Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP

Burke Secures Eminent Domain Jury Verdict for San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments Los Angeles – A Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP Eminent Domain litigation team obtained a jury verdict in a Los Angeles Superior Court that awarded under six percent above the taking agency’s expert valuation of the property, and less than the agency's final settlement offer prior to trial. The case, entitled San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments v. Sahagun, et al., LASC Case No. 1926CV22715, involved a full fee take by the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) of commercial property that was needed to construct the agency’s grade separation project in the City of Montebello. The project is part of SGVCOG’s safety improvements and grade separations to multiple at-grade crossings involving Union Pacific Railroad tracks throughout the San Gabriel Valley. The project will reduce crossing collisions, queuing, and congestion as well as reduce vehicle emissions. SGVCOG’s team was led by Burke eminent domain law partners Alan A. Sozio and Chad W. Herrington.  The team successfully eliminated the property and business owner’s specious $3.5 million lost business goodwill claim on grounds that the owner failed to take reasonable steps to mitigate his damages. Prior to trial, the agency had made a final offer of $1,420,000 for the value of the property, while the property owner made a final demand of $3,000,000. After a five-day trial, the jury returned a verdict awarding the owner $1,372,000 in just compensation, which was approximately six percent above the agency’s expert valuation of the property and less than the agency’s final pretrial offer to the property owner.  Mr. Sozio noted, “We believe this favorable trial outcome reflected our team’s use of significant discovery and pre-trial motions to successfully temper the claims put forward by the defendants, which were ultimately found to be unsupported.” Alan Sozio Chad Herrington https://lnkd.in/gexh34pp

Five Burke Labor & Employment Law Attorneys Present at CALPELRA 2024 Five Burke Labor & Employment Law attorneys will participate as panelists at the 2024 edition of the California Public Employment and Labor Relations Association (CALPELRA) conference, taking place from November 12 -15 in Monterey, CA. Featured CALPELRA 2024 session topics and Burke panelists include: ‘Legal Strategies 2024’ – Partner and Employment Law & Litigation Chair Timothy L. Davis; ‘Swearing In: Confidently Navigating Deposition, Trial, and Arbitration Testimony’ – Partner Cheryl L. Johnson-Hartwell; ‘Defense Wins Championships: Preparing Your Agency for Public Safety Discipline’ – Partner Mark E. Wilson; ‘The Warm UP: Sound and Legal Pre-Employment Practices that Support a Productive and Safe Workplace’ – Partner Gena B. Burns and Associate N. Richard Shreiba. https://lnkd.in/gy-mUhEK Tim Davis Cheryl Johnson-Hartwell Gena Burns N. Richard Shreiba, Esq.

Burke Grows Best Law Firms U.S. Rankings for 2025 https://lnkd.in/gr2jFGZ5

Burke senior associate Leila Moshref-Danesh will co-present at the upcoming Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP) CEQA Essentials Workshop in Temecula, CA on November 12, 2024. https://lnkd.in/gj6tHF2V Leila Moshref-Danesh

Daphne Anneet Named to LA Business Journal 'Labor & Employment Attorneys Leaders of Influence 2024' https://lnkd.in/ge5cbEch Daphne Anneet

AB 98 Regulates Industrial Warehouse Construction in California https://lnkd.in/gq6WyPcY Connor MacLean

Burke Public Law Update - SB 1034: California Public Records Act During States of Emergency https://lnkd.in/gEj42WHW Alexandra Mulhall

Burke partner Melissa Cowan was a featured speaker addressing “Inconsistencies v. Fraud Waste & Abuse: What is the Tipping Point,” at the 2024 Long-term Care International Forum on Wednesday, October 9, 2024. https://lnkd.in/gE5Nc6yh Melissa M. Cowan

Mark Austin and Joseph Montes Present Municipal Litigation Update at League of California Cities 2024 Annual Meeting & Expo https://lnkd.in/gHD2evyR Joseph Montes Mark Austin

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