| Here is a bit of information about me and my practice. I am a trial lawyer, and have practiced law since 1989. My practice has focused primarily on seeking insurance recoveries for policyholders with environmental or toxic tort claims against them. That means I have asked insurance companies to pay the claims of these policyholders and, when necessary, have filed lawsuits against these companies to pay the claims. Most recently I acted as co-lead trial counsel on behalf of the State of California, obtaining a jury verdict after a two-month trial on behalf of the State for its liabilities relating to the Stringfellow Acid Pits located near Riverside, California. In addition to the amounts recovered at trial, I had also helped to negotiate settlements prior to trial with most of the thirty-plus insurance companies that had insured the State, for a total recovery at the time of the verdict, on May 16, 2005, of over $120 million. I have also represented clients in constitutional tax and civil rights matters, have represented clients in entertainment, real estate, franchise and general business disputes, and have advised a variety of clients on trade secret and other intellectual property transactional matters. