Bios of Principals & Associates

DONALD P. TOBIN — Mr. Tobin is a founding and managing partner of the firm. After earning his Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University School of Law, Mr. Tobin served as Counsel and Assistant Vice President for Republic Indemnity Company of America from 1963-74. He spent the next eight years as a partner in a private Workers Compensation defense firm and co-founded Tobin • Lucks in 1982.

Mr. Tobin, a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law, has served on the Executive Committee of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and belongs to the American Bar Association.

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IRVIN L. LUCKS — Mr. Lucks, a founding partner of the firm in 1982, earned his Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. He has 40 years of trial experience representing employers and insurance companies in the areas of workers’ compensation, employer practices, human resources issues, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Mr. Lucks is currently the managing partner of the firm’s Los Angeles office.

Mr. Lucks has lectured widely to employers and insurance companies regarding the interplay of workers’ compensation, employer practices, and ADA issues. He is a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law, a member of the Workers’ Compensation Defense Attorneys Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and the Workers’ Compensation Section of the California State Bar.

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EDWIN J. LUCKS — Mr. Lucks received his Juris Doctor degree from the UCLA School of Law in 1970. He has managed the firm’s civil litigation department since 1984. Mr. Lucks specializes in representing management in all areas of employment litigation and counseling including employment discrimination and harassment claims, and wrongful termination litigation.

Mr. Lucks’ practice includes providing mediation services to the legal community as a member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Panel of the Los Angeles Superior Court, through which he has mediated numerous cases throughout Southern California. He received his mediation training from the Straus Institute For Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University and the California Academy of Mediation Professionals.

Mr. Lucks is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute and the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel.

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FRANK CHRISTINE III — Mr. Christine is a Cum Laude graduate of UCLA and received his Juris Doctor degree from UCLA School of Law in 1981. A Deputy District Attorney with the Ventura County District Attorney’s office from 1981 to 1987, Mr. Christine handled hundreds of non-jury and jury trials in Municipal, Traffic and Juvenile Courts, and successfully prosecuted eight felony jury trials with a 100% conviction rate.

He joined the firm in 1987 and became a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law in 1993.

Mr. Christine has spoken to a number of groups and organizations on workers’ compensation law and is a member of the American Bar Association, Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Langston Bar Association.

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NATHAN G. HALPRIN — Nate Halprin is the managing partner of our Orange County office. He joined the firm in 1992 after serving five years as the senior workers’ compensation attorney in the Los Angeles office of a national management-side labor and employment law firm. Mr. Halprin has served as Judge Pro Tempore of the Los Angeles Municipal and Superior Courts and the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board.

In addition to decades of litigation experience in all aspects of workers’ compensation litigation, Mr. Halprin is litigation qualified in employment-related civil matters. He has participated as lead counsel in complex jury litigation in both municipal and superior courts of the State of California.

Mr. Halprin has lectured nationally and locally at human resource and risk management seminars on labor and employment-related subjects. He is a member of the California Bar, Colorado Bar and Federal Bar. Mr. Halprin is certified by the State Bar of California as a Certified Specialist in Workers Compensation Law.

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JOHN LAMOUTTE — John Lamoutte is the managing partner of our Central Coast office.

Mr. Lamoutte represents insurance carriers and self-insured employers in the defense of workers’ compensation claims. This includes the defense of Labor Code Section 132(a) petitions, as well as serious and willful misconduct claims.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Lamoutte acquired extensive experience as an applicants’ attorney before the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board. He also represented plaintiffs in the civil court.

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ROBERT C. TOBIN — Mr. Tobin is currently the managing partner of the San Diego office. Mr. Tobin has defended all aspects of workers’ compensation claims since 1986, including Sports law (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL) Labor Code §132a, Serious & Willful Misconduct, Asbestosis, Fraud and Uninsured Employers.

