Contract

John Vukmanovic is the co–founder and a partner of Delman Vukmanovic LLP. John is highly regarded among his peers in the legal communities of Los Angeles and Orange counties. His highly aggressive, yet sensible approach to civil litigation routinely yields successful outcomes for his new and returning clients. Top Civil Litigation Lawyer in Los Angeles and Orange County As a “bulldog” litigator and consummate trial attorney, John’s comprehensive background in civil litigation comprises a long string of successful outcomes for clients facing complex business and real estate litigation, as well as employment, professional liability and intellectual property disputes. While each case is different, John approaches all civil disputes the same way: striving for maximum effectiveness and leverage in civil litigation while maintaining efficiency. Large Firm Litigation Experience John acquired his early legal experience in the insurance industry, subsequently rising to prominence as an attorney with the large national law firm of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, LLP, and later with the high–profile business and entertainment litigation firm of Freedman & Taitelman, LLP. His experience makes him uniquely qualified to understand his clients’ challenges, and to achieve their ultimate goals. Community Involvement John proactively dedicates a significant amount of time assisting individuals of limited means in pro bono matters and devotes energy to a range of charitable organizations in the greater Los Angeles and Orange County areas. Recognized for Superlative Results and Service as Business Litigation Attorney Among his achievements, John has been ranked by Benchmark Litigation as a “Litigation Star” and named by Los Angeles Magazine as a Southern California “Super Lawyer” in Business Litigation. “Super Lawyers,” a peer–designated honor, is bestowed upon only the top five percent of lawyers practicing in California. In addition, John has been awarded Martindale–Hubbell’s Client Distinction Award, an honor conferred by his clients in appreciation of John’s value in quality of service, communication skills, and professional diligence.

Anthony A. Nozzolillo, Esq. is seasoned attorney representing individual and corporate buyers, sellers, and lenders in both routine and complex residential and commercial real estate closing transactions; commercial and residential leasing agreements (lessor and lessee); mortgage refinancing- representing national and local lenders in closings on both first and second residential and commercial loans. He serves as Chief Legal Counsel to a Real Estate Title Insurance Company, On Point Land Services Corporation, and is General Counsel to Keen Settlement Services, Inc. a Loan Settlement Company, both located in Merrick, Long Island, New York. He also serves as Of Counsel to the Real Estate and Litigation Departments of Turturro Law, P.C., a full-service Law Firm in Staten Island, New York. He is well versed in all aspects of Landlord/Tenant matters, as well as Title and Title Insurance, and possesses vast knowledge of Real Estate Litigation and dispute resolutions (Evictions, Foreclosures, Breach of Contract Disputes, Escrow Deposit Disputes, Title Disputes (Quiet Title/Notice of Pendency), Boundary Line Disputes, Adverse Possession, Breach of Warranty of Habitability). He is a frequent guest speaker at Realtor and Mortgage Broker conventions involving first time homebuyers and all facets of title insurance. Although the current mainstay of his practice concentration is Real Estate Law, having run his own Private Law Practice for almost a decade, Mr. Nozzolillo provides additional legal services not limited to: Drafting of Wills and Trusts/Estate Planning; Business Law; (Corporate Entity Formation, Contract Drafting); Civil Litigation Representation;(Personal Injury; Slip and Falls; Arbitration; Mediation); Small Claims Court Matters; Contract Law (Partnership Agreements, Independent Contractor Agreements, Prenuptial Agreements, etc). Additionally, Mr. Nozzolillo serves as President / Legal to the Board of Managers of The Meridian Condominium, a 36 Unit Luxury Oceanfront Condominium located in Long Beach, New York. He is also Community Counsel to 70-80 Gibbons Boulevard, a 500 Unit Cooperative Building located in Valley Stream, New York. He is the recipient of awards from The New York Association of Mortgage Brokers (NYAMB); HERALD Newspapers; Martindale- Hubbell, and The American Registry; and has represented celebrity clients (the late Alan Colmes (Hannity & Colmes) as well as High Net Worth Investors. Mr. Nozzolillo received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from State University of New York at Albany (School of Business) and a Juris Doctorate from Hofstra University School of Law. He is an active member of the New York State Bar Association; Nassau County Bar Association; American Bar Association; American Association of Notaries; Affiliate of Member of Long Island Board of Realtors (LIBOR) and New York Association of Mortgage Brokers (NYAMB). In addition, he is a licensed New York State Real Estate Broker.

