DIANE O. PALUMBO
Diane Palumbo is a founding partner of Palumbo Bergstrom LLP. She specializes in the defense of developers with a focus on risk transfer mechanisms. Diane's expertise includes litigation of complex construction/real estate claims, insurance coverage, products liability and casualty defense, as well as business and employment law matters. She has tried numerous, complex cases to successful conclusion, including both bench and jury trials. Diane counsels clients ranging from small business entities to Fortune 500 companies. Affiliations and Education. Contact Diane directly at: dpalumbo@palumbolawyers.com
JULIA BERGSTROM
Julia Bergstrom is a founding partner of Palumbo Bergstrom LLP. An experienced litigator, her practice focuses on representation of real estate clients, including property owners, developers and builders. Julia is also experienced in insurance coverage and casualty defense. A registered nurse, Julia has extensive experience in handling medical and healthcare litigation, analyzing and interpreting medical records. Affiliations and Education. Contact Julia directly at: jbergstrom@palumbolawyers.com
ERIK D. BUZZARD
Erik D. Buzzard is a partner in the firm's Irvine, California and Las Vegas, Nevada offices. He is licensed to practice in both California and Nevada. Erik focuses his practice on general business litigation, including construction, real estate and insurance coverage litigation as well as labor and employment matters. Erik has served as counsel to Fortune 500 companies, major financial institutions, governmental entities, developers and contractors. Erik also has extensive litigation experience including jury and bench trial experience. Affiliations and Education. Contact Erik directly at: ebuzzard@palumbolawyers.com
ELYN C. HOLT
Elyn C. Holt is a partner in the firm's Irvine office. Her practice focuses on general business litigation with an emphasis on construction defect litigation. Elyn has developed expertise in representing developers in complex construction defect matters, including claims of fraud and misrepresentation. She has additional experience in insurance related recovery actions. Elyn's trial experience includes both jury and bench trials involving construction defect, insurance bad faith, breach of contract and libel claims. Affiliations and Education. Contact Elyn directly at: eholt@palumbolawyers.com
DAVID B. WASSON
David B. Wasson is a partner in the firm's Irvine, California office. His practice includes personal injury defense, construction defect litigation, insurance bad faith, Lemon Law and commercial warranty litigation, products and professional liability and business litigation. He has served as counsel to major insurance companies, governmental entities, developers and contractors. David serves as an arbitrator with the Better Business Bureau's Autoline program, as well as serving as Judge Pro Temp and arbitrator in Los Angeles County. He also has extensive litigation experience including jury and bench trials. Affiliations and Education. Contact David directly at: dwasson@palumbolawyers.com
MARISA C. ALA
Marisa C. Ala is a partner in the firm's Denver, Colorado office. She focuses her practice on complex construction litigation on behalf of developer/general contractor entities, equitable subrogation and contribution actions pertaining to insurance coverage, premises liability, and real estate matters from analysis of initial pleadings through mediation and trial. She is licensed to practice in California, Colorado and Nevada. Affiliations and Education. Contact Marisa directly at: mala@palumbolawyers.com
KEVIN T. MEADE
Kevin Meade is a partner in the firm's Irvine, California. His practice represents developers/homebuilders in all areas of litigation, focusing on defense of complex litigation matters, including construction defect actions, class actions, general business litigation, and risk transfer alternatives. In over ten years of practice, Kevin has handled numerous multi-party arbitrations and mediations, prepared, argued and opposed many significant law and motion filings in courts throughout California, and has counseled clients, helping them to navigate their way through the procedural maze of litigation. Affiliations and Education. Contact Kevin directly at: kmeade@palumbolawyers.com

LYNNE M. COATES

Lynne M. Coates is an associate in the firm’s Irvine office. Her practice now focuses mainly on representation of developers in construction defect litigation. Lynne has experience in many levels of insurance defense, having defended hundreds of clients in cases involving personal injury, property damage, products liability, strict liability, toxic mold and asbestos claims. Over the course of her career, Lynne has handled both bench and jury trials, and has participated extensively in arbitrations and mediations. Affiliations and Education. Contact Lynne directly at lcoates@palumbolawyers.com

SEAN P. CONNELL

Sean Connell is an associate in the firm's Las Vegas office. Sean has several years of experience handling construction defect litigation on behalf of developers and general contractors in both the Las Vegas Valley and Northern Nevada. Sean is admitted to practice before all Nevada Courts and The United States District Court for the District of Nevada since 2000. Affiliations and Education. Contact Sean directly at sconnell@palumbolawyers.com.