Mr. Tobin was Senior Examiner, Longshore & Harbor Examiner, and Reinsurance Examiner at major workers’ compensation carriers from 1986 through 1992, holding certificates in claims from the I.E.A. and the W.C.C.A

After graduating from law school in 1991, Mr. Tobin was House Counsel for a major California workers’ compensation carrier from 1992 through 1995, handling all aspects of the defense of workers’ compensation claims including extensive litigation of Asbestosis claims. Mr. Tobin is an active member of the Sports Law Association, Association of Insurance Professionals, San Diego Workers’ Compensation Forum and the San Diego County Bar Association and has been a Certified Specialist in workers’ compensation law since 1999.

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JOHN F. SALISBURY — John Salisbury joined the firm in 1990. Mr. Salisbury specializes in representing employers in all areas of employment litigation and counseling, including employment discrimination, harassment claims, wrongful termination, wage and hour claims, and insurance coverage disputes.

Mr. Salisbury also represents insurers in insurance coverage disputes, bad faith litigation, workers’ compensation subrogation suits, and Medicare issues.

Mr. Salisbury is a member of both the California and Illinois Bars and is admitted to practice in the United States Central District Court and the United States Supreme Court. He has extensive Appellate experience, and is responsible for a number of written Court of Appeals decisions. He is the author of Tobin · Lucks’s manual on workers’ compensation subrogation and is the editor of the firm’s newsletter.

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BENJAMIN R. HERSCHBEIN — Mr. Herschbein joined the firm in 1992.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Herschbein was in private practice handling all aspects of workers’ compensation and personal injury cases, including trials, appeals, serious and willful misconduct, and discrimination claims before the WCAB and Municipal and Superior Courts. Mr. Herschbein is a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law.

Benjamin Herschbein has been an Adjunct Professor of Law at Pepperdine University School of Law since 1981 where he is presently teaching workers’ compensation law. He has also taught Lawyering Skills and Trial Preparation and Settlement.

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JEANNINE M. ARCE — Jeannine Arce joined the firm as an associate in 1994.

Ms. Arce represents insurance carriers and self-insured employers in all phases of the defense of workers’ compensation claims, including serious and willful misconduct actions and Labor Code Section 132(a) claims.

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ALAN J. BEARDSLEY — Mr. Beardsley was admitted to the California Bar in 1981, after graduation from New York University School of Law that same year. Since becoming a member of the Bar, he has specialized in civil litigation, including such employment and labor related matters as wrongful terminations, workplace drug testing, ERISA, and sex, age and race discrimination.

Mr. Beardsley has both trial and appellate experience with wrongful termination cases, as well as a variety of other civil matters, and has defended against filings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Fair Employment and Housing. Mr. Beardsley has also participated in hearings before the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board and other administrative agencies.

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SEAN V. RIVERA — Sean Rivera joined the firm in 1998. Mr. Rivera started in the field of workers’ compensation in 1989 as a claims examiner until 1994 when he received his Juris Doctorate from the University of La Verne. From 1994 to 1998 he worked as an in-house counsel for a major carrier handling all aspects of the defense of workers’ compensation claims.

Mr. Rivera has continued to practice in all phases of defense workers’ compensation claims including serious and willful misconduct actions, and labor code section 132a claims. Mr. Rivera is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the American Bar Association and a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law.

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THERESE M. WALSH — Therese Walsh is a graduate of Southwestern University School of Law. She received B.A. degrees in Philosophy and Political Science from the University of Southern California. Ms. Walsh joined the firm as an associate in July of 1997 and is the managing partner of our Inland Empire office. In addition to her previous experience as a defense attorney, she has ten years of experience in the field of workers’ compensation as a claims examiner.

Ms. Walsh is a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law.

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JESSE R. PEREZ — Jesse Perez is the managing partner of our Fresno office. He has practiced law since 1988 with an emphasis in workers’ compensation and civil liability. He has represented private enterprises as well as public and governmental agencies in all aspects of workers’ compensation matters.

Mr. Perez is an active member of the Cuban American Bar Association and the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Los Angeles County Bar.

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GREGORY J. CAMERON — Mr. Cameron received his Juris Doctor Degree from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. He works out of the Central Coast office and is local to the central coast region, having received his undergraduate degree from UC Santa Barbara.

Mr. Cameron has been representing insurance carriers, self-insured employers and third-party administrators since 1997. This includes all aspects of defending Workers’ Compensation claims including the defense of 132a discrimination claims and allegations of serious and willful misconduct.

Mr. Cameron is a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law.

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BRIAN T. RILEY — Mr. Riley received his Juris Doctorate at Whittier Law School in 2000, where he was a Dean’s Scholarship Recipient as well as a member of the Trial Advocacy Board. Mr. Riley also holds a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration from the University of Delaware.

Prior to Mr. Riley’s admission to the State Bar, he was employed as a hearing representative as well as a claims examiner for several major insurance companies. Mr. Riley is a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law.

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CINDY PEARSON — After a thirteen year career as a claims representative, hearing representative, and education coordinator for a major insurance company, Ms. Pearson joined the firm’s Los Angeles office. Her practice focuses on the defense of workers’ compensation claims. Ms. Pearson is a member of the State Bar of California.

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BRENT E. LEVINE— Mr. Levine practices in our Central Coast office defending insured and self-insureds in workers compensation and related employment matters including discrimination claims. In addition to case in chief trials, Mr. Levine has been called upon by several clients to exclusively litigate and try liens in several Southern California venues filed by various healthcare providers including outpatient surgery centers.

Mr. Levine attended the University of California at Santa Barbara, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law and Society in 1994. Thereafter, he was admitted to California Western School of Law in San Diego, California with First Year Recruiting Scholarship. Mr. Levine is a member of the State Bar of California. He was formerly an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).

Mr. Levine is a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law.

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STEVEN M. ROSENFELD — Steven Rosenfeld joined the firm as an associate in 2004. He earned his BA in Psychology from UC Santa Barbara and graduated Cum Laude in 1999 from Loyola of Los Angeles Law School, where he was awarded the American Jurisprudence Award for Trial Advocacy. He was admitted to practice in California in 1999.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Rosenfeld was in private practice representing plaintiffs and defendants in civil and criminal cases, and Applicants in Workers’ Compensation. Mr. Rosenfeld is a Certified Specialist in workers’ compensation law.

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MARK S. TOBIN — Mark Tobin practices in our Los Angeles office. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Tobin had a successful high volume solo practice for 24 years. His practice was limited to personal injury and workers’ compensation law. He earned his BA degree in English from California State University Northridge and his juris doctor degree from the University of San Fernando College of Law.

Mr. Tobin has had extensive trial, arbitration and mediation experience at the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board and Superior Courts and has previously lectured on the psychological injury aspects of workers’ compensation law to the medical community.

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SARAH M. FLYNN — Ms. Flynn received her Bachelor of Science in Law while concurrently obtaining her Juris Doctorate Degree from Southern California Institute of Law school.

While attending law school, Ms. Flynn was granted an internship with the Central Coast Public Defender’s Office. Ms. Flynn researched and drafted motions with the SBPD’s office in reference to serious felonies, three strikes law and capital punishment crimes.

Ms. Flynn was admitted to practice law in the State of California in June of 2004. She practiced in the general civil spectrum of the legal field until she joined the firm in 2005. Ms. Flynn currently practices in our Central Coast office.

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MARK G. STEPHENS — Mr. Stephens received his Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles in 2005. Mr. Stephens began working for the firm as a calendar clerk in the Central Coast office shortly after graduating from Westmont College in 2001 with a B.S. in Psychology.

He continued to work with Tobin·Lucks thoughout his law school career, with the exception of the time he spent at Fordham Law School in New York City.