Mr. Perez has represented and delivered results for clients in matters involving: landlord tenant, breach of warranties, insurance coverage claims, property damage matters, intentional torts, mediation, negligence claims, dog and animal bites, business litigation, construction, libel slander defamation, civil fraud, the Ohio Consumer Protection Act, personal injury, premises liability (slip and fall), contract and agreement disputes, trespass and boundary disputes, Fair Credit Reporting Act and other civil matters.

For much of the past decade, Jeff has been recognized annually by his peers as a New York “Super Lawyer” (one of the Top 25 in Westchester County), and selected as one of US News & World Report’s “Best Lawyers in America” in the area of commercial litigation. He has also been named a lifetime member of “Elite Lawyers in America,” “The Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum,” and “Top Trial Lawyers in America.” He is a Fellow in the prestigious Litigation Counsel of America, and a member of the venerable American Bar Association Foundation. Jeff’s versatility with a wide array of subject matters has led to his handling of many high profile, difficult cases. Among other matters, Jeff successfully led the defense in federal court of a boat-builder wrongfully implicated in the “Ethan Allen” tragedy on Lake George in which twenty persons perished, winning summary judgment on the client’s behalf; prosecuted a $4.5 million jury verdict in Columbia County against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI); argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court the landmark consumer fraud class action, Lee v. Basic Research, which resulted in a unanimous, 9-0 opinion overturning the lower courts’ decisions denying class certification; and argued before the Massachusetts’ Supreme Judicial Court the precedent setting case of Tyler v. Michaels which declared unlawful the collection of personal identifying information in connection with retail credit card transactions. Jeff’s reputation for excellent results and dogged preparation, make him a formidable adversary, regardless of which side of the aisle any particular dispute may place him. Jeff is no stranger to the Courtroom, and has successfully tried to verdict a diverse number of matters, including securing a defense verdict for Madison Square Garden and Amtrak in a federal jury trial in the Eastern District of New York; winning a multi-million dollar jury award in a state court breach of contract action in White Plains; prevailing in a nine month real estate fraud arbitration in New York City in which he recovered a multi-million dollar judgment; and securing on the eve of jury selection tens of millions of dollars for clients with catastrophic losses. Jeff’s experience in the sports, media and entertainment industries has also allowed for his successful handling of a variety of matters including claims of copyright infringement, trademark infringement, breach of television Executive Production Agreements, royalty disputes, and artist-management conflicts. Jeff has advised television broadcast journalists, senior media executives and executive producers on a wide range of issues concerning non-competes, first amendment rights, and compensation and severance disputes. Jeff led the successful prosecution of the wrongful death action of Baltimore Orioles’ pitcher Steve Bechler, helped extricate former light heavyweight World Champion boxer Reggie Johnson from an onerous promoter’s contract, and counseled the Estate of Tito Puente, the Latin Salsa King, in a misappropriation of name and likeness litigation. Jeff also spearheaded the successful prosecution of the United States Tennis Association’s (USTA) multimillion dollar breach of contract action against a sponsor of the US Open, as well as defended the USTA against a claim of disability discrimination which he successfully had dismissed, and successfully represented Heineken in a breach of contract action arising from a marketing services agreement. Jeff regularly counsels media and entertainment clients in contract negotiations, severance disputes, and intellectual property matters. Jeff’s skill with complex litigation has also helped the Firm to develop significant experience handling a diverse array of maritime and admiralty matters. Jeff has successfully defended boat builders, marinas, charter vessels, stevedores and other marine interests in both federal and state litigations throughout the Country. Among other successful outcomes, Jeff defended a marine terminal operator in a federal wrongful death action in Portland, Maine; represented a luxury yacht manufacturer in a premises liability action in federal court in New Jersey; defended a Manhattan sight-seeing tour operator against a personal injury claim; and handled a Society of Maritime Arbitrators (SMA) arbitration concerning the scope of a contractual indemnity between a terminal operator and a multinational transport company. The Firm’s experience includes handling claims arising under the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act, and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, as well as prosecuting exoneration from and limitation of liability actions. Jeff is a cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College, a graduate of Columbia Law School and began his career as a litigator at Cravath Swaine & Moore. He lives in West Harrison, New York, with his wife Lauren, a pediatrician, and their two children, one of whom works in New York City and the other who is attending college.

Brittany S. Bitar is an attorney licensed to practice law in Washington state and California. She focuses on business, intellectual property, and real estate law, but also takes cases in various other areas. Brittany also holds her real estate brokers license in Washington state. In addition to having her own law firm, Brittany works as general counsel for a corporation in Seattle. She has litigated copyright infringement, contract, and real estate related cases, and worked on real estate, HOA, land use, and other contractual, business, and property related non-litigation matters. In addition to taking individual client matters, she also does contract work for other firms including in family law cases. Brittany has interned with Judge Morris at Dauphin County Courthouse and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Civil Litigation Section during law school. She additionally holds a certificate in Dispute Resolution. Brittany has worked with firms that practice in estate planning, business law, employment law, contract law, family law, torts, personal injury, intellectual property, trademark law, copyright law, civil rights, real estate law, copyright law, nonprofit organization law, landlord tenant law, RICO and fraud, breach of contract, civil racketeering, corporate law, commercial torts, and other areas. She has also done contract work in business and trademark law. In 2015, Brittany founded and managed a charitable nonprofit organization, Diëresis, which focused primarily on assisting the homeless in the greater Seattle area. She has also volunteered with the American Red Cross as a lead, Bread of Life Mission, Hopelink, and other nonprofit organizations. In her spare time, Brittany enjoys day hikes, resin painting, playing the acoustic guitar and piano, and playing with her dogs.

Attorney James S. Bettersworth was raised in Texas. He received his undergraduate degree from Texas Lutheran University. He later went on to obtain his Juris Doctorate from St. Mary’s Law School in 1997, a feat he was able to accomplish in just two-and-a-half years. Upon graduating from St. Mary’s, he became license on June 4th, 1998. Since then, he has successfully represented clients in legal matters that pertain to a very wide range of laws. Some of these include, but are not limited to: Personal Injury Car Wrecks Truck Accidents Wrongful Death Nursing Home Abuse Premises Liability Defective Products Medical Malpractice In addition to being licensed to practice in the state of Texas, Mr. Bettersworth is also licensed to practice in the Federal Courts of the Western District of Texas. He also holds a license that allows him to practice in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, located in New Orleans and has had the distinct honor of arguing before a judicial panel for the court. Mr. Bettersworth is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum as well as the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, for his successes as a personal injury lawyer. He maintains a Superb rating on the Avvo legal directory. He is also a member of the Texas Bar Association and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association. In May 2015, Mr. Bettersworth was elected as the New Braunfels Independent School District Board of Trustees. Mr. Bettersworth is well known throughout the legal community for his aggressive and straightforward approach. He relentlessly concentrates his efforts on achieving the best result for his clients in a timely manner. Mr. Bettersworth works with all types of clients to help resolve legal matters pertaining to work-related injuries, construction accidents, and other personal injury matters. To schedule a free consultation with Mr. Bettersworth, visit his website, or call 830-606-0404

