Profile
Managing partner of Murphy Pearson’s Los Angeles office, Jeff is an experienced general civil litigator practicing in state and federal courts throughout California. Whether representing professionals in liability claims or companies and individuals in disputes involving intellectual property, real estate, personal injury or a range of business and commercial disputes, Jeff brings passion and skill to each client matter.
Jeff has successfully represented professionals in legal malpractice and construction and design defect claims. His experience includes disputes involving claims of premises liability, products liability, elder abuse, negligence, and breach of fiduciary duty. His real estate experience extends from construction and design disputes to issues involving homeowner associations and condominiums. He also represents clients in business disputes ranging from breach of contract matters to employment and fraud and has successfully handled a number of appeals at the state level.
While attending law school, Jeff served as an intern with the California Office of the Attorney General under Bill Lockyer, in the Criminal Writs, Appeals, and Trials Division.
Languages
Mandarin Chinese
Experience
Representative Matters
- Obtained complete defense verdict following a trial which lasted over two months in a legal malpractice action where the original complaint alleged claims of negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud and conversion arising out of eight underlying represented matters.
- Obtained summary judgment for defendant in a premises liability action where one individual was shot and killed on the defendant’s premises. Obtained summary judgment to claims of elder abuse, negligence, and breach of fiduciary duty against a national life insurance carrier related to the sales and marketing of fixed index annuities.
- Demurrer sustained without leave to amend which was upheld on appeal on behalf of a national life insurance carrier in defense of claims of fraud and elder abuse arising out of the sales and marketing of fixed index annuities.
- Obtained summary judgment to claims of wrongful death and premises liability arising out of a high profile matter involving a foreign international who went missing and was eventually found deceased in a hotel. This matter later served to as inspiration for an acclaimed television series.
- Successfully defended a cross-complaint in a construction defect and breach of contract matter at arbitration. Complainant was owed unpaid money from work performed for the developer. After the complainant filed suit to recover the debt, the defendant counterclaimed for construction defect and breach of contract alleging that the complainant deliberately overcharged for time and materials and caused undue delay that resulted in lost profits. Successfully argued that all of the fees and costs charged by the cross-complainant were reasonable and necessary and that there was no delay, thereby resulting in no award for their counterclaim.
Unpublished Appellate Decisions
- Rode v. Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, Case No. D072178, Court of Appeals of California, Fourth District, Division One, October 16, 2018
- Wheeler v. Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, Case No. B241324, Court of Appeals of California, Second District, Division Two, February 18, 2014
- Le v. Crawford, Case No. G046271, Court of Appeals of California, Fourth District, Division Three, January 31, 2013
- New Life Agency, Inc. v. Beitler Services, Inc., Case. B224724, Court of Appeals of California, Second District, Division One, February 23, 2012
Affiliations
- California Minority Counsel Program
- Association of Southern California Defense Counsel
- National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
- Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association
- Professional Liability Defense Federation
- Hastings Ranch Nursery School, Board of Directors
Publications
- “Where Does the Buck Stop? A Navigation Guide for Products Liability Defendants,” ALM The Recorder, co-author, December 27, 2018
- “Elder Abuse Avoidance: Counseling Professionals,” co-author, Professional Liability Defense Quarterly, Volume 9, Issue 4, Fall 2017
Education
J.D., Santa Clara University School of Law
B.A., University of California, Los Angeles