Mr. Bendel received his B.S. in Finance, magna cum laude, from the University of Connecticut in 1997. He then went on to receive his J.D., magna cum laude, in 2000 from Pepperdine University, where he was a member of the Pepperdine Law Review. Upon graduating from law school, Mr. Bendel joined the Los Angeles office of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, where he practiced for over twelve years. While at Stroock, Mr. Bendel handled complex business litigation, including securities disputes, small business dissolutions, insurance coverage and bad faith matters, and other business and commercial disputes. The primary focus of Mr. Bendel’s practice is insurance coverage and insurance bad faith litigation. He has provided coverage advice and/or been involved in bad faith litigation with respect to claims made under all types of insurance policies including Commercial General Liability, Directors & Officers, Errors & Omissions, Property, Homeowners, and Automobile insurance policies. Mr. Bendel is admitted to practice before all federal and state courts in California, including the California Court of Appeal and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He has tried cases in federal and state courts in Northern and Southern California. In total, Mr. Bendel has over fifteen weeks of trial experience. Mr. Bendel also has experience at the appellate level; he has drafted a number of successful appellate briefs.

Located in Glendale, CA, Attorney Justin Tahmazian has ten years of experience working on personal injury cases. His focus includes but is not limited to dog bites, slip/fall injuries, elder abuse, and wrongful deaths. Handling challenging and complex cases alongside his father, Attorney Tahmazian offers potential clients a free consultation.

Isacc Toveg is a practicing lawyer in the state of California.

An accomplished litigator, Sara Colón is admitted to practice in both California and New York, where she has extensive experience handling a broad range of commercial litigation cases in federal and state courts and in arbitral forums. Ms. Colón has skillfully managed a variety of legal matters including disputes regarding breach of contract, partnerships, investments, insurance coverage, fraud, government investigations, and business torts. She has also represented plaintiffs in financial elder abuse cases. Ms. Colón’s clients include local and international businesses in a variety of industries, including finance, real estate, telecommunications, entertainment, and technology.

California attorney Scott Rahn resolves contests, disputes and litigation related to trusts, estates and conservatorships, creating a welcome peace of mind for clients. He represents heirs, beneficiaries, trustees and executors. He utilizes his experience to develop and implement strategies that swiftly and efficiently address the financial issues, fiduciary duties and emotional complexities underlying trust contests, estates conflicts and probate litigation. Driven by a commitment to provide relief to people grieving the loss of a loved one, Scott collaborates closely with clients. He pursues and defends claims involving incapacity, incompetence, undue influence, breach of fiduciary duty, and other similar areas of dispute. His advice and counsel includes prevention and remediation of financial elder abuse.

Douglas Shaffer practices out of Santa Monica, CA and has been licensed for 34 years. This attorney attended Pepperdine University School of Law and handles cases in Accident & Injury.

Welcome to Takehara & Stuart, LLP, a distinguished boutique law firm based in the beautiful City of Santa Monica and offering a diverse range of legal services in all of California. Our firm's mission is to provide exceptional legal representation across various practice areas, including personal injury litigation, auto accidents, entertainment law, aviation law, employment law and other areas of practice. With a deep commitment to excellence and a proven track record of success, we pride ourselves on delivering tailored, client-focused solutions that meet your unique needs. Whether you've been injured in an accident, require expert counsel in the entertainment industry, or seek specialized aviation legal services, our team of experienced attorneys is here to guide you through every step of your legal journey. Explore our website to learn more about our firm and the comprehensive legal expertise we bring to the table. Your legal needs, our passion for justice—Discover the Takehara & Stuart difference today.

Attorney Wade specializes in civil litigation, conducting jury trials in complex cases and in helping individuals and businesses in every phase of their development. He has been practicing law for almost twenty years. He also has served as both a judge pro tem and an arbitrator for the Santa Clara County Superior Court, and has guest lectured at Stanford University.

For more than 15 years, Russell has helped families, fiduciaries, and individuals navigate complex trust and estate matters with clarity, care, and practical guidance. His clients include trustees, personal representatives, conservators, professional fiduciaries, corporate trustees, and individuals seeking thoughtful counsel as they plan for the future or address disputes involving a loved one’s estate. Russell’s practice includes trust administration, probate, conservatorships, estate planning, and trust and estate litigation. He advises trustees, personal representatives, and conservators as they administer trusts, probate estates, and conservatorships, helping them understand and fulfill their fiduciary obligations. When disputes arise, Russell represents fiduciaries in litigation involving trusts, estates, and conservatorships. In his estate planning work, Russell helps clients prepare for the uncertainties of life by creating individualized plans that reflect their needs, wishes, and family circumstances. To learn more about how Russell can assist with estate planning, trust administration, probate, conservatorship, or trust and estate litigation matters, call 626-746-5877 or complete our online contact form.

Representing employees against employers in claims for wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, assault & battery; whistleblower retaliation. Handle claims of retaliation for taking disability or medical leave, workers' compensation leave or family-medical leave, or denial of such leave. Harassment and discrimination claims are often based on sex, race, national origin, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, religion, medical condition and other protected classifications. Adverse job actions based on discrimination may include excessive and unfair criticism, removal of responsibilities, fewer hours, transfers or assignments with less opportunity or income, assignment to menial or dirty tasks, demotion, denial of promotion, or simply termination. The firm also handles claims for unpaid overtime, denial of lunch and rest breaks. We handle all aspects of litigation including trial, arbitration, mediation and settlement in all state and federal courts in California and before the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) and the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Also represent independent contractors and managers with discrimination claims against their employers. Attorney Geoffrey Lyon has over 25 years' courtroom experience. He has litigated hundreds of cases in state and federal court collectively resulting in well over $15 million in verdicts and settlements. Attorney Lyon has handled dozens of trials, including jury trials, as well as arbitrations, hundreds of court appearances and mediations, and thousands of depositions. He has argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth and Ninth Circuits and the California Court of Appeal. He was a candidate for State Assembly in 2004. Lyon is married with three children. Collectively, the firm's employee-clients have sued dozens of Fortune 500 companies in numerous industries including aerospace, entertainment, defense, broadcasting, real estate, construction, advertising, automotive, sales, service, banking, mortgage, and many other industries. Representative public entities sued by clients of the firm include the City and County of Los Angeles, school districts and numerous city, county and government agencies. Nothing herein is intended to be a prediction, guaranty or estimate regarding the outcome of your case or any particular matter.