In its listing of the nation’s top legal talent, The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 edition recognized 32 Coblentz attorneys, including two as “Lawyers of the Year” and 10 as Ones to Watch®.

Employment partner Fred Alvarez was awarded the Best Lawyers® 2025 Labor Law – Management “Lawyer of the Year” and tax partner Jeff Bernstein was awarded the Best Lawyers® 2025 Litigation and Controversy – Tax “Lawyer of the Year” in San Francisco. Fred Alvarez is one of the preeminent employment lawyers in the United States. He combines a distinct blend of employment law experience, public service, and legal profession leadership and provides strategic and compliance advice to employers. Jeff Bernstein is one of the most well-known and preeminent tax attorneys in California. He brings extensive experience and close, personal attention to the representation of businesses, individuals, and families in highly sophisticated income, estate, and property tax matters, both as an advisor and as an advocate.

Categories of recognition are listed below.

2025 Best Lawyers in America Recognitions

• Fred Alvarez: Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Jon Bass: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Real Estate
• Jeff Bernstein: Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law
• Matt Bove: Land Use and Zoning Law
• Tim Crudo: Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Phil Feldman: Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Trusts and Estates Law
• Gregg Ficks: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Karen Frank: Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Alan Gennis: Real Estate Law
• Robert Hodil: Real Estate Law
• Miles Imwalle: Land Use and Zoning Law
• Megan Jennings: Land Use and Zoning Law
• Danna Kozerski: Real Estate Law
• Jacob Lager: Tax Law, Trusts and Estates Law
• Jaime Mannon: Trusts and Estates Law
• Jim Mitchell: Trusts and Estates Law
• Allison Moser: Employment Law – Management
• Harry O’Brien: Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law
• Richard Patch: Appellate Practice, Litigation – Antitrust
• Frank Petrilli: Land Use and Zoning Law
• Doug Sands: Real Estate Law
• Tay Via: Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Real Estate Law

2025 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America Recognitions

• Kiana Araghi: Real Estate Law
• Leah Collins: Real Estate Law
• Jeff Dodd: Environmental Law
• Eric Hieber: Construction Law, Real Estate Law
• Laura Seegal: Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Laura Srebro: Trusts and Estates
• Matthew Stone: Real Estate Law
• Marcia Valadez Valente: Commercial Litigation
• Ashley Weinstein-Carnes: Land Use and Zoning Law
• Jessica Wilson: Tax Law

Best Lawyers lists are based entirely on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. To view the full rankings, please visit the Best Lawyers website linked here.

 

A Santa Clara superior court jury awarded $14.2 million in damages to Sutter’s Place, Inc. dba Bay 101 (a California cardroom operating in San Jose) against its landlord, S.J. Bayshore Development LLC for breaching the parties’ lease agreement, while also rejecting all of S.J. Bayshore’s damages claims for concealment against two of Bay 101’s shareholders (Timothy Bumb and Ronald Werner) and S.J. Bayshore’s former general counsel (Loren Vaccarezza).

Bay 101 had claimed that S.J. Bayshore had refused to select an appraiser or conduct an appraisal of the underlying property on which the cardroom is located, thereby delaying Bay 101’s ability to exercise the option and buy the property. S.J. Bayshore had claimed that Timothy, Werner and Vaccarezza allegedly conspired against it to form what it claimed was an unfair lease and was seeking $54 million in damages.

Following a 26-day trial, which included both a four-day bench trial on equitable issues, and a nineteen-day jury trial on damages claims, the jury found that S.J. Bayshore’s conduct caused Bay 101 harm and awarded it $14.2 million in damages. The same jury also held that S.J. Bayshore was not entitled to any recovery on any of its claims. The jury deliberated for seven hours before returning its verdict.

“Bay 101 is grateful to the jury which was extraordinarily attentive and patient and is pleased that the cross-defendants, Timothy Bumb, Ron Werner and Loren Vaccarezza, have been vindicated from the personal and professional attacks that were advanced against them,” says Richard Patch of Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP.

Bay 101 and Timothy were represented by Richard Patch, Clifford Yin, Christopher Wiener, Ben Pulliam and Sarah Peterson of Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP.

S.J. Bayshore was represented by Michael Celio, Jessica Valenzuela and Elizabeth Dooley of Gibson Dunn.

Loren Vaccarezza was represented by Alison Buchanan and Laura Riparbelli of Hoge Fenton.

Ronald Werner was represented by James McManis and Matthew Schechter of McManis Faulkner LLP.

The case is Sutter’s Place, Inc. dba Bay 101 v. S.J. Bayshore Development, LLC et al., case number 22CV397119, in Santa Clara Superior Court.

