PORTER SIMON - Key Persons
Brian C. Hanley joined Porter Simon in 2005, and practices primarily transactional law in the areas of business, corporate and real estate law. As part of his real estate practice, Brian also represents many common interest development associations (i.e., homeowners' associations) in Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act compliance, interpreting and amending governing documents, collecting assessments, and assisting with other association issues.
Crysta Dwyer came to Porter Simon 15 years ago, after receiving her Associates of Arts with Business Emphasis degree from Truckee Meadows Community College. Crysta is the firm's controller and financial manager. She prepares financial management reports for the shareholders and the firm's annual budget. In addition, Crysta serves as human resource manager, accounts payable and accounts receivable administrator.
Job Titles:
- Designer
- Partner
- Officer of the Tahoe Truckee Bar Association
David W. Wolfe is a partner with Porter Simon practicing in nearly all areas of civil litigation in California and Nevada. He works closely with partners Ravn Whitington and Jim Simon. While attending law school, Dave worked as a judicial extern to the Honorable Judge Thomas Carlson at the United States Bankruptcy Court in San Francisco. Dave then began his professional career in Oakland working on high damage plaintiff-side personal injury cases, and then transitioned to defense-side personal injury litigation on behalf of transnational corporations and insurance companies. After moving to the North Bay, Dave began his general civil litigation practice with an emphasis on real estate and construction litigation and served as the Chair of the Real Property Section of the Marin County Bar Association. Dave's broad legal background includes litigation in the areas of class actions, business and commercial contracts, wills and trusts, real estate, construction, personal injury, and employment.
Dave is an Officer of the Tahoe Truckee Bar Association. He and his wife Caitlin, a counselor at Truckee High School, both grew up in Nevada City, and enjoy a variety of outdoor activities along with their two daughters, Delaney and Finley.
Ethan is a business attorney, and recently voted as the 2023 "Best Attorney" in North Lake Tahoe & Truckee. Clients hire him because he improves their business. His approach is simple: first, understand what the client cares about; second, formulate a strategy to reach their goals; and third, implement and execute. This works whether the client is an owner or executive operating a company, a volunteer board running a local association, or an individual rearranging personal business.
Ethan is an AV-rated attorney and a Northern California Super Lawyer (awarded to only 5% of attorneys in California). His practice spans from business and corporate transactional work for individuals and companies of all sizes, to litigation matters requiring mediation, arbitration, and multi-day trials.
Jim Simon has practiced law in Truckee since 1976 when he and Jim Porter formed the current firm and he is the firm's managing attorney. Jim focuses on all aspects of civil litigation with an emphasis on business matters. He has tried cases for plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts in most areas of law, including real estate, insurance, business, personal injury and wrongful death claims. He regularly defends architectural, design and construction professionals, and has developed a niche in accounting fraud cases.
Jim Porter has practiced in the Sierra region for almost 50 years - with limited office hours as of January 1, 2021. His principal areas of expertise include real estate, construction, business, land use, leases and contracts, and as of late, ADA law. Jim has an excellent rapport with regional governing agencies. He is also a licensed California real estate broker and trained in mediation. Jim is one of the best known and respected lawyers in this region and is held in very high regard, both within and outside of the legal community. Jim has been honored to have received the highest possible rating for lawyers of AV from the national law firm rating company, Martindale-Hubbell.
Kathy Dwyer has been with the firm for nearly 25 years and is Paralegal to Jim Simon, the firm's senior litigator, mediator and arbitrator, partner Ravn Whitington and David Wolfe in civil litigation, including real estate, construction, business, personal injury and wrongful death matters. Kathy received her early training in the Orange County Superior Court where she was a clerk. Kathy prides herself on her depth of understanding of the superior court system in California and Nevada, and has exemplified the firm's dedication to client service. She is always up to date on each active litigation matter and is a steady resource explaining the status of each case to our clients.
Kelley Carroll joined Porter Simon in 1991, after practicing in San Francisco. He is licensed and actively practices in both California and Nevada in the fields of estate planning, trust and probate law, including aspects of elder law practice particularly in California. He has been certified as a specialist in the areas of estate planning, trust and probate law by the California State Bar's Board of Specialization, and he holds an advanced tax law degree (L.L.M.) and an MBA degree. Kelley has earned the highest rating, AV, awarded by the prestigious Martindale-Hubbell organization, which is reserved for attorneys whose legal skills are judged to be "very high" to "pre-eminent," and whose ethical standards are "very high", and an "excellent" rating from its companion organization Avvo. Kelley lives in Truckee with his wife Paige and enjoys road cycling, hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing and travel.
