Civil & Human Rights

With more than 30 years of experience, attorney Gregory A. Yates brings not only expertise but a highly original approach and unique courtroom savvy to all his clients’ cases — be they large or small. Yates has time and time again done what other lawyers couldn’t when suing on behalf of people injured by defective products, by the carelessness of a landlord, or in an automobile accident, to name just a few of the types of cases handled by Yates’s firm. And one thing he has done more than almost anyone else in his business: win for his clients. Where most lawyers are happy if they can scrape out a win in a relatively small number of lawsuits, Greg Yates has one of the highest success rates in the state of California. The reason is that when Greg Yates takes a case, he plays to win. He represented 60 individuals in suits against the Los Angeles Police Department where he uncovered the corruption of the Rampart division of the department in framing individuals for many different crimes. He has received recognition for motor vehicle defect cases and other product liability cases where his work resulted in manufacturers actually recalling and fixing or reengineering dangerously defective products. He has also been successful in bringing complex catastrophic injury cases including over 100 traumatic brain injury cases.

Stefano D. Portigliatti is a trial attorney specializing in commercial motor vehicle cases at Coker Law, PA in Jacksonville, FL. He is a renowned Jacksonville truck accident lawyer who has represented clients in over a hundred trucking cases and helped obtain millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements. Stefano is one of only 20 attorneys in the United States to pass a rigorous exam on trucking laws, an intensive background check and prove that his practice is dedicated to protecting victims of truck crashes. He is also one of the youngest attorneys to be included among Super Lawyer's Rising Stars and the National Trial Lawyers' Top 40 Under 40. Stefano often presents on topics related to trial and trucking litigation. He is on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. He is also the founder of truck.law™, which assists other plaintiffs' attorneys handling trucking cases with forms, resources, and seminars available at www.truck.law. Stefano was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to a hard-working Italian family. Before becoming a lawyer, Mr. Portigliatti was engaged in diverse business ventures across multiple continents. Mr. Portigliatti is still the Vice President of SOAR Global Institute a laboratory that researches human behavior and development. Stefano speaks all over the world in the areas of emotional intelligence, innovation and human development. He is a certified master coach and trainer and has developed several courses and systems that apply psychology and behavioral analytics to management and trial strategies. Stefano is a musician and likes to sail, golf, cook and travel with his wife, Brittany. They are the proud parents of two young boys Luca and Leo. Stefano and Brittany like to volunteer with New Beginnings Global Outreach to provide services and resources for emotional, physical and spiritual health to the needy.

I have been a practicing attorney for the past 37 years, concentrating in Family Law, Personal Injury, Probate and Civil Litigation. If your case is contested, whether it be a divorce, custody, personal injury, or almost any matter requiring litigation, you need a trial lawyer in your corner. I have successfully litigated numerous jury trial (injury cases), and non-jury matters(divorce, custody etc.) Call me for a free initial consult.

Jim Bergenn's practice is comprised of complex criminal and civil litigation, including white collar crime and government investigations, personal injury and wrongful death cases, and other trials involving significant consequences. With more than 40 years trial lawyer experience and a trial skills teacher at UConn Law for over 35 years, other lawyers and clients call Jim regularly to seek his trial skills, and experience with investigations and experts, in many different kinds of contested cases. Jim’s wide range of criminal cases includes representing targets of investigations, criminal defendants, grand jury and other witnesses, and crime victims. Because he handles personal injuries, he often helps victims during and after criminal cases are brought to obtain the right compensation for their harm. He works in cases prosecuted by all the various federal, state and local authorities, such as the US Attorney’s Office, The Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, State and Federal Grand Juries, the FBI, the State Police, the SEC, the DEA, the ATF, the DOD, the IRS, the FDA, the FTC, the Office of Inspector General for various Federal Agencies, state regulators such as the Attorney General, the DEP, the DOH, the DMR, the DCF, and the Office of Consumer Protection, and local police.

Chris Pence is a native of South Charleston, West Virginia and a graduate of Marshall University and the West Virginia University College of Law. In his practice, Mr. Pence focuses on litigation, where he has represented individuals and companies throughout the United States. He has significant experience defending coal operators and other mining companies in civil litigation and administrative proceedings pending before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission and the West Virginia Board of Appeals. In this capacity, he defends citations issued by the Mine, Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) and West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety & Training (WVOMHST). He also responds to accidents and represents clients in connection with investigations conducted by the various enforcement agencies. In addition to his work for the mining industry, Mr. Pence has also represented clients in cases alleging professional negligence, insurance coverage disputes, commercial contract disputes, auto accidents, premises liability and other personal injury actions. Mr. Pence has also represented victims of industrial accidents and their families, including the estate of a man who received fatal injuries as a result of an explosion at a natural gas liquids storage site. He has also represented individuals in actions against medical providers under the West Virginia Medical Professional Liability Act, as well as employees in claims against their employers for wrongful discharge, sexual harassment, violation of the West Virginia Human Rights Act, among other things. Finally, he regularly represents victims of automobile accidents. The Firm regularly accepts these engagements on a contingency basis. In addition to his civil practice, Mr. Pence’s Firm represents individuals in high asset divorce cases and, when called upon to do so, represents these individuals in child support, custody issues, and other family law matters. Mr. Pence has been designated as a West Virginia Rising Star in general litigation by the Super Lawyers publication for several years. He has served as a speaker at the Pennsylvania Coal Alliance/Pennsylvania Coal Mining Institute of America Conference, the West Virginia Coal Association, and various legal seminars. Mr. Pence received the Order of the Coif, Patrick Duffy Koontz Leadership Award, Paul L. Selby Law Scholarship and the Steptoe & Johnson Law Scholarship at the College of Law.

Some legal matters deserve to be looked at from the professional perspective of a lawyer. The Becker Law Practice is familiar with laws that impact the Sacramento area, and I provide local representation in matters that could benefit from my particular services. My law firm takes a client-centered approach when handling legal matters. What works for one client may not be an appropriate way to handle the next person's issue, which is why I evaluate the details by giving each case my personal attention. I’m able to assist clients on matters related to: Criminal law DUI law Personal injury law Auto accident law Call today to make an appointment with me the Becker Law Practice. Consultations can be arranged for any day of the week, and I’ll explain what role I can play as your lawyer. My clients can expect confidentiality and to have matters taken care of in a professional manner. My law office is located in Sacramento, CA, and I’ll protect your rights.

Kamran represents clients in complex insurance, employment, construction, general liability, and business litigation. Those clients include some of the world’s largest insurance carriers, governmental entities, Fortune 500 companies, several of California’s largest publicly- held and privately-held businesses, builders, real estate developers, and contractors. In connection with the litigation practice, he also advises and represents a wide spectrum of London market insurers, reinsurers, and intermediaries in all lines of insurance business, including professional liability, construction, property, maritime, general liability, environmental, energy, and directors & officers (D&O) policies. Kamran’s coverage practice includes knowledge and experience relating to the different types of insurance policies, their interpretation, and application.

Douglas S. Schwartz, formerly of the Union County Prosecutor's Office, joined the firm in 1992 and became a partner in 1999, when the name of the firm was changed to Sisselman & Schwartz, LLP. Douglas Schwartz is a practicing lawyer in the state of New Jersey specializing in Accident & Injury. Mr. Schwartz received his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1991.