Mr. Stephens has passed both the New York and California Bar exams, and is currently working out of the Los Angeles office.

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Associates

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TIMOTHY S. TOBIN — Timothy Tobin joined the firm’s Los Angeles office, after working as an applicants attorney handling cases before the WCAB.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Tobin was an investigator for several private firms for over ten years, most recently specializing in workers’ compensation fraud cases. He also investigated construction site accidents, reconstructed accident scenes and evaluated potential subrogation.

Mr. Tobin is an active member of the Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley Bar Associations. He holds certificates of outstanding achievement from his law school for courses in remedies and criminal procedure as well as certificates for I.E.A. and W.C.C.A. Mr. Tobin became a Certified Specialist in  Workers’ Compensation Law in 2010.

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KARMEN K. MOSELEY — Karmen Moseley practices in the firm’s San Diego office. Ms. Moseley received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego School of Law.

Ms. Moseley’s practice has focused on workers’ compensation defense since her admission to the California State Bar and the U.S. District Court in December 1997. She has also practiced in the areas of insurance coverage, bad faith defense and employment law.

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BRENT E. SMITH — Mr. Smith practices in our Orange County office. He received his B.A. degree from the University of Arizona and his Juris Doctor from Whittier College School of Law. While at Whittier, he was an active member of the Trial Advocacy Honors Board and participated in Moot Court.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Smith was employed as a Senior Medical Consultant for Pfizer/Pharmacia from 1993-2003. He was admitted to the California State Bar in February 2003.

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CHRISTOPHER A. BALL — Christopher Ball practices in the firm’s Inland Empire office. Mr. Ball is a graduate of Long Beach State University earning a B.S. in Business Administration. He received his Juris Doctor degree from Western State University College of Law.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Ball was an associate for a large workers’ compensation firm in Ontario.

He is a certified specialist in workers’ compensation and a published author on workers’ compensation law.

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ROY TAN-SANCHEZ — Mr. Tan-Sanchez practices in our Los Angeles office. He started in the field of Workers’ Compensation as a claims examiner in 1992. He was admitted to the California Bar in 1994 and immediately joined the legal department of a major defense firm as a staff counsel.

Mr. Tan-Sanchez earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at Southwestern University and Bachelor of Law at San Beda College, in the Philippines. He was a member of the Philippine Bar and specialized in Corporate and Labor Laws. Mr. Tan-Sanchez is a member of the San Fernando Bar Association.

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DEBRA M. SHACKELFORD — Debra Shackelford joined the firm as an associate in the Los Angeles office in 2004. Ms. Shackelford earned her JurisDoctor degree from Southwestern University School of Law where she holds a certificate of outstanding achievement in Federal Corporate Taxation. She has a B.A. in economics from California State University Northridge where she graduated with honors. While attending law school, Ms. Shackelford practiced as a law clerk for the Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service.

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JOSEPH P. FLANAGAN — Mr. Flanagan joined our Orange County office in July of 2005. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of SouthernCalifornia School of Law in 1978 and his B.A. degree from USC in 1975. From 1993 to 2005, Mr. Flanagan served as Managing Attorney for a large reputable company. Prior to that he was a partner in a private workers’ compensation defense firm in Orange County. He is a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law and was named a Superlawyer in the February 2005 issue of Los Angeles Magazine.

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LEIGH J. BOVE — Leigh Bove practices in the firm’s San Diego office. Ms. Bove received her Juris Doctorate from Rutgers University in New Jersey in 1993.

Ms. Bove is admitted to the California, Pennsylvania and New Jersey State Bars. Her practice focuses on the defense of workers’ compensation claims. She also has a significant amount of experience with workers’ compensation subrogation matters.

Ms. Bove has been employed as an in-house attorney for a workers’ compensation insurance carrier and was also in private practice with a law firm specializing in workers’ compensation defense prior to joining the firm.

