Kalab Honey | Newport Beach Business Lawyer

• -Los Angeles County Bar Association.
• -Southwestern University Alumni Association
• -University of Oregon Alumni

I helped uncover and prosecute a multi-state ponzi scheme designed to defraud multiple parties - mostly senior citizens - by offering fraudulent promissory notes backed by health insurance policies and real estate trusts. This case (along with a companion case also prosecuted by Kalab Honey) caught the attention of the California State Department of Corporations who prosecuted a separate lawsuit against the perpetrators that resulted in at least some of the fraudulently-obtained funds being seized and ultimately returned to the victims. I had a case where there were three shareholders in a corporation and two of the shareholders joined forces to push out the third shareholder (my client). I was able not only to enjoin the two offending shareholders from engaging in any activity adverse to my client, but we were successful in forcing an accounting and a sale of the corporation to my client. I also had a case where an unscrupulous commercial landlord was taking advantage of the business leasing from it by relying on draconian terms in the lease and associated personal guaranties. My client was a guarantor to a multi-party lease and was being forced to pay the entire amount, which was based on suspicious accounting for costs. The costs represented almost 25% of the balance due and because the client did not dispute the underlying obligation, she was continuing to incur attorney fees (both hers and the plaintiffs) while trying to simply get an accurate accounting. Not only were we able to reduce the amount of costs payable, but we also uncovered that another party made a payment on the promissory note, for which we were entitled to offset.

1. Responsiveness: I hold myself accountable to each and every client, which means quick and timely response to all client inquiries in addition to consistent client communication regarding the progression of their case. There is rarely a time in my law practice where a question or concern goes unaddressed or unanswered. More importantly, I am brutally honest with my clients with regard to their chances of success and I don't simply keep cases lingering in order to bill more hours.
2. Superior Work Product: Superior work product is a key component in securing favorable results - whether in court or a commercial setting. Our work product sets the tone for our clients in civil litigation and is the crux to favorable results because it is what the judge views in making legal determinations on our cases. I produce superior work-product because of the great pride I have in my craft, which I am able to do because of the benefit years of discipline and practice.
3. Track Record: I have a successful and winning track record in securing favorable results for my clients (judgments and settlements).
4. Hard work/Dedication: Although hard-work and dedication seem obvious, it must not go unmentioned because the extra time put forth for our clients ensure effective, efficient, and client-oriented legal representation.
5. Creativity: At our firm we consciously choose to avoid the cookie-cutter, boiler-plate methods for pursuing litigation and solutions to conflicts. The KAH offers creative solutions and alternatives for its clients, so as to ensure a unique advantage over the competition.

A client should always look for a lawyer with a broad range of knowledge and expertise in the relevant field in dispute. For example, an attorney with twenty years of business litigation experience does not necessarily provide better legal representation compared to an attorney with only five-years of business litigation experience, but who also has ten years of corporate business experience. In most cases, experience in the relevant industry matters in a big way. Although legal experience matters for the legal process, having an attorney with the relevant field experience helps supply the details for much more well-rounded legal representation.

I try to provide all of the relevant legal information to a potential client in a free phone consultation that they need to educate themselves on the strengths and weaknesses of their case so that that they can reach an independent decision on whether or not to pursue the matter. I would prefer to turn away 100 potential clients by being brutally honest with them concerning their chances of success than to have 1 client retain my firm only to be disappointed with the results.

1. Major details of whatever subject/incident they are calling about;
2. Any document(s) in the potential client's possession relevant to the underlying subject matter;
3. The goals of the potential client; and
4. The potential client's budget to pursue the matter (if litigation).

1. Qualifications/Field Experience: I possess nearly twenty years of hands-on corporate/business experience.
2. Track Record: Secured over $2 million in settlements and judgments in the last year alone.
3. Access: I believe in having a personal relationship with my clients, which means they can reach me when they need to. This may limit me in terms of the number of clients I can competently represent at one time, but I believe in quality over quantity.

That is simple: Success for my clients. Success can mean winning a judgment in my client's favor after months of arduous litigation, or it can mean securing a favorable settlement to avoid excessive and expensive litigation costs. For my corporate and small business clients to whom I provide contract review and transactional services, success is often measured by our ability to keep them out of lawsuits and/or to ensure they are protected to the greatest extent under the law. Success at the KAH is ultimately determined by our client's satisfaction with the final result and nothing is more rewarding to me.