Coblentz’s Family Wealth practice and three family wealth partners have been recognized in the 2024 edition of the Chambers High Net Worth Guide. Family Wealth practice chair Jaime Mannon and partners Phil Feldman and Jim Mitchell are once again ranked as Leading Lawyers in the Private Wealth Law category for Northern California. The Chambers High Net Worth Guide ranks the world’s top service providers to ultra-high net worth and high net worth individuals and families and family offices.

Jaime Mannon is again ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Band 2. Jaime offers affluent individuals and families assistance with estate and gift tax planning and cross-border tax planning. A source notes, “Jaime is well-versed in sophisticated estate matters,” while another adds, “Jaime is great to work with. She is thorough and technical.”

Phil Feldman is again ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Band 2. Phil assists wealthy individuals and families with income, philanthropic, and gift and estate tax planning. A source says, “Philip has robust experience and knowledge. He gives excellent and practical advice.” Another notes, “Phil is terrific.”

Jim Mitchell is again ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Band 2. Jim advises high net worth clients on tax planning and trust and estate administration. One source notes, “James is an excellent professional who understands the importance of communicating risk and understanding cost/benefit analyses.” Another adds, “Jim is a solid, down-to-earth advisor and problem solver.”

The Coblentz Family Wealth practice is also listed by Chambers HNW in Band 2 for Private Wealth Law, Northern California. A source notes, “Coblentz can handle anything. They have a deep bench and their ability to collaborate is great,” while another adds, “Coblentz are elite planners and give top level service.” Independent and objective, Chambers USA and Chambers HNW are carefully researched and widely considered to be the most reputable law firm directories in the world. Ranking criteria include technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, business understanding, diligence, commitment, and other qualities most valued by legal clients. To view additional details on Chambers HNW rankings, please click here.

Additional Coblentz Chambers USA Rankings

Nine additional Coblentz partners and four practices are recognized in the 2024 edition of Chambers USA, also published by Chambers & Partners. Real Estate partners Alan Gennis, Danna Kozerski, Harry O’Brien, and Tay Via; Litigation partners Timothy Crudo, Sean Coyle, and Rees Morgan; and Employment partners Fred Alvarez and Hannah Jones are ranked as leading lawyers in their respective categories. Coblentz’s Employment, Land Use, Real Estate, and White Collar Defense and Investigations practices are also recognized by Chambers USA 2024.

“[T]he decision whether to sever unconscionable provisions and enforce the balance is a qualitative one, based on the totality of the circumstances. The court cannot refuse to enforce an agreement simply by finding that two or more collateral provisions are unconscionable as written and eschewing any further inquiry.”

-Justice Carol A. Corrigan

On July 15, 2024, the California Supreme Court issued a decision in Charter Communications v. Ramirez, Case No. S273802, making clear that the issue of severance of allegedly unconscionable clauses in an arbitration agreement is a qualitative one rather than a quantitative one – and that an arbitration clause should be saved rather than invalidated if it can be.

The Court’s decision aligns with the argument Coblentz submitted in its amicus curiae brief filed on behalf of Employers Group. Employment partner Fred Alvarez prepared the amicus curiae brief and was recently quoted in the Daily Journal, noting, “If you can show the provision is collateral to the agreement, and it’s severable, then you can enforce the arbitration agreement rather than toss the whole agreement.” Fred was also quoted in Law360.

Three Partners and One Practice Area Newly Ranked

Nine Coblentz partners and four practices are recognized by Chambers & Partners in the 2024 edition of Chambers USA, including newly ranked partners Danna Kozerski, Sean Coyle, and Hannah Jones, and our newly ranked Employment practice.

Real estate and land use partners Harry O’Brien and Tay Via are listed as leading lawyers in the Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use – California category, real estate partners Alan Gennis and Danna Kozerski are listed as leading lawyers in the Real Estate – Northern California category, litigation partners Timothy Crudo, Rees Morgan, and Sean Coyle are listed in the Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations – California category, and Employment partners Fred Alvarez and Hannah Jones are listed in the Labor & Employment – California category.

Independent and objective, Chambers USA is carefully researched and widely considered to be the most reputable law firm directory in the world. Ranking criteria include technical legal ability, client service, commercial vision and business understanding, diligence, depth of the team, value for money, and other qualities most valued by legal clients.

Real Estate & Land Use

Coblentz’s real estate and land use practice is again ranked in the top tier, Band 1, in the Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use category for California. Our land use practice has been continuously ranked by Chambers for 14 years and our real estate practice is ranked by the Chambers USA 2024 Guide in Band 3 in the Real Estate category for Northern California. Clients note, “Coblentz has significant bench depth and brings the latest market information and legal strategies to the table” and that our team “has the depth, skill set and bandwidth to handle extremely complex projects. The firm has always been extremely responsive, efficient and helpful in every respect.” Four real estate and land use partners received individual rankings.

