21 Lagerlof, LLP attorneys were listed as Pasadena Magazine’s “Top Attorneys” for 2022. The most out of any firm featured in the magazine.

The attorneys recognized were Robert Bailey, Thomas Bunn, James Ciampa, Joshua Driskell, Nicholas Everett, Mark Flewelling, Lindsay Francis, Brian Friedman, Sue Hong, William Kruse, Edward Phelps, Ruth Phelps, Michael Rapkine, Richard Rasmussen, Erika Scheideman, Elsa Sham, Vanessa Terzian, Rebecca Thyne, Andrew Turner, Steven Valerio, and David Yoshida.

Robert Bailey is a Partner at Lagerlof, LLP and was voted a Top Attorney in Business Litigation. He specializes in commercial litigation and trial practice and is an experienced litigator in complex trial matters and has tried dozens of bench and jury trial matters to verdict. He has represented individual litigants to Fortune 100 companies in a wide range of civil disputes. His business litigation experience includes banking law, class actions, toxic torts, legal malpractice, insurance coverage, bankruptcy and complex contractual and tort actions.

Thomas Bunn was voted a Top Attorney in Municipal Law. Thomas is a Partner and has been with Lagerlof, LLP for more than 30 years. He practices business law, business litigation, with an emphasis on water and water rights, public agencies, real estate, commercial transactions, and bankruptcy. In water matters, Tom represents both public agencies and private clients, with special expertise in Proposition 218 and Proposition 26 compliance and litigation, groundwater, water rights and water transfers.

James Ciampa was voted a Top Attorney in Municipal Law. He is a Partner who specializes in public agency, business, and real estate. James has formed numerous corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships and currently represents many of those business entities, He also represents wholesale and retail water purveyors and various public agencies throughout Southern California.

Joshua Driskell was voted a Top Attorney in Tax Law. He is the Managing Partner of Lagerlof, LLP and specializes his practice on business, tax, estate, fiduciary, and related matters. As Managing Partner, Joshua brings a background representing businesses and individuals and has a keen attention to detail leading the firm.

Nicholas Everett was voted a Top Attorney in Trusts and Estates. Nicholas is a Partner at Lagerlof, LLP and focuses his practice exclusively on trust and estate litigation, contested conservatorships, and estate planning. He obtained his LLM in estate planning from the University of Miami’s Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning.

Mark Flewelling was voted a Top Attorney in Banking and Finance Law. Mark is a Partner specializing in litigation and appellate. He has represented financial institutions, businesses and entrepreneurs in a wide variety of litigation for over 40 years. His business litigation practice has included real property purchases and financing, investment fraud, import/export transactions and partnership disputes. His banking practice has included consumer class actions, lender liability disputes, negotiable instruments cases, and commercial lending matters.

Lindsay Francis was voted a Top Attorney in Trusts and Estates. Lindsay is Senior Counsel at Lagerlof, LLP and focuses her practice on probate administration, estate planning and estate-related litigation. She has also been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star every year since 2018.

Brian Friedman was voted a Top Attorney in Family Law. He is Senior Counsel and is a certified Family Law Specialist. He has focused his practice exclusively on family law since he began practicing in 2012. He practices a wide array of family law litigation and mediation matters, with an impressive success rate in settlement. Brian takes on a well-thought out and calculated approach, tailored to his clients’ needs.

William Kruse was voted a Top Attorney in Trusts and Estates. He is a Partner at the firm and focuses his practice on business organization, taxation, real estate, municipal and water law, estate planning, planned charitable giving, and both commercial and probate litigation. William assists businesses and individuals in implementing long-rage planning, as well as business and Real estate acquisitions, financing, risk management, business formation and structuring, and succession planning.

Edward Phelps was voted a Top Attorney in Elder Law. He is a Partner and serves as a private professional fiduciary for a number of trusts and has been appointed conservator of the person and estate by the Los Angeles Superior Court on several occasions. He also serves as a private and court appointed mediator for the Los Angeles Superior Court.

Ruth Phelps was voted a Top Attorney in Elder Law. Ruth is a Partner and is a certified estate planning, trust and probate specialist. She has been highlighted as a Top Attorney every year since 2005. She is also a past President of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, a national organization.

Michael Rapkine was voted a Top Attorney in Banking and Finance Law. Michael is Senior Counsel in Lagerlof’s litigation department. His practice focuses on a broad range of state and federal litigation with an emphasis on financial services litigation, business torts, and contract disputes. His banking litigation experience includes defense of lender liability actions, prosecution of equitable subrogation cases, title disputes, and resolution of bankruptcy matters.

Richard Rasmussen was voted a Top Attorney in Real Estate Law. Richard is a Partner at the firm who focuses his practice on corporate, real estate, and employment matters. His practice focuses on corporate transactions, commercial real estate and general business and governance matters.

Erika Scheideman was voted as a Top Attorney in Family Law. Erika is a Partner and is a Certified Family Law Specialist. She has focused solely on family law matters since 2009. This has included asset and debt division incident dissolution or legal separation, child and spousal support, complex custody litigation, including negotiation of three-parent custody arrangements and international move-away litigation, domestic violence proceedings, pre-marital and post-marital agreements, post-judgement modification proceedings and step-parent adoption.

Elsa Sham was voted a Top Attorney in Commercial Litigation. Elsa specializes in representing individuals, businesses, and municipalities, on diverse issues including contracts, employment & labor, business litigation, public agency, estate planning, and water rights.

Vanessa Terzian was voted as a Top Attorney in Trusts and Estates. Vanessa is a Partner specializing in estate planning and trust and probate. She is also an adjunct professor of Wills and Trusts at Southwestern Law School. What sets Vanessa apart is her understanding of the needs of growing families, her ability to relate to working parents who desire a better life for themselves and their families, and her know-how in implementing strategic estate-planning tools in the most cost-efficient and seamless manner.

Rebecca Thyne was voted a Top Attorney in Elder Law. Rebecca is a Partner at Lagerlof, LLP and focuses her practice in estate planning, trust and probate, and conservatorships. This includes drafting trusts, wills, power of attorney, healthcare directives, deeds and other estate planning documents, as well as advising clients of their duties and fiduciary responsibility.

Andrew Turner was voted a Top Attorney in Construction Law and Municipal Law. Andrew is a Partner and has been with Lagerlof, LLP since 1991. He focuses his practice on municipal, real estate, water, employment, and business law. Andrew has extensive experience representing retail urban water purveyors of all types in Southern California, ranging from providing immediate response to the many issues they encounter daily, to handling public works construction matters.

Steven Valerio was voted a Top Attorney in Civil Litigation. Steve is Senior Counsel in Lagerlof, LLP’s litigation department. He has practiced litigation for nearly 20 years specializing in general civil litigation, business litigation, trust and estates litigation, and conservatorships.

David Yoshida was voted a Top Attorney in Business Litigation. David is Senior Counsel at Lagerlof, LLP and specializes in litigation and equine law. He has over a decade of experience in business, trust and estates, real estate, and equine litigation.

About Pasadena Magazine’s Top Attorney’s List

Pasadena Magazine’s Top Attorney’s list is an annual guide that is conducted by Professional Research Services based on peer nominations. Votes are cast to honor attorney expertise in a variety of specialized areas of law. Listings can not be bought, inclusion on the list is based on peer nominations and assuring they are in good standing with the State Bar of California.