Mr. Novak is the founding partner of our firm. He was born on the great Canadian prairies in the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba. After a distinguished educational career at the University of Manitoba, he attended the University of North Dakota School of Law. He was named on the academic dean’s list for his entire six semesters of law school and was awarded the degree of Juris Doctor With Distinction. Following graduation from law school, he hung up his hockey skates and moved to the gentler climate of California. Since 1998 Mr. Novak has based his practice of law in the Southern California area. However, he has actively litigated cases throughout the State of California, and the United States. Mr. Novak has established himself as a well-respected trial attorney in the region. In particular, he is renowned for his keen legal mind and aggressive litigation approach. His commitment to fighting for clients’ rights has led to the recovery of in excess of $130,000,000.00 in verdicts or settlements for clients within the past twenty-two years of his practice. Before concentrating his practice on protecting the rights of individuals, Mr. Novak worked for several years as a defense attorney handling primarily large-loss cases on behalf of numerous entertainment production companies, large corporations, and insurance companies. During this time period, he successfully protected clients from exposure to multi-million dollar claims for damages.

For more than 24 years, R. Joseph Kerendian has delivered legal representation to businesses and individuals throughout Los Angeles and Southern California. His practice focuses primarily on real estate matters, including all types of residential and commercial business transactions, from preparing and negotiating agreements of sale to follow-through and successful deal closure. In addition to real estate, Mr. Kerendian has broad experience providing strategic, in-depth counsel in the areas of business law, personal injury and civil litigation. In all his cases, Mr. Kerendian is committed to providing his clients with expert legal advice and effective solutions. In addition to practicing law, Mr. Kerendian is also a Real Estate Broker assisting individuals and investors in real estate development and management. He represents a wide range of clientele from first time buyers and sellers to executives and has extensive experience in real estate transactions, sales, and lease agreements in residential and commercial real estate projects for start-ups, emerging enterprises, and established companies. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Kerendian has been involved with and in charge of hundreds of real estate development projects, including acquisition, development, management of commercial and residential properties throughout Southern California. He has been an integral part of contract negotiations and has extensive experience in handling residential and commercial transactions and is highly experienced in delivering successful outcomes for his client.

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.

Jeffrey Costell is a practicing attorney in the state of California. He graduated from Georgetown University with his J.D. in 1980. He currently works for Costell & Cornelius, Law Corporation specializing in real estate law.

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.

Mr. Davis is the founder and lead attorney of the Law Offices of Vincent W. Davis & Associates. Since 1986, Mr Davis' practice cover all areas of law including family law, juvenile dependency, probate, civil litigation, contracts, immigration, entertainment law and criminal defense.Mr. Davis and his associates represent clients going through divorce and handle issues such as child custody and visitation, child support and spousal support and division of property.At Vincent W. Davis & Associates we also handle domestic violence, paternity, adoption matters, civil litigation matters, real estate matters and all criminal matters.

When you come to the Law Offices of Moussa A. Helo, our top priority is making sure you have the best possible experience. If you’ve been injured, we know it can be a difficult and confusing time. That’s why we’re here to help. We’ll guide you through every step of the process, from filing a claim to going to court, and make sure you understand your rights and options every step of the way. We’re committed to getting you the compensation you deserve, and we’ll fight for your interests every step of the way. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation, and let us help you get started on the road to recovery.

Andrei Armas is a founding partner of Armas & Joseph. Mr. Armas specializes in consumer protection, including banking, credit, debt collection, and deceptive business practices. Over the last 10 years, Mr. Armas has successfully litigated and fought for consumers' rights involving identity theft, unauthorized transactions, debt collection and credit reporting. Mr. Armas has also successfully represented consumers with misrepresented services and goods, including through class action litigation.

Cristian R. Arrieta serves clients with comprehensive estate planning and handles business matters including transactions, dispute resolution, expert advocacy and trust and estate litigation. He also serves as general outside legal counsel to many of his business clients. His expertise includes handling business partnerships, corporations, and limited liability companies; sales, mergers and acquisitions; due diligence; contracts; probate and trust administration; will contests and trust litigation; property disputes; elder law matters; and asset protection. Cristian is a volunteer with the Ventura County chapter of SCORE – Counselors to America’s Small Business, Womens Economic Ventures, as well as Senior Concerns in Thousand Oaks. He is a cum laude graduate of California Western School of Law, and he earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy, cum laude, at California State University, Northridge. Cristian was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2005 and began in his practice the same year. Born and raised in Southern California, Cristian has also lived in Lima, Peru, where he co-owned and managed an American-style food and spirits establishment and taught English. Cristian is fluent in Spanish. He and his family live in Newbury Park.