years. She specializes in general business litigation with experience in various jurisdictions across the United States and internationally. Her litigation experience centers around complex breach of contract and business tort claims, breach of fiduciary duty, as well as unfair competition, partnership disputes, corporate governance, consumer defense and securities disputes. As a business litigator, Norma has successfully tried complex civil cases, most recently obtaining a $2.7 million dollar judgment in a business dispute at bench trial.
Ms. García Guillén has litigated matters in both state and federal courts, and international ADR panels.
Prior to founding Garcia Rainey Blank & Bowerbank LLP, Ms. García Guillén was an associate at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP where she co-chaired the Latin American Practice Group.
Education
J.D., University of Southern California, Gould School of Law, 2002
A.B., Smith College, 1997
Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City, 1995 (semester abroad)
Ms. García Guillén is currently litigating a contentious commercial real estate dispute between joint venturers.
Ms. García Guillén is currently litigating securities fraud claims on behalf of investors in a high-profile ponzi scheme involving entities in the hospitality industry.
Ms. García Guillén is currently litigating a complex business dispute wherein her team strategically obtained a writ of attachment at the outset of litigation.
Ms. García Guillén successfully represented a multinational energy corporation in employment litigation.
Ms. García Guillén successfully represented a manufacturing company in prosecuting fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of implied in law contract, RICO claims, among others against former employees who we allege defrauded the company out of tens of millions of dollars.
Ms. García Guillén first chaired a bench trial related to multi-residential real estate complex fraud claims. GRBB obtained a decisive victory in favor of its clients.
Ms. García Guillén represented a public utilities corporation in a multi-billion dollar commercial dispute concerning the San Onofre nuclear power plant.
Ms. García Guillén has managed all claims on behalf of a federal Receiver in a high profile Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement action for a ponzi scheme where thousands of investors were defrauded out of tens of millions of dollars.
She has successfully brought contempt, turnover, and disgorgement motions and handled evidentiary hearings.
Ms. García Guillén has handled numerous high profile cases, including business and defamation disputes for Latin American celebrities.
She also successfully represented a Hong Kong based manufacturer of cell phones and cell phone equipment in international arbitration, before the International Chamber of Commerce ("ICC") International Court of Arbitration, in a breach of contract dispute where the choice of law was Mexican law.
Ms. García Guillén has also successfully asserted extraterritorial jurisdiction and international comity defenses in two related class actions brought under the Consumer Legal Remedies Act, obtaining summary judgment in both matters on behalf of an international telecommunications company.
She successfully represented brokers in a self-insurance group in a breach of contract, business tort, and defamation dispute. Ms. García Guillén managed the entire action, which resulted in a remarkable victory for the client. Indeed, the legal research and drafting persuaded a panel of three arbitrators that the proper measure of damages for a breach of contract dispute was loss of gross commissions, and not lost profits. This decision made a multi-million dollar difference to the client. The victory was replicated in a related action before an Orange County Superior Court Judge who issued the same ruling in a jury instruction, forcing the opposing party to settle.
Ms. García Guillén managed multiple complex disputes on behalf of a prominent food manufacturer involving trade secret misappropriation, breach of contract and trademark infringement claims.
Ms. García Guillén has successfully obtained numerous judgments for a leading factoring company in commercial disputes against parties in different parts of the country.
She successfully resolved commercial litigation on behalf of a U.S. subsidiary of a Mexican entity after coordinating with foreign counsel in related civil and criminal proceedings.
Ms. García Guillén has obtained waivers and expedited 0-1 visas for a Latin American celebrity after working directly with the Visa Chief in the United States Embassy.
She has drafted various talent performance agreements for Latin American celebrities with United States producers and venues.
She has strategized and coordinated with local counsel in Mexico pertaining to the creation of a joint venture between a Mexican parent company and U.S. subsidiaries.
Shannon Wolf has been a litigator for over 10 years. She specializes in employment law and general business litigation. Her experience includes representing both large and small businesses in the defense of employment actions, including wrongful termination, discrimination, and harassment. Her practice also includes providing advice and counseling to clients on a variety of employment issues in order to help employers avoid costly legal disputes through careful planning and prevention. In addition, her background includes litigating business disputes, such as breach of contract, fraud, and unfair competition claims.
Previously, Shannon worked at a boutique employment law firm solely focused on company representation, as well as with the Labor & Employment group at Allen Matkins LLP. Shannon has broadened her practice by handling general business litigation, in addition to employment matters. She also has the unique experience of previously serving as a Deputy District Attorney in Riverside County. As a prosecutor, she presented 16 misdemeanor and felony matters at jury trial with a high conviction rate.
Education
J.D., magna cum laude, University of California, Hastings College of the Law, 2003
A.B., with distinction, Cornell University, 2000
Job Titles:
- Founding Partner
- General Counsel
- Managing Partner
- Partner
- General Counsel in Support
Ms. Pullara is highly adept at precisely capturing the essence of complex business deals. Her clients appreciate her ability to collaborate with executives to help them achieve maximum profits and growth, while minimizing legal risk and protecting core business assets.
Ms. Pullara currently serves as outside general counsel to the global leader in nutritional supplements and wellness products. Her role includes overseeing the company's legal affairs; managing the company's international trademark portfolio; advising company executives with respect to legal strategy in litigation as well as transactional matters; structuring, drafting and negotiating contracts for manufacturing, and distribution throughout the world.
Job Titles:
- General Counsel
- of Counsel
Ms. Chiu currently serves as outside general counsel to an actuarial services firm that provides retirement planning and administration to small businesses. Ms. Chiu's uses her experience there to provide clients with advice on tax saving strategies by way of retirement planning.