Laura Kindelt is a paralegal who works in our Trust, Wills, Estate Planning and Elder Law Group. As a graduate of UC Davis and the St. Mary's College Paralegal Program, Laura has worked as a paralegal for over 25 years in Sonoma, Yolo, and Placer counties. Laura is passionate about helping people and is partial to working in estate planning where she can build trusted and valued relationships with clients.
Lou has vast experience as a trial attorney and has acted as a mediator or arbitrator in civil matters including construction defects and performance disputes; business, real estate and real property matters; and torts including personal injury, libel, trade secret misappropriation, sexual harassment and hostile work environment. He continues to be active in business, real estate and real property matters.
Longtime local resident Melinda Smith joined Porter Simon in 2005. She is the legal assistant for Kelley Carroll and Sara Davidson. Understanding that different families have different needs, our estate planning attorneys advise and assist our clients in creating the appropriate legal plans to implement their wishes regarding their financial affairs for both pre-death and post-death purposes.
Pamela M. Everett returned to Porter Simon in 2022, after practicing with the firm from 2005-2008. Pamela practices primarily transactional law in the areas of business, corporate and real estate law.
Ravn R. Whitington is a partner with Porter Simon and is licensed to practice in California and Nevada. Ravn grew up in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, in Nevada City, before pursuing his education on the East and West coasts. Ravn started his career as a public defender for the State of Colorado where he honed his trial skills and obtained acquittals on a number of serious felony cases. Ravn returned to California to transition to civil litigation practice, working for a multi-national law firm in Truckee defending Lake Tahoe ski resorts against catastrophic personal injury claims. Ravn joined Porter Simon's Trial Practice Group nearly a decade ago to broaden his practice and to focus on the representation of individuals and small businesses. Since joining the firm, Ravn has litigated, arbitrated and advised on a broad array of cases and disputes, ranging from personal injury to employment, real estate to construction law, and all matters in between. Ravn thrives in all phases of litigation and is dedicated to client-driven results, whether negotiating a resolution prior to litigation or taking a case to trial. Where the courtroom is Ravn's office, the mountains are his playground. Ravn and his wife enjoy skiing, mountain biking and backpacking with their daughter and canine companion.
Porter Simon's transactional staff is dedicated to developing and maintaining long-term relationships with clients. Rebecca Reich joined the firm in 2010 and has an AA degree in Legal Administration and over 25 years of legal experience as a paralegal/legal assistant. Rebecca Reich is Paralegal to partner, Brian Hanley, and assists him in all aspects of Brian's business practice from entity formations, advising HOAs and contract negotiations. Rebecca assists partner, Steve Gross, with his employment and public agency matters. Additionally she supports Ethan Birnberg and Traci Mason Baldwin in real estate, land use and general business matters.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Attorney
- Designer
Sara Davidson is an associate attorney practicing in the estate planning group. She works closely with partner Kelley R. Carroll. Sara began her legal career working with emerging and public companies in Silicon Valley on all forms of corporate transactions from formation and governance to financings and exit strategies. After several years as a corporate associate, Sara decided to shift her focus from corporate law to her firm's estate planning practice in San Francisco. There, she advised high net worth individuals on complex estate planning matters.
Having spent her childhood in Olympic Valley, Sara values the strong Tahoe-Truckee community and is passionate about spending time in the mountains.
Steve Gross concentrates his practice in the areas of public agency representation and management-side employment and labor law. He serves as the City Attorney for the City of Portola and the City of Loyalton. Steve also serves as general counsel for numerous local public agencies and joint powers agencies, including the Truckee Donner Public Utility District, Tahoe City Public Utility District, Herlong Public Utility District, Truckee Fire Protection District, North Tahoe Fire Protection District, Eastern Plumas Healthcare District, Plumas District Hospital, Truckee-Donner Recreation and Park District, M-S-R Public Power Agency, M-S-R Energy Authority and the Transmission Agency of Northern California. Steve serves as special counsel to several other public agencies. Prior to joining Porter Simon in 1991, Steve practiced management-side employment and labor law in Los Gatos, California. Steve lives in Truckee with his wife Terrina and enjoys fly fishing, travel, camping and hiking.
Traci Mason joins Porter Simon as a Family Law Practitioner after sixteen years of litigation experience in the Bay Area, where Traci practiced as a criminal defense attorney and a prosecutor for Santa Clara County. Traci garnered a reputation as a skilled trial attorney, litigating cases in both the state and federal courts, including several high-profile cases. Many of Traci's litigation cases involved family law matters which prompted Traci's decision to join Porter Simon and focus her practice area on family law where she can guide clients through the difficulties of marriage dissolution, custody, and support matters. In addition to being a skilled litigator and negotiator, Traci has extensive experience handling matters in which there are challenging and complex personalities on the other side.