Kaufman Dolowich Doubles Size of Los Angeles Office With the Addition of LA-based Waxler Carner Brodsky Attorneys

(April 27, 2016, Los Angeles, CA) — Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck (KD) today announced that it is doubling the size of its Los Angeles office with the addition of nine-lawyer, LA-based Waxler Carner Brodsky LLP (WCB), which was founded in 2000 and has extensive professional liability defense, insurance coverage and employment litigation experience. With this move, KD bolsters its national professional liability coverage capabilities and expands in the area of legal and insurance malpractice and employment practices liability.

Five partners, two of counsel and two associates from Waxler Carner Brodsky LLP (WCB), will be joining the KD Los Angeles office. WCB founders and named partners Andrew J. Waxler and Barry Z. Brodsky will be co-managing partners of KD’s Los Angeles office. Gretchen S. Carner, also a founding partner, is joining as a partner, as are Jodi L. Girten and Danielle Sokol. Brian Peters and Julie Weber are joining as counsel and Christopher Wong and Scott Murch are joining as associates. WCB is bringing six support staff.

“This is a transformative move for Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck,” said Michael A. Kaufman, co-managing partner of the firm. “With these distinguished attorneys from such a well-respected firm, we have greatly increased our stature throughout California and significantly enhanced three of our hallmark practices, professional liability, insurance coverage and employment practices liability defense, benefiting not only our California-based clients but those nationwide who do business in the state. Our intention is to continue to grow in California by recruiting high quality laterals and we are hoping to reach 25 attorneys in this office over the coming year.”  KD has a second California office in San Francisco with 13 lawyers.

Waxler will be director of KD’s West Coast Professional Liability Practice Group. His practice focuses on defending professionals in malpractice actions with an emphasis on representing lawyers and insurance agents and brokers. He also represents insurers and professionals in professional liability coverage disputes and in bad faith litigation and has served as an expert witness or consultant in state and federal courts involving standard of care issues in professional liability and claims handling in insurance actions.

Waxler earned his B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles and his J.D. from Loyola School of Law, Los Angeles.

Brodsky represents lawyers, accountants and others in professional liability disputes. He has tried more than a dozen professional liability cases to verdict in both state and federal courts. Brodsky also has significant experience handling business litigation and employment related matters including claims of discrimination, wrongful termination and sexual harassment/abuse. He frequently lectures on varied topics involving professional liability and ethical standards.

Brodsky graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of California, Berkeley and earned his J.D. from Loyola School of Law in Los Angeles.

“The synergy between our two firms, from the clients we share, the practice areas we work in and the firms’ cultures with an emphasis on collegiality and team work, makes this a natural combination,” said Waxler. ”We share a philosophy of total client involvement in every step of the legal process as we work with them to protect their businesses. Every client we have talked with about this combination has expressed total delight and continued support of the new firm.”

Carner, who will be the co-leader of the Global Insurance Practice Group, practices in the areas of complex civil litigation, insurance coverage, bad faith law, general and professional liability, property and casualty, life and health, workers’ compensation, and employers’ liability coverage. In addition, she handles cases alleging errors and omissions by professionals such as directors, officers, insurance agents, insurance brokers and lawyers and employment cases involving issues of discrimination, wrongful termination and sexual harassment/abuse.

Carner earned her B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley and her J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law.

All attorneys will be located at the KD Los Angeles office — 11755 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 2400, Los Angeles, CA, 310-775-6511.

In addition to Waxler, Brodsky and Carner, the other attorneys’ joining are:

• Jodi Girten, partner, represents professionals including attorneys, accountants and officers and directors in malpractice cases. She has significant litigation experience in handling a wide variety of professional liability claims for high profile attorneys and law firms, which involve personal injury, probate, bankruptcy, corporate, business, employment, and entertainment issues. Girten earned her B.A. from the University of Texas, El Paso, her M.A. from the University of California and her J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law.
• Danielle Sokol, partner, focuses her practice on professional liability, including the defense of attorneys and real estate professionals. She has also worked on breach of contract and insurance coverage. She received her B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara and her J.D. from UCLA School of Law.
• Brian Peters, of counsel, represents employers in connection with various statutory and common law claims, including harassment, age, race, sex and disability discrimination, wrongful termination, trade secrets, and unpaid wage and hour class actions. He also provides consulting services to clients on various employment-related matters, such as legal compliance, investigations, terminations, wage and hour, and employment policies. He received his B.A. from California State University, Northridge and his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. While in law school, Brian served as a judicial extern for the late Judge Cecil F. Poole on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and was also a recipient of the American Jurisprudence Award in Contracts. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.
• Julie Weber, of counsel, specializes in employment litigation, handling the defense of employment matters, including claims for harassment, discrimination and retaliation. She has also provided advice and counsel to clients on employment matters including hiring, terminating, counseling, policy making, and policy enforcement and has also defended matters involving professional liability, business, real estate, and bankruptcy issues. Weber received her B.A. from the University of California at Los Angeles and her J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law.
• Christopher Wong, associate, focuses his practice on the defense of professionals. He also handles civil litigation and has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in various matters before state and federal courts and in arbitrations as well as appellate matters. Wong has a B.A. from Claremont McKenna College and his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law where he was on the Editorial Board of the Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly.
• Scott Murch, associate, has a diversified practice, including professional liability defense, insurance coverage and bad faith defense, and intellectual property defense. He has substantial appellate experience, handling numerous appeals and writs. Murch has a B.A. from University of California San Diego and his J.D. cum laude from Hastings College of the Law where he was on the editorial board of the Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly.