(Main Office)

Cholakian & Associates, which has grown to 10 attorneys, is listed in Best's Insurance Directory, carries the highest rating given by Martindale-Hubbell, and is retained defense counsel to a dozen major insurance companies doing business in California. This practice includes, though it is not limited to, the representation of carriers regarding commercial and personal lines claims as well as the defense of insureds involved in serious personal injury litigation, complex commercial litigation, product liability/fire subrogation matters and coverage litigation. It also extends to the successful defense of matters involving allegations of construction defects, mold related claims, interstate trucking, wrongful eviction, environmental liability, professional liability, including insurance agents, labor and employment law, officer's and director's liability, and uninsured/underinsured motorist matters. The attorneys in this practice group have significant litigation experience with emphasis on high exposure cases.

Statement of Practice

Insurance Defense, Commercial Litigation, Products Liability Law, Fire Subrogation, Trucking Law, Construction Defects, Wrongful Eviction, Environmental Law, Professional Liability, Labor and Employment, Uninsured or Underinsured Motorists, Insurance Law, Commercial Law, Landlord and Tenant Law, and the Defense of Trademark, Advertising Injury and ADA Cases, Personal Injury, Commercial Trucking Defense, Catastrophic Trucking Injury, Premises Liability, Toxic Torts.

Address

400 Oyster Point Boulevard, Suite 415
South San Francisco, CA 94080, (San Mateo Co.)

Phone

Phone: 650-871-9544
Fax: 650-871-9552

Website

http://www.cholakianlaw.com

OF COUNSEL

Lin Duiven (Of Counsel) born Traverse City, Michigan, May 10, 1942; admitted to bar, 1991, California. Education: University of Michigan (B.A., French, 1963); Santa Clara University (J.D., cum laude, 1991). Recipient, American Jurisprudence Award in Insurance Law. Member: State Bar of California. Languages: French. Practice Areas: Personal Injury Defense; First Party Insurance; Evictions; Personal Injury; Employment Discrimination; Age Discrimination.

ASSOCIATES

Colin R. Hatcher (Associate) born Somerset, England, December 19, 1958; admitted to bar, 2002, California. Education: London University (B.A., honors, 1980); Santa Clara University (J.D., 2001). Recipient, Santa Clara University Law School High Tech Certificate, 2001. Member: Santa Clara County and American Bar Associations; State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Personal Injury; Insurance Defense.Email: Colin R. Hatcher

Vivian Leung Lerche (Associate) born Hong Kong, December 7, 1959; admitted to bar, 1990, California and U.S. District Court, Northern and Central Districts of California; 1995, U.S. Supreme Court; 2003, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California. Education: University of California, Berkeley (A.B., 1982); University of San Francisco (J.D., 1990). Member, University of San Francisco Law Review. Professor, Torts, Empire College of Law, 1995-1996. Formerly with: Selman Breitman; Burnham Brown. Member: Alameda County Bar Association; State Bar of California. Languages: Chinese and Cantonese. Practice Areas: Insurance Coverage; Litigation.Email: Vivian Leung Lerche

David W. Tate (Associate) born Cincinnati, Ohio, January 25, 1957; admitted to bar, 1987, California. Education: San Francisco State University (B.S., Finance, 1981); Golden Gate University (M.S., 1982); University of San Francisco (J.D., 1987). Certified Public Accountant. Author: California CEB Advising and Defending Cooperate Directors and Officers Chapter 5 A Audit Committees. Practice Areas: Insurance Defense; Property and Casualty; FFAA and ADA; Probate; Personal Injury.Email: David W. Tate

Sabrina M. Berdux (Associate) born Mission Viejo, California; admitted to bar, 2007, California and U.S. District Court, Northern District of California. Education: San Francisco State University (B.A., Political Science, 2003); Golden Gate University (M.B.A., 2006; J.D., 2006). Member, Golden Key National Society. Recipient, Witkin Award for Academic Excellence in Pre-Trial Civil Litigation, Golden Gate University. Clerk, International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. Volunteer Mentor, San Francisco Law Academy. Member: State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Insurance Defense; Labor and Employment; Products Liability; Personal Injury.

Lauren Koblitz (Associate) born Cleveland, Ohio; admitted to bar, 2008, California, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California and U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Education: George Washington University (B.A., Criminal Justice, 2002); Suffolk University Law School (J.D., 2005). Dean's List, 2003-2005. Recipient: Jurisprudence Award for Excellence in Criminal Law, 2003; First Year Best Oral Advocate, 2003. National Moot Court Team Semi-Finalist, 2004. Practice Areas: Insurance Defense; Personal Injury; Wrongful Death; Landlord and Tenant Law; Contracts.

David L. Crowe (Associate) born York County, Pennsylvania; admitted to bar, 1979, California. Education: University of California (B.A., 1976); Santa Clara University (J.D., 1979). David L. Crowe received his B.A. degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1976 and his J.D. degree from Santa Clara University in 1979. In 1986, he obtained a trial certificate from the National Institute for Trial Advocacy. Mr. Crowe has successfully litigated a wide range of cases involving personal injury, premises liability, products liability, public entities, elder abuse, property damage, and subrogation matters throughout his more than 25 year career as a civil litigation attorney. Mr. Crowe was the senior litigation attorney for a major insurance carrier for 18 years, during which time he managed their San Jose litigation office. Throughout his career, both as counsel for major insurance carriers and in private practice, Mr. Crowe have successfully defended a variety of insurance related case. Among the matters handled by Mr. Crowe are a pediatric brain injury case for a private school in which he obtained a defense verdict after a two month jury trial; the successful defense of a municipality in a flood case brought by 85 homeowners; a defense verdict for a homeowners association in a bicycle accident involving permanent shoulder injury to a professional baseball player; wrongful death case against an assisted living facility and retired peace officer; and an elder abuse case involving significant burns to a resident of a residential care facility. Mr. Crowe has handled approximately 15 jury trials in Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties including motor vehicle; premises liability; land use and construction accidents. He is a member of the Associate of Defense Counsel for Northern California and the Alameda County Bar Association. Mr. Crowe has also served as an arbitrator and Judge Pro-Temp for the Superior Court of Santa Clara County. Member: Alameda County Bar Association; State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Civil Trial.

Jennifer A. Kung (Associate) born San Francisco, California; admitted to bar, 1993, California. Education: University of California (B.A., 1990); Santa Clara University School of Law (J.D., 1993). Member: Alameda County and California State Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Products Liability; Premises Liability; Medical Malpractice; Business Litigation; Catastrophic Injury; Landlord and Tenant Law; Subrogation.Email: Jennifer A. Kung