Profile
Senior Trial Counsel in Murphy Pearson’s San Francisco office, Adrian has represented clients in a broad spectrum of areas, including business and commercial litigation, personal injury, professional liability, attorney fee litigation, trust litigation, constitutional and civil rights claims, surety and fidelity bond actions, employment, administrative law, actions arising under the Public Safety Officer Procedural Bill of Rights Acts, and appeals and writs.
In addition to his practice at the firm, Adrian provides mediation services. He has served as a Settlement Conference Officer at pre-trial and day-of-trial settlement conferences for the San Francisco Superior Court, as well as a panelist on the Sonoma County Superior Court’s Mediation Program.
Adrian served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, United States Army Reserve, where his assignments included appointment as General Counsel (Staff Judge Advocate) for an Army Reserve Division. During his service, he studied government standards of conduct and fiscal law at the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center, Charlottesville, Virginia.
Adrian was a law clerk to the Honorable John E. Benson, Judge of the San Francisco Superior Court in 1979 and 1980.
Experience
Published Appellate Decisions
- Morgado v. City and County of San Francisco (2020) 53 Cal. App. 5th 1216 [right of employer to offset employee’s income from secondary employment during appeal of reinstatement order]
- Morgado v. City and County of San Francisco (2017) 13 Cal. App. 5th 1 [right of administrative appeal under the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act]
- Vons Companies, Inc. v. Lyle Parks, Jr., Inc., (2009) 177 Cal. App. 4th 823 [liability for attorney fees and cost under assigned construction contracts]
- Parra v. City and County of San Francisco (2006) 144 Cal.App.4th 977 [clarification of the statute of limitations under the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act]
- Regents of the University of California v. Superior Court (1996) 41 Cal.App.4th 1040 [application of the primary assumption of risk doctrine to the sport of rock climbing]
- McCarthy v. Poulsen 1985 173 Cal.App.3d 1212 [charitable trustee succession and the liability of receivers]
Unpublished Appellate Decisions
- Sky Partners, Inc. v. Briggs 2024 WL 575946 [application of anti-SLAPP statute and litigation privilege to pre-lawsuit communications with third party witnesses]
- Pfeister v. Superior Court of San Francisco County 2021 WL 4988018 [effect of COVID-19 statewide emergency orders on right to speedy trial]
- Alonso v. Chahal 2017 WL 5508205 [enforceability of agreement to arbitrate employment-related claims]
- Berger v. Varum 2015WL 9412778 [liability of building designers and engineers]
- Margaronis v. Tobin 2013 WL 5806266 [application of anti-harassment injunction to members of family unit]
- Crane v. Clark 2013 WL 5536205 [limitations on requests for admission and expert testimony during trial]
- ADEM, LLC v. Grewal 2009 WL 4941987 [application of strategic litigation against public participation (SLAPP) statute to attorney fee claim]
- Selvitella v. City of South San Francisco 2011 U.S. App. LEXIS 6329, 425 Fed Appx. 544, 2011 WL 1113201 [public employee’s right to discovery in administrative hearings]
- Carmignani v. Paganini (Carmignani II) 2010 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 8291, 2010 WL 4132611 [attorneys fees and costs in real estate sales contract dispute]
- Carmignani v. Paganini (Carmignani I) 2007 WL 2697312 [application of the equal dignities rule to alleged ratification of real estate sales contract]
- Reudy v. O.K. Investments 2007 WL 1154053 [standing under the Unfair Business Practices Act]
- Bowen v. Linuxcare 2006 WL 2089916, [enforceability of employee release agreement in sexual harassment action]
- Officers for Justice v. City and County of San Francisco 1997 U.S. App. LEXIS 34846, 132 F3d 39 (1997 WL 770387) [consent decree not governed by the California Civil Rights Initiative].
Affiliations
- State Bar of California
- Committee on the Administration of Justice, Litigation Section (1990-1992)
- Committee on the History of Law in California (1985-1988)
- Bar Association of San Francisco
- San Mateo County Bar Association
- Operations Committee (2022-2023)
- University of San Francisco Law Society
- Board of Governors (2007 – 2015)
- St. Thomas More Society of San Francisco
- Past President (2011)
- San Francisco Marine Claim Agents Association
- Past President (1987)
- Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America (2007 – 2014)
- Judge Advocates Association (an ABA affiliate)
- Olympic Club of San Francisco
- Legal Committee (2012 – 2014)
- National Eagle Scout Association
Publications
- “Preparing and Opposing Petitions for Mandate or Prohibition,” Chapter 8, Appeals and Writs in Criminal Cases 3d (The Regents of University of California, 2007)
- “Civilian Workplace Protection for Members of the Uniformed Services,” co-author, Employee Relations Law Journal, Vol. 31, No. 4 (Aspen Publishers, 2006)
- “Mobilized Staffers Can Receive Payments If There Is No Ethical Conflict,” The Daily Journal, Vol. 111, No. 10, p.8, January 14, 2005
- “Mind Your Business: Make Sure You Honor the Rights of Employees in the Armed Services,” co-author, Silicon Valley Business Journal, April 16, 2003
Teaching
- “Discovery” and “Discovery Practice,” Adjunct Professor, University of San Francisco School of Law, 2007 – present
- Guest speaker, “Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act,” Sonoma County Bar Association, Employment Law Section, 2003
- Seminar Panelist, “Construction Surety Bonds & Indemnification Agreements,” Women Construction Owners & Executives, 1987
Recognitions
- AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell (AV Preeminent is a
Certification Mark used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell®
certification procedures, standards and policies) - Selected as Northern California Super Lawyer (2004 – present)
Education
J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law, with honors
B.S., University of California (Davis), with highest honors
Cert., Health and Hospital Law, Seton Hall University School of Law
Cert., Mediation and Conflict Resolution, University of California (Berkeley Extension)