KRISTIN ECKLUND

Kristin Ecklund is an associate in the firm's Irvine, California office. The focus of her practice includes general litigation with an emphasis on construction defect and environmental litigation. She earned a Dispute Resolution Certificate from the Straus Institute at Pepperdine University School of Law, and has served as a volunteer mediator in various Los Angeles small claims courts. Affiliations and Education. Contact Kristin directly at: kecklund@palumbolawyers.com

ELY ROSE G. EXNER

Ely Exner is an associate in the firm's Irvine, California office. Her practice focuses on general civil litigation matters with an emphasis on construction defects, business litigation, and technology matters. Ely received her J.D. from Whittier School of Law and a B.S. from DePaul University. She is a member of the State Bars of California and Michigan, and licensed to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Ely is a member of the Orange County Bar Association. Affiliations and Education. Contact Ely directly at eexner@palumbolawyers.com

GERALD F. GILLARD

Gerald F. Gillard is an associate in the firm's Irvine, California office. He focuses his practice on general litigation matters with an emphasis in construction defect litigation. He has experience in real estate and personal injury litigation. Affiliations and Education. Contact Gerald directly at: ggillard@palumbolawyers.com

MICHAEL J. HOPPE, JR.
Of Counsel

Michael J. Hoppe, Jr. has over 35 years of extensive civil litigation and business law experience. He has handled over 60 jury trials as the first chair and hundreds of court trials to decision. Mike's practice today is focused primarily on business, commercial and general civil litigation defense, emphasizing complex business disputes, product liability defense, and employer class actions. He also provides business transactional advice on entity formations and corporate governance, regulatory and corporate compliance, mergers and acquisitions, contract administration, record retention, crisis management and security plans. Affiliations and Education. Contact Michael directly at: mhoppe@palumbolawyers.com

DAWN HOVE

Dawn Hove is an associate in the firm's Irvine, California office. She focuses her practice on general litigation matters with an emphasis on intellectual property law, construction defect, and business litigation. She has earned certification in Intellectual Property from Whittier Law School. She has experience in trademark matters and privacy rights litigation. Affiliations and Education. Contact Dawn directly at: dhove@palumbolawyers.com

LILI JALALI

Lili Jalali is an associate in the firm’s Irvine office. The focus of her practice is on general litigation with an emphasis on construction defect litigation and personal injury defense. Affiliations and Education. Contact Lili directly at: ljalali@palumbolawyers.com

MARC LAZO

Marc is an associate in the firm's Irvine, California office. He focuses his practice on complex business litigation, with an emphasis in real estate, as well as insurance coverage and construction defect matters.

Marc has represented real estate developers and general contractors in a wide array of litigation matters, ranging from commercial finance and development contract disputes to multimillion dollar construction defect actions. In the business realm, he has represented shareholders of public corporations in derivative actions, health care providers in service contract and employment disputes, and private investors in joint venture enterprises and partnership dissolutions. He has also represented mayo primary and excess insurance carriers in multi-million dollar coverage actions and has significant experience in homeowner association law. Affiliations and Education. Contact Marc directly at: mlazo@palumbolawyers.com

JOSEPH MICELI

Joe Miceli is an associate in the firm's Irvine office where his areas of practice include general litigation, personal injury defense, and construction defect litigation on behalf of developer/general contractor entities. Mr. Miceli assists in the representation of entities from pre-litigation through resolution. Affiliations and Education. Contact Joe directly at: Jmiceli@palumbolawyers.com

KINDON OLSEN

Kindon Olsen is an associate in the firm’s Irvine office. Kindon’s practice focuses on business, technology, and general civil disputes. He has both transactional and litigation experience representing small businesses and individuals. Kindon was an intern at the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office where he aided in prosecuting felonies. Prior to practicing law he worked as an engineer for IBM. Affiliations and Education. Contact Kindon directly at: Kolsen@palumbolawyers.com

ANKITA PATEL

Ankita Patel is an associate in the firm's Irvine office. The focus of her practice is on general litigation with an emphasis on construction defect litigation and personal injury defense. Affiliations and Education. Contact Ankita directly at: Apatel@palumbolawyers.com

SHEHLA QURESHI

Shehla is an associate in the firm’s Irvine, California office. Her practice focuses on general civil litigation matters with an emphasis on construction defects and business litigation. She brings with her knowledge of healthcare litigation as well. Affiliations and Education. Contact Shehla directly at: squreshi@palumbolawyers.com.

