About Us

We are a very small high tech boutique practice, established in 1978. Our practice emphasizes the representation of individual and business litigants in sophisticated trial court and appellate matters in two areas:

The defense of SLAPP suits, in which we were early pioneers, having obtained the first published appellate opinion under California’s anti-SLAPP statute, i.e., Wilcox v. Superior Court (Second Dist., 1994) 27 Cal. App. 4th 809 [33 Cal.Rptr.2d 446]; and

Malicious prosecution actions, including those (commonly referred to as SLAPP-Backs) following the successful defense of a SLAPP suit.

(SLAPP is an acronym for “Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation”, in other words, a lawsuit brought to chill, or in retaliation for, the exercise of First Amendment rights of free speech or petition. )

We are admitted to practice in all California State Courts, and in numerous United States District Courts and Courts of Appeal, as well as the United States Supreme Court.

Although we are able to provide representation in state courts outside California subject to special admission for that purpose, we generally will not agree to do so.

Although there are other firms and attorneys we advise, and with whom we sometimes work cooperatively, as a general rule services for which we are directly retained are performed by Yvonne M. Renfrew. We do not delegate work to “contract lawyers”. We neither pay nor accept “referral fees” (payments between attorneys based upon having made a referral to a particular attorney or firm rather than upon legal services actually performed by the recipient of the payment). We also do not engage in other practices which we consider ethically questionable or which present grave potential for conflict of interest (such as, for example, accepting a beneficial interest in a client-business in lieu of fees).

We rely upon our legal work product rather than the maintenance of opulent offices to impress our present and prospective clients. Our offices are located in an artist loft in downtown Los Angeles, California, just minutes from the courthouses of the Los Angeles Superior Court (Central District), the Second District Court of Appeal, the Los Angeles venue for the California Supreme Court, and the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Also nearby is the Pasadena venue of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Because our approach is to litigate intensively the cases in which we are retained, we are constrained to reject far many more cases than we accept among those in which our representation is sought. For that reason it should be understood that our declining to accept a particular case, in and of itself, does not necessarily reflect a negative opinion as to the merits of that case. Those who unsuccessfully seek our representation are therefore urged to consult other counsel without delay.

Finally, we ask you to take on faith that we actually are much friendlier and have far more sense of humor than reading this “About Us” passage might lead one to believe.

March 3, 2004 | Permalink