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LISA A. GREGORIUS — Lisa Gregorius joined the firm as an associate in 2009 after practicing in the field of employment litigation representing private and public entities. Ms. Gregorius graduated from Chapman University School of Law in 2006. Prior to her legal career, she was a Risk Manager for a large Orange County-based corporation.

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CRAIG RICHLIN — Craig Richlin joined the firm’s Los Angeles office in April 2010. Since graduating from the University of California, Hastings College of Law in 1978, Mr. Richlin has practiced all aspects of Workers’ Compensation and Personal Injury law. He has been involved in private practice as a founding member of Richlin and Theofanis, wherein he represented employers and self-insureds before the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board. For ten years prior to his employment with Tobin·Lucks, Mr. Richlin represented applicants before the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board while in sole practice.

Mr. Richlin has been a Judge Pro Tem before the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board and has held memberships in both the California Applicant Attorneys Association and Workers’ Compensation Defense Attorneys Association.

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KARISA K. McNAMARA — Karisa McNamara practices in the firm’s San Diego office. Ms. McNamara received her juris doctorate degree from the University of Southern California Law School. Prior to joining the firm Ms. McNamara worked as a deputy district attorney for Merced and Fresno Counties. Additionally Ms. McNamara spent several years working for a private firm doing workers’ compensation defense. Ms. McNamara has been a member of the California State Bar since 1999.

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DEBORAH T. CZECH— Deborah Czech joined the firm as an associate in December, 1999. Her Bachelor of Arts degree was earned at Monmouth College and her Juris Doctor was earned at Western State University. Ms. Czech has been practicing Law since 1979, with an emphasis on workers’ compensation defense. In a private and in-house capacity, she has represented insurance carriers, self-insured employers and administrators, including school and transit districts. She is a member of the American Bar Association. In 2003 Ms. Czech
was presented with an opportunity to focus her practice on a single client.

After doing so for about 7 years, she was welcomed back into the diversified practice presented at Tobin·Lucks.

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JESSICA K. MUTO — Ms. Muto graduated from Loyola Law School in 2008. Prior to joining our Los Angeles office in 2010, she served as a Law Clerk at the Los Angeles County Superior Court in the Civil Division. Ms. Muto has been admitted to practice law in California and Illinois.

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JESSICA J. JORGENSON— Ms. Jorgenson received her B.A. from Pepperdine University, her M.B.A. from University of California, Irvine and her Juris Doctorate from University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law. Ms. Jorgenson worked for the
Department of Personnel Administrations, the Attorney General’s Office – Employment Division, and the Public Employment Relations Board before joining the firm in August, 2010.

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ERICA M. RIVERA — Ms. Rivera joined the firm’s Los Angeles office in September, 2010. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from Brooklyn Law School in 2009. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Rivera worked as a Deputy City Attorney for Los Angeles County, participating in criminal misdemeanor trials. She also has experience working as an applicant’s attorney in field of workers’ compensation. Ms. Rivera is a member of the State Bar of California.

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TIMOTHY M. WOJCIK — Mr. Wojcik earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Miami in 2010. Prior to this, he attended the University of California, Orange County where he graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Ecology.

Mr. Wojcik began working for the firm in 2008 as a law clerk in our Los Angeles office. Mr. Wojcik was admitted to the State Bar of California in December, 2010 and began working as an associate in our Central Coast office in 2010. Tim currently works from our Los Angeles county office.

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CAROLYN M. LOPEZ — Carolyn Lopez joined the firm as an associate in January, 2011. Ms. Lopez graduated Magna Cum Laude from Whittier Law School in 2010, where she was a Dean’s Merit Scholarship recipient, and served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Whittier Journal of Child and Family Advocacy. She was admitted to practice in California in 2010. Ms. Lopez also holds a Bachelor’s degree in mass communications from the University of South Florida.

