Stowell, Zeilenga, Ruth, Vaughn & Treiger LLP offers its clients a unique combination of large firm capabilities with the heightened personal service and attention typical of a small firm. The Firm's attorneys are graduates of some of the most prestigious law schools in the country and they bring with them traditions of excellence based on decades of successful practice in the Southern California
legal community. Business Litigation: Partners David Stowell, Richard Zeilenga, James Vaughn and Adam Treiger, and Of Counsel Cary Spencer have achieved trial and appellate court victories, in State and Federal Courts, in all types of business and commercial litigation, including real estate disputes, business tort and contract disputes, partnership conflicts, securities fraud matters, insurance coverage disputes, construction defect claims and probate and trust controversies. Experience, expertise, cost-effectiveness, creativity and responsiveness are the hallmarks of the Firm's business litigation practice. Real Estate, Business Transactions and Tax Planning: David Ruth heads up the Firm's Transactional, Real Estate and Tax Planning practice areas. Prior to graduating from Harvard Law School, Mr. Ruth spent several years working as a certified public accountant with one of the nation's premier accounting firms. Mr. Ruth's significant expertise in transactional, real estate and tax matters, combined with the experience and expertise of Adam Treiger, James Vaughn and Cary Spencer, provides the Firm's clients with a uniquely integrated approach in transactional planning and proactive litigation risk management that adds substantial value to our representation in these practice areas:
Real Estate: The Firm's lawyers have substantial experience in real estate transactions arising out of their representation of a diverse selection of large institutions and high net worth individuals that have acquired or disposed of interests in shopping centers, industrial parks, apartment projects, office buildings, hotels, and residential and country club developments. The Firm handles all aspects of real estate transactions, including acquisitions and sales, tax-free exchanges, leasing (both landlords and tenants), financing, and ownership structuring. Business Transactions: The Firm's transactional practice assists our clients with a wide variety of business matters, including business formations, acquisitions, sales, reorganizations, financing, restructuring, and daily operational matters. The Firm's lawyers have substantial experience with all aspects of business organizations, including the formation, maintenance and reorganization of closely held corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships, as well as the negotiation and documentation of sophisticated joint ventures involving both real estate and operating companies. Tax Planning and Audit Defense: The Firm's tax practice involves sophisticated strategic planning for both domestic and foreign individuals and business entities, emphasizing unique and creative approaches to federal, state and foreign tax planning and compliance. The Firm has substantial experience in assisting nonresidents of the United States with their tax and business matters. The tax planning and audit defense practices are carefully integrated to ensure that tax planning is sensitive to the scrutiny of a possible audit. Land Use and Environmental Law: Richard Zeilenga, a graduate of Northwestern University Law School, and James Vaughn, a graduate of U.C. Berkeley–Boalt Hall, are the partners heading up the Firm's land use and environmental law practice. Both Mr. Zeilenga and Mr. Vaughn have substantial experience in successfully representing private developers and public agencies in controversial land use and environmental disputes throughout Southern and Northern California, in both the Superior and Appellate Courts. The Firm's experience in land use and environmental matters is unique, in that it represents both proponents and opponents of large development projects. The Firm assists its clients with all types of land use and environmental matters, including: CEQA compliance and litigation, endangered species issues, entitlement applications, entitlement due diligence in connection with real property acquisitions, planning and zoning law compliance, all manner of development fee protest and refund actions, challenges to referendum and initiative ballot measures, wastewater facility entitlement issues, stormwater management issues, and California Coastal Commission matters. Our unique experience in both defending and challenging controversial development projects substantially enhances the insights we offer private and public entity clients. Securities Arbitration: David Stowell, a graduate of Pepperdine University Law School, directs the Firm's securities arbitration practice, which focuses on the representation of individuals who have suffered losses in their domestic and international stock brokerage or commodities accounts. Stowell has been extremely successful in representing clients injured by improper investment schemes, account churning, unauthorized trading, securities fraud, and breaches of fiduciary duty by broker-dealers. Employment Counseling and Litigation: Adam Treiger, a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center heads up the Firm's employment law practice. The Firm's expertise is focused on litigation prevention and day-to-day employment law counseling, as well as on representing employer clients in federal and state court or arbitration settings in wage and hour, discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination lawsuits. Estate Planning: Cary Spencer heads up the Firm's estate planning practice. The Firm advises clients and prepares documentation regarding implementation and alteration of wills, trusts, gifts and all other documentation necessary to effectuate the goals of tax reduction and deferral, privacy, economy and asset disposition. The Firm also handles all aspects of its clients’ probate and trust administration needs. Religious Institution: James Vaughn and Adam Treiger head up The Firm's religious organizations practice. The Firm's attorneys are uniquely qualified to handle the special legal issues and challenges confronting religious organizations and affiliated institutions. The Firm's attorneys have significant expertise in handling constitutional and privilege issues, employment practices, real estate and land use matters, taxation, and insurance coverage.