ALEX REMICK

Alex Remick has over fifteen years of litigation experience in a wide range of cases which include construction defect, general liability, professional liability, product liability, and insurance coverage matters. Alex has experience working as a general contractor and in the trades. He has served as a mediator, arbitrator and lecturer for the National Business Institute. Alex is licensed to practice in California, Illinois and Michigan. Affiliations and Education. Contact Alex directly at: aremick@palumbolawyers.com

TONY SCHIAVONE

Tony Schiavone is an associate in the firm's Irvine, California office. He focuses his practice on general litigation matters with an emphasis on construction defect and insurance coverage matters. He has earned certification in Intellectual Property from Whittier Law School. Affiliations and Education. Contact Tony directly at: Tschiavone@palumbolawyers.com

ERIC A. SEIKEN

Eric A. Seiken is an associate in the firm’s Colorado office. Eric focuses his practice on complex construction litigation on behalf of developer/general contractor entities, indemnity and contribution actions pertaining to insurance coverage, premises liability, and real estate matters from initial pleadings through alternate dispute resolution and trial. Affiliations and Education. Contact Eric directly at: Eseiken@palumbolawyers.com

DEBRA A. STEVENS

Debra A. Stevens is a ten year attorney and an associate in the firm's Colorado office. Her main area of concentration is construction defect where she has represented subcontractors, developers, and builders up to resolution, including meditation, judicial arbitration, binding arbitration and trial. She also has defended in cases involving; products liability; premises liability; subrogation, toxic tort (mold) and other casualty defense. Debra has also represented subcontractors in complex wrongful death and environmental litigation. Affiliations and Education. Contact Debra directly at: dstevens@palumbolawyers.com

OZ TANNENBAUM

Oz Tannenbaum is an associate in the firm's Irvine office. His practice focuses on general litigation matters, with emphasis in real estate, insurance and business litigation. Affiliations and Education. Contact Oz directly at: otannenbaum@palumbolawyers.com

DEIRDRE SILVERTHORNE
Paralegal

Deirdre Silverthorne is the firm's senior managing paralegal in the Irvine, California office. She joined the Palumbo Bergstrom team in 1997 and has developed extensive case-management experience in complex insurance coverage and construction defect matters, including expertise in coordinating comprehensive investigations, pursuing claims and coverage, drafting pleadings and discovery, assisting in settlement negotiations and mediations, and all facets of trial preparation and support. She is well versed in insurance coverage issues and regularly handles multiparty recovery matters.
Affiliations and Education. Contact Deirdre directly at: dsilverthorne@palumbolawyers.com

JANA L. MERK
Paralegal

Jana is a Senior Paralegal in the firm's Irvine, California office. She has been a part of the Palumbo Bergstrom, LLP team since 1998. She brings with her 18 years of extensive legal experience in Civil Litigation, Estate Planning, Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice, as well as firm administration. Jana is experienced in trial preparation, and has served in the capacity of lead trial assistant to counsel in the courtroom. Since joining the firm, she has assisted with additional insured recovery matters, including the administration of fees and costs in complex joint defense-funding arrangements. Affiliations and Education. Contact Jana directly at: jmerk@palumbolawyers.com

KRISTY D. WHITE
Firm Coordinator

Kristy White is the Firm Coordinator for the Irvine, California office. She is a California Certified Notary Public, joined Palumbo Bergstrom, LLP in 1999. She has 8 years of legal experience in Civil and Complex Litigation, more specifically in the areas of construction defect and insurance coverage from preparation of initial pleadings through trial preparation and client reporting. She is knowledgeable of California State Court Rules and Local Rules. Kristy recently changed roles with the firm and now works as Firm Coordinator, which includes training of all new employees as well as continuing education for the legal assistants and preservation of MCLE credits for all attorneys. Affiliations and Education. Contact Kristy directly at: kwhite@palumbolawyers.com