Kurt L. Schmalz

Kurt Schmalz, a litigator and trial attorney with over 30 years of experience in federal and state courts and arbitrations, resolves complicated business disputes for corporations, shareholders, professionals and individuals. Clients appreciate his steady guidance through the often chaotic and challenging maze of litigation, from the onset of a dispute through trial and appeal, as necessary. Mr. Schmalz takes a thoughtful approach to planning and implementing a case strategy. His experience has demonstrated to him that, with an appropriate strategy effectively executed, many difficult cases can be managed, tried and successfully resolved without plunging the client into an expensive and sometimes wasteful litigation “war.” In recent cases, Mr. Schmalz won a jury verdict and judgment exceeding $4.1 million in a breach of contract dispute on behalf of an attorney client; won a $2.4 million arbitration award for a member of a real estate development joint venture in a dispute with his partner; and, obtained a permanent injunction, following trial, preventing an Orange County city from tearing down a resident’s retaining wall and stopping his construction project.Mr. Schmalz has a successful appellate practice. He has argued cases to the California and Utah Supreme Courts and is a member of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar. Mr. Schmalz has served as lead counsel in both trial court and appellate court in three published decisions: El-Attar v. Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, 56 Cal.4th 976 (California Supreme Court 2013); American Airlines, Inc. v. Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, et al., 96 Cal. App. 4th 1017 (2002); and, Cathco. Inc. v. Valentiner. etc., 944 P2d 365 (Utah Supreme Court 1997). In addition to his successful law practice, Mr. Schmalz is committed to community service. He served as an elected member of the Redondo Beach City Council and has earned awards for his volunteer work for the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce, Constitutional Rights Foundation and the Redondo Beach Unified School District. Mr. Schmalz believes his experience as an elected public official and community volunteer benefits his law practice by providing him with a unique perspective on how to solve difficult problems and reach a consensus in hotly contested matters.