PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
01/98 - Present Law Offices of Michele Nelson, Aspen Colorado
Litigation of professional negligence and products liability actions with a focus on scuba diving and recreational snow skiing. "Of Counsel" with Lesser & Associates, Redondo Beach, California handling the defense of employment related actions under state law admiralty as well as professional negligence and products liability actions related to the scuba diving industry.
11/95 - 1/98 Herbert S. Klein & Associates, P.C., Telluride & Aspen, Colorado
Associate Attorney
Responsible for all aspects of litigation involving: real estate (boundaries, broker commissions, easements, purchase/sales contracts, landlord tenant, and land use issues); intellectual property rights; employment benefits disputes; ski liability; personal injury; sexual harassment; wrongful termination; architectural professional negligence, and general business matters.
Responsible for conducting research via LOIS and Westlaw, drafting pleadings (motions, briefs and appellate briefs), conducting discovery, and acting as lead trial lawyer. (Most recent trial: an employment benefits case for Plaintiff in Pitkin County before Judge Craven in August 1997 - case settled after Plaintiff's case).
10/90 - 10/95 Hruska & Lesser, Professional Law Corporation, Redondo Beach, California
Trial Attorney and General Counsel to Dive N' Surf, Inc., owners of "BODY GLOVE" Trademark
Defense and litigation of professional negligence, product liability and intellectual property cases with a focus on scuba diving.
Lead trial attorney with successful verdicts in six jury trials, second chair trial attorney with successful verdicts in three trials. Litigation preparation and arbitration experience in state and federal forums throughout the United States, including Alabama, Arkansas, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oregon, Tennessee, U.S Virgin Islands, and Washington.
Extensive motion practice including drafting appellate briefs in state and federal appellate courts. Oral argument before the California Court of Appeals, Third Appellate District. Featured speaker at risk management and product liability seminars held annually at the Diving Equipment Manufacturers Association ("DEMA"). International business travel in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Germany, France, Switzerland.
9/89 - 9/90 Law Offices of Keesal, Young & Logan, Long Beach, CA
Associate Attorney
Responsibilities included practice in areas of admiralty/maritime, scuba defense, securities, professional malpractice, real estate and general business transactions; handled caseload of over forty cases.
8/88 - 5/89 Community Legal Services Center, McGeorge Law School
Student Staff Attorney
Responsibilities included handling individual clients and cases in general legal matters including landlord/tenant, family law and bankruptcy.
5/88 - 8/88 Law Offices of Keesal, Young & Logan, Long Beach, CA
Summer Law Clerk
Responsibilities included preparing research memorandums in areas of securities, Maritime, Professional Malpractice, Real Estate and General Business Transactions; preparing pleadings (Complaints, Answers, Demurrers and Memorandums of Points and Authorities in areas of substantive law stated above); attending depositions, reviewing and writing summaries; litigation support tasks.
6/87 - 8/87 U.S. District Court - Eastern District of California , The Honorable Raul A. Ramirez
Summer Law Clerk
Responsibilities included researching and preparing Bench Memorandums for Civil Law and Motion hearings and preparing/drafting Orders. Cases included Civil Rights Actions, State/Federal Employment Law, Social Security Benefit Review, Federal Civil Procedure Issues.
1/86 - 4/86 U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. (Appellate Section/Antitrust Division)
Paralegal
Responsibilities included utilizing law books and computer networks for legal research (LEXIS, JURIS, WESTLAW); proofreading and cite checking appellate briefs before the United States Supreme Court; digesting/summarizing lower court decisions and testimony transcripts; monitoring U.S. Supreme Court calendar for pending department cases.
PROFESSIONAL DATA
Admitted to California Bar, December 1989
Admitted to United States District Courts for the Central, Northern, and Southern Districts of California, 1990
Admitted to the United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1990
Admitted to Hawaii Bar, 1992
Admitted to United States District Court of Hawaii, 1992
Admitted to Colorado Bar, 1996
EDUCATION
University of The Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, J.D. conferred May 1989; Law Review
University of California at Los Angeles; B.A. Psychology/Business Administration - 1985; Dean's List
Cambridge University-Trinity College; England, Public Policy; Summer, 1984
LAW REVIEW
Primary Editor, The Transnational Lawyer
Academic Year 1987-1988
Edited student articles on current developments in private international law for publication in the inaugural issue of the McGeorge School of Law International Law Journal. Proofread, cite checked international legal scholar's papers submitted for publication.
AWARDS, SCHOLARSHIPS AND ORGANIZATIONS
Appointed Vice-Chair of Sports Law Committee for Litigation and Torts Law Section of the American Bar Association for 1993-1994 term.
American Jurisprudence Award, International Business Transactions, Spring Quarter 1988
Soroptomist International Scholarship, Spring Quarter 1989
Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority---UCLA 1981-1985
UCLA Ski Club and Scuba Diving Club; Sierra Club
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