Mr. Kravitz is Board Certified in Construction Law by the Florida Bar. He has received an "AV Preeminent" rating by Martindale-Hubbell by achieving the highest level of professional excellence rating available. He has also received a "Superb" rating by Avvo.com, the highest rating Avvo awards. Mr. Kravitz received his Juris Doctorate Summa Cum Laude from Nova Southeastern University, where he was a member of the Law Review and Moot Court Honor Society. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Florida State University in 1992, as well as his Master of Science Degree in Psychology from Nova Southeastern University in 1997. Mr. Kravitz has been a resident of the South Florida area since 1978, and currently resides in Parkland with his wife Dawn, and their children Madyson and Braeden. Mr. Kravitz is admitted to practice in all Florida state and federal courts, as well as the First and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeals and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. He is a member of the Broward County Bar Association and its Construction Law Committee, the American Bar Association, and the Florida Bar Construction Law Committee. Mr. Kravitz concentrates his practice primarily in commercial and construction law including litigation, arbitration, mediation and negotiation of construction matters including construction lien claims and defense, payment and performance bond claims and defense, bid protests, construction contract preparation and negotiation and construction defect claims and defense. He also has a wide array of experience in contract, tort, corporate, and Americans with Disabilities Act issues. Mr. Kravitz is on the 2012 list of “Super Lawyers,” and can be found in the 2012 “Best Lawyers in America” publication and Martindale-Hubbell’s “Top Rated Lawyers” magazine for 2012.

Doron has worked for top law firms helping them to negotiate and draft contracts for start-up companies from the early stages of business formation to corporate maintenance, taxation and securities. He has represented entrepreneurs in different industries with different needs and potential. Doron has represented Directors, Producers, Actors, Musicians and others in the entertainment industry. Doron is a prolific writer with publications in various media outlets. He has also lectured on various legal issues including business and real estate law. Doron has interned for Judge Cynthia Dianne Steel in Las Vegas and Senator Ron Wyden in Washington DC. Doron currently is the President-Elect of Beverly Hills Bar Association, Barristers. Doron is also on the Beverly Hills Bar Association Senior Board of Governors, Co-Chairs the Real Estate section of Beverly Hills Bar Association and is an Executive Committee Member of Beverly Hills Bar Association Entertainment, Business, International Law and Conflict Resolution Sections. Doron has earned the highest level of prominence on Avvo.com. In addition, Beverly Hills Bar Association has bestowed upon Doron the "President's Award" for dedicated service in 2012-2013 Annual Installation and Awards Dinner at the Four Season's Hotel. Further, Beverly Hills Bar Association bestowed upon Doron the "Distinguished Service Award" for "Outstanding Leadership as Chairperson of the Real Estate Law Section 2010-2013" on September 24-2013.

Since 2005, Chris Houk has been a dedicated advocate for the rights of Arizona’s workers, managers, and employers. From representing clients in small-town discrimination cases to arguing before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Chris has tirelessly worked to ensure that everyone is treated with the fairness, dignity, and respect they deserve. Chris’s extensive experience includes serving in the Civil Rights Division of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. These roles have given him a deep understanding of the laws and regulations that govern employment in Arizona. In addition to his legal practice, Chris is an adjunct professor at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. He also serves as an officer of the National Employment Lawyers Association, Co-Chair of the American Bar Association’s Labor & Employment Section, and is a Fellow with the American Bar Foundation. Outside of work, Chris is actively involved in the Arizona and Metro Phoenix communities, where he and his wife are raising their three children.

Ephraim Roy Hess has practicing law for more than 30 years. He has successfully represented both individuals and small to medium sized businesses in matters ranging from sexual harassment and age discrimination to the negotiation of severance issues and the enforcement and defense of non-compete agreements. Some areas of representation include: Employment and Labor Law • Discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, age, race, national origin, religion, disability, or pregnancy • Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) • Drug Testing • Sexual Harassment • Contract review/negotiations • Whistleblowers and Retaliation • Long Term Disability • EEOC/FCHR Charges • Unemployment • Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) Business Law and Litigation • Non-Compete Agreements • Severance Agreements • Confidentiality Agreements • Defense and claims of breaches of contract • Response to Administrative Charges • Defense against discrimination charges • Employee vs. Independent Contractor Classification Issues Civil Trials and Appeals • Contract disputes • Malicious Prosecution • Fraud • Breach of Contract • Public Records Actions • Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices • Breach of Fiduciary Duty Please contact the Hess Law Firm at (954) 585.8599 to discuss your individual matter.