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NEIL VANDERWOUDE — Neil Vanderwoude earned his B.A. from the University of California at Santa Barbara where he double majored in Philosophy and Religious Studies. During his undergraduate career Mr. Vanderwoude worked as a file clerk in the Central Coast office and after graduation as the calendar clerk. He earned his Juris Doctor from Southwestern Law School where he served as a Lead Articles Editor for the Law Review.

Mr. Vanderwoude joined the firm in 2011, and practices in our Central Coast office.

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YUNNA MIROLYAN — Ms. Mirolyan earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of La Verne College of Law. While attending law school, Ms. Mirolyan clerked for a large firm. She attended the University of California, Irvine where she graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor of Art degree in Criminology, Psychology and Social Behavior. Ms. Mirolyan joined the firm as an associate in August, 2011, and is currently working in our Los Angeles office.

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SUSAN E. PRICE — Ms. Price joined the firm in 2011 and practices in our Inland Empire office. She received her B.A. from Drew University in Madison, NJ, and her Juris
Doctorate from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. Ms. Price has defended employers and insurance carriers in all phases of workers’ compensation litigation since 2002. She has been employed as in-house counsel for a national insurance carrier, handling workers’ compensation claims, and in private practice with firms specializing in workers’ compensation defense. Prior to her workers’ compensation practice, Ms. Price defended insurance carriers in general civil litigation matters.

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DAVID LEE — David Lee earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Pitzer College and his Juris Doctorate from Pepperdine School of Law where he graduated Cum Laude. While at Pepperdine, he received the CALI Award for excellent achievement in the study of Workers’ Compensation law. During law school, Mr. Lee began working at the firm as a law clerk. He joined as an associate in 2011, and is currently practicing in our Los Angeles office.

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SIREEN SAWAF — Sireen Sawaf joined the firm in January, 2012.    Ms. Sawaf graduated from the University of California Los Angeles School of Law in 2010, where she was the Editor-in-Chief (2009-2010) and Co-Editor-in-Chief (2008-2009) of the Journal of Islamic and Near Eastern Law.  She was admitted to the California Bar in June, 2011 and works from our Inland Empire office.

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W. SCOTT PLYLER — Scott Plyler received his juris doctor degree from Western State University in 1979. He has been actively involved in the workers’ compensation field since 1980, handling the defense of insurance carriers as well as self-insured, including government entities.

Mr. Plyler has been certified by the State Bar of California as a Workers’ Compensation Specialist since 1993. Mr. Plyler is assigned to our Central Coast office.

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BRUCE M. TOOMER — Mr. Toomer received his Juris Doctor degree from Whittier Law School, and his undergraduate degree from Occidental College. He joined the firm in July 2012 after 15 years as a Superior Court Referee. Mr. Toomer has extensive litigation experience including over 30 jury trials, and 12 years of handling workers’ compensation cases.

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EDGAR H. SEVILLA III — Edgar H. Sevilla, III practices in the firm’s San Diego office. He is a native San Diegan. Mr. Sevilla studied at University of California Berkeley before graduating from Arizona State University College of Law. He was admitted to the California Bar in 1992. Mr. Sevilla’s practice focuses on the defense of all aspects of workers’ compensation claims. Mr. Sevilla has worked for a large workers’ compensation insurance carrier and was in private practice prior to joining the firm.

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JOHN A. MARLO III — John A. Marlo III (“Jock”) joined Tobin • Lucks’ Orange County office in 2012. Mr. Marlo received his Bachelor of Science degree in Real Estate Finance from the University of Southern California, and his Juris Doctorate from Western State University. He was admitted to the California Bar in 1994, and practiced civil litigation in Orange County representing automotive and related manufacturers and businesses. Mr. Marlo’s practice includes representing employers and insurers in all phases of litigation.

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ERICA M. SINGERMAN — Ms. Singerman earned her Juris Doctorate from Pepperdine University School of Law, and was admitted to practice in 2008. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Business-Economics from UCLA in 2005. Prior to joining Tobin Lucks, Ms. Singerman specialized in civil litigation, including insurance coverage, business litigation, and product liability.