Harry O’Brien is again ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Band 3 in the Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use – California category. A client raved, “Harry is amazing, he is an expert in his area and we enjoy working with him.” Harry has been recognized by Chambers since 2003.

Tay Via moved up in the rankings and is now ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Band 3 in the Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use – California. A client notes, “Tay Via is incredible and really responsive.” Tay has been recognized by Chambers since 2022.

Alan Gennis is again ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Band 2 in the Real Estate – Northern California category. “Alan is a great real estate transactional attorney,” remarked a client. Alan has been recognized by Chambers since 2018.

Danna Kozerski is newly ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Band 4 in the Real Estate – Northern California category. “Danna Kozerski is a strong attorney and a pleasure to work with,” noted a client.

Litigation

Coblentz’s white collar defense and investigations practice is ranked in Band 3 in the Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations category for California, moving up one band. A client notes, “They are my go-to recommendation. They’re hyper fast to engage and dive into a case,” while another adds, “Coblentz is filled with the most skilled, thoughtful and strategic attorneys. It’s a dream team for complex cases.” Three litigation partners received individual rankings in the category.

Timothy Crudo is again ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Band 2 in the Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations category for California. Clients note Tim “is an incredibly experienced lawyer, who has gained the respect of both sides of the Bar,” and that he “is a consummate professional, who is great in court and experienced in getting fantastic results for his clients.” Tim has been recognized by Chambers since 2016.

Rees Morgan moved up in the rankings and is now ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Band 3 in the Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations category for California. “Rees is one of the most personable, kind, smart and strategic lawyers you could have on your side. And most importantly, he’s brutally honest about each aspect of your case,” raves a client. Another remarks, “Rees has such a persuasive style in oral argument and can take complex facts and boil them down into simple arguments.” Rees has been recognized by Chambers since 2021.

Sean Coyle is newly ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Band 5 in the Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations category for California. A client notes, “He’s very pragmatic – sometimes people can lose the forest for the trees, but he doesn’t. He’s solutions driven.”

Employment

Coblentz’s employment practice is newly ranked in Band 3 in the California: Labor & Employment – Highly Regarded category. “The team at Coblentz is made up of excellent lawyers and trusted advisers,” notes a client. Another remarks, “They are very responsive and engaged. They really prioritize us as a client and are able to deliver candid advice and good judgment while seeing issues from all sides.”

Employment partner Fred Alvarez is again recognized as a Senior Statesperson in California in the Labor & Employment category. “He is excellent – he is extremely knowledgeable about employment law and uses his knowledge to dissect issues,” raves one client. Another notes, “His demeanor is very calm, conveying experience, knowledge and a level approach. He is focused on reaching resolutions and seeing a path toward solving problems.” Fred has been recognized by Chambers for more than 20 years.

Hannah Jones is newly ranked in the Up and Coming category. “She is very knowledgeable, practical and efficient. She is extremely responsive and helps us navigate some very complicated issues,” notes a client.

To view the complete list of Coblentz rankings in the 2024 edition of Chambers USA, please visit the publication’s website linked here.

Coblentz family wealth partner Jennifer Scharre has been appointed to the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section (TEXCOM) of the California Lawyers Association, an organization dedicated to the professional advancement of attorneys practicing in the state of California. TEXCOM members serve a five-year term and work to improve trusts and estates law and the standard of practice among California Lawyers Association members. The Executive Committee also delivers programs and publications to section members and handles strategic planning for the section.

Jennifer is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the California Board of Legal Specialization. Her practice focuses on sophisticated wealth transfer strategies for high net worth clients, including founders, individuals at startups, and clients with large real estate portfolios.

In addition to serving on TEXCOM, Jennifer serves on the Board of Trustees of the Silicon Valley Bar Association (SVBA), where she is also Treasurer. Jennifer is also a member of the Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Section of the State Bar of California. She is a prolific speaker and provides informative presentations regarding estate planning, charitable giving, and special needs issues to professional organizations and her local community.

Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP filed an amicus brief on behalf of the Bay Area Council in Sheetz v. County of El Dorado before the U.S. Supreme Court to advocate for a legal process to challenge development impact fees. On April 12, 2024, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment does not distinguish between legislative and administrative land use permit conditions. The decision was covered in the Bay Area Council article, “Bay Area Council Hails Supreme Court Decision on Costly Impact Fees.” “This ruling is hopefully the first step on the path to returning some fairness in how housing and other local impact fees are charged,” said Jim Wunderman, President and CEO of the Bay Area Council. Coblentz partners Miles Imwalle, Sarah Peterson, and Katharine Van Dusen drafted the brief in collaboration with the Bay Area Council.

