Experience

Bartko Zankel Bunzel & Miller

• United States
• Law Practice
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Of Counsel, Bartko Zankel Bunzel Miller

  • Mar 2019 - Present

  At Bartko, I have continued my commercial litigation emphasis, most recently helping the firm defend a hospital system in a major anti-trust matter. The firm provides the ability for me to take on large scale matters, marshaling all necessary resources across a significant array of litigation specialties. At Bartko, I have continued my commercial litigation emphasis, most recently helping the firm defend a hospital system in a major anti-trust matter. The firm provides the ability for me to take on large scale matters, marshaling all necessary resources across a significant array of litigation specialties.



Sommers & Schwartz LLP

• Law Practice

• Partner

  • Mar 2001 - Present

  I co-owned my own firm -- Sommers & Schwartz -- for 17 years. Some highlights of my work at Sommers & Schwartz were the successful litigation of a civil rights cases against a local housing authority, an intellectual property case involving a revolutionary helicopter filter design, a trade secret matter for a brokerage firm seeking to break ties with a large investment management concern, a Civil RICO case for a fish wholesaler, a business breakup case for the first major U.S. caviar farming and production company, investment mismanagement arbitrations before FINRA for retirees and patient's rights litigation for a major scientific research firm. I also litigated copyright claims, securities class actions and related derivative actions, false claims act cases -- primarily in the medical billing overcharge area -- and executive level wrongful termination. I successfully negotiated business sales and dissolutions and provided opinions for bankruptcy creditor committees on the the viability of claims for damaging the bankrupt entity. Show less



Bank of America

• United States
• Banking
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Lititation Counsel

  • Mar 1984 - Mar 2000

  I also had a broad litigation practice before State and Federal Courts, including the Northern and Southern Districts of California as senior counsel for the Bank of America. Most importantly, I managed the bank's largest exposure cases . I was the chief in house litigator responsible for obtaining positive settlements in a range of large-scale securities class actions and derivative litigation (e.g. The Bank of America Securities Litigation and the Security Pacific Securities Litigation). I managed outside and inside counsel and an array of experts, and obtained a reasonable settlement of a servicing mismanagement of the largest Student Loan Portfolio at the time -- and I had the same role in gaining a successful settlement of the largest California False Claims Act case then on record. I was also Chief counsel dealing with a number of class action overcharge and consumer cases, managing teams law firms, accounting and financial consultants and press relations officers to identify all problematic transactions, make all necessary refunds with interest, and cut off any additional recoveries. I also had the opportunity to serve as Special Counsel to bank management on loan loss reserves, interacting with the SEC and federal bank examiners. Finally, I litigated various consumer unfair business practices and lender liability cases involving agricultural, housing, automobile dealer and shopping center development borrowers and defended investment mismanagement cases for the Bank's financial management subsidiary. Show less



Crosby, Heafey, Roach & May (now Reed Smith)

• Oakland, California.

• Associate

  • Sep 1981 - Mar 1984

  > General commercial litigation before state and Federal Courts, including tort, and commercial contract litigation, defense of wrongful termination and employment matters and asbestos litigation. > General commercial litigation before state and Federal Courts, including tort, and commercial contract litigation, defense of wrongful termination and employment matters and asbestos litigation.



The MacKenzie Law Firm

• Syracuse, New York Area

• Associate

  • Sep 1977 - Aug 1981

  > General commercial litigation before State and Federal Courts, including appeals before the Second Circuit and New York Court of Appeals and arbitration panels > Government contract litigation; large scale commercial sales litigation. > Labor negotiations for medium sized clothing manufacturers and importers. > Real estate investment litigation. > General commercial litigation before State and Federal Courts, including appeals before the Second Circuit and New York Court of Appeals and arbitration panels > Government contract litigation; large scale commercial sales litigation. > Labor negotiations for medium sized clothing manufacturers and importers. > Real estate investment litigation.



US Government Agencies

• IT Services and IT Consulting
• 700 & Above Employee

• United States Department of Commerce

  • Oct 1975 - Aug 1977

  > Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Matters > Government Contract Litigation before the U.S. District Court (co-counsel with U.S. Attorneys Office) and the GAO including: > contract award disputes dealing with computerization of the U.S. Patent Office and the purchase of the first weather satellite for the National Weather Service. > Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Matters > Government Contract Litigation before the U.S. District Court (co-counsel with U.S. Attorneys Office) and the GAO including: > contract award disputes dealing with computerization of the U.S. Patent Office and the purchase of the first weather satellite for the National Weather Service.