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LILI V. GRAHAM — Lili Graham joined our Orange County office as an associate in 2012. Ms. Graham represents insurance carriers and self insured employers in the defense of workers’ compensation claims. Prior to joining the firm , she worked as a public defender for five years handling misdemeanor and felony cases. Ms. Graham is licensed to practice in California and Minnesota.

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SARA H. KUPERBERG — Sara Kuperberg earned her B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley where she majored in History and studied the Fine Arts. After graduation she completed an internship at the Public Defender’s Office. Ms. Kuperberg earned her Juris Doctor at Pepperdine Law School in Malibu, CA and became a member of the California Bar in 2010.

Sara currently represents third party administrators, insurance companies, self-insured entities and employers
in all aspects of workers’ compensation defense before the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board.

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MEGHAN E. O’KANE — Ms. O’Kane received her Juris Doctor from The George Washington University Law School in Washington, DC. During law school, she was a member of the Federal Circuit Bar Journal and mock trial board, represented indigent defendants as part of the DC Law Students in Court Clinical Program, and was a recipient of the George Washington University Law School and Murray Snyder Scholarship.

In 2006, Ms. O’Kane received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from MIT, where she lettered in three varsity sports. Upon graduation, Ms. O’Kane completed a fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. While there, she performed research as a part of the National Institute of Diabetes Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and was published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Before joining Tobin • Lucks’ Los Angeles office, Ms. O’Kane was the legislative counsel for a technology startup company in Washington, DC.

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DESIREE OMLI — Ms. Omli earned her Juris Doctor from California Western School of Law, where she graduated cum laude, and received three Academic Achievement Awards in Trial Skills, Evidence Advocacy, and Legal Research and Writing. During law school, she was a member of the moot court trial team, recipient of the Distinguished Advocate Award, and worked as a certified law clerk in a large criminal defense firm. Originally from Seattle, she received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Washington.

Ms. Omli was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2012, and joined the firm’s Los Angeles office in 2013.

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NICHOLAS E. WALTON — Mr. Walton received his Juris Doctorate at Whittier Law School in 2009, where he was a Dean’s Merit Scholarship recipient. Prior to joining our Orange County office, Mr. Walton had experience working as general counsel for a sports agency and as an associate in a civil litigation law firm where he practiced in the areas of personal injury and real estate. Mr. Walton is a member of the State Bar of California.

Prior to joining our Orange County office, Mr. Walton practiced in civil litigation in the areas of personal injury and real estate.

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RANDAL I. KLEIN, 1957 – 2011 — Randy joined the firm in 1987, and through his dedication, loyalty, and professionalism rose to the position of Managing Partner in our Los Angeles office. He was respected and liked by both those with whom he worked, and against whom he litigated as a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law.

Randy loved his work, his UCLA Bruins, his vigorous workout regimen, and his many friends. That love was reciprocated, especially during the last several months of his illness when his many friends and colleagues called and visited often. Randy was held in high regard and true affection by all who were lucky enough to be his friend or acquaintance, and his presence is greatly missed.

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THOMAS J. RAFACZ, 1949 – 1999 — Thomas Rafacz joined the firm’s Los Angeles office in September, 1988. Initially, he worked in the Civil Litigation Department, responsible for handling defense of civil litigation, Labor Code 132a and related employment law matters. He later began handling the defense of workers’ compensation cases and became a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law.

Prior to attending law school, Mr. Rafacz worked for a nationwide transportation company for ten years as the Director of Risk Management. His responsibilities included management of a self-insured, self-administered workers’ compensation program.

Mr. Rafacz became a partner in 1998, and was a well-respected attorney. Tom passed away suddenly in April of 1999. He was a friendly, sincere person who will be missed by his family, colleagues and many, many friends.