San Francisco (March 11, 2024) – San Francisco-based law firm Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP is pleased to welcome Jacob Lager to the firm’s partnership.

Jacob joins the firm’s tax practice and has significant experience advising privately held businesses, individuals, and trusts on a variety of domestic and international taxation matters. He structures business transactions and advises domestic and cross-border clients on tax implications related to real estate joint ventures, like-kind exchanges, corporate mergers, asset acquisitions, spin-offs, and debt exchanges. Jacob also advises clients on the creation and operations of tax-preferred entities such as partnerships, S corporations, disregarded limited liability companies, REITS, and tax-exempt charitable organizations. He advises on the tax consequences of capital events and exits, including corporate dissolutions, partnership and corporate redemptions and reorganizations, asset purchases, mergers, buy-outs, transition agreements, and intrafamily succession planning.

Jacob also maintains an active tax controversy practice, advising clients at all stages of federal, state, and local tax audits, appeals, and court actions. He regularly defends clients in income tax disputes with the Internal Revenue Service and the Franchise Tax Board, employment tax disputes with the Employment Development Department, sales and use tax disputes with the Department of Tax and Fee Administration, and property and transfer tax matters with county assessors throughout California.

In addition to his significant domestic tax experience, Jacob also advises clients on cross-border tax matters, including the U.S. treatment of domestically held foreign interests. He advises clients on tax withholding obligations related to inbound and outbound transfers and how applicable Tax Treaties mitigate such tax results. Jacob also advises non-U.S. clients in making tax-efficient U.S. investments.

“I am thrilled that Jacob has joined Coblentz. His depth and breadth of experience advising on domestic and international taxation matters rounds out our tax and corporate practices,” said Sara Finigan, Managing Partner of Coblentz. “He is a fantastic addition to our team.”

“From the first I have been profoundly impressed by the extraordinary talent here at Coblentz,” said Jacob Lager. “I could not pass up the opportunity to join and help steer the group of exceptionally gifted tax lawyers we have here. I eagerly anticipate the great strides our group will make as we establish ourselves as the premier tax leaders throughout California.”

Jacob joins Coblentz’s Tax practice from Saul Ewing LLP. Jacob’s arrival comes on the heels of Frank Busch, Jennifer Scharre, and Nick Gerlach joining the partnership – who together strengthen Coblentz’s litigation, family wealth, and tax capabilities.

Coblentz real estate and land use partner Dan Gershwin was recognized as one of the top 10 real estate authors by JD Supra’s 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards.

Dan was selected from a pool of over 3,250 writers covering real estate matters on JD Supra during 2023. The Readers’ Choice Awards recognize top authors and firms who were read by C-suite executives, in-house counsel, media, and other professionals across the JD Supra platform during 2023.

Dan is a contributing author of Coblentz’s Unfamiliar Terrain blog, which provides insights into the complex Bay Area land use landscape and dynamic regulatory environment. Subscribe to Unfamiliar Terrain to receive updates on land use and real estate-related topics.

Coblentz’s international legal alliance, TAGLaw®, has again been recognized by Chambers & Partners as “Elite” for 2024—the highest ranking awarded to legal networks and alliances. This is the eleventh time TAGLaw has received the distinguished “Elite” designation since Chambers & Partners began ranking legal networks and alliances in 2013.

In selecting networks and alliances for their “Elite” status, Chambers & Partners pays particular attention to the quality of the member firms, their global reach, and the value that the alliance provides to its member firms. Member firms have exceptional reputations for quality of service and client satisfaction, and strive to cooperate to provide resources and expertise as if they were right down the hall from one another.

As the Northern California law firm representative to TAGLaw, Coblentz is able to access a network of exemplary regional, national and international legal resources to help us better serve our clients. TAGLaw, with a global footprint in over 90 countries, has leading firms in over 160 jurisdictions providing legal services to companies ranging from the Fortune 5000 and leading SMEs to high net worth individuals. With expertise in dozens of practice areas and countless industry sectors, TAGLaw offers a substantial capability to its members’ clients. This capability is expanded by TAGLaw’s unique relationship with its sister alliance of accounting firms, TIAG, providing members and clients with the multidisciplinary expertise needed in today’s business world.

Coblentz partner Paul Tauber is a member of the Advisory Board and chair of the Global Strategy Committee of the TAG Alliances, assisting in reviewing prospective new members, offering feedback for the planning of international conferences, and providing valuable guidance on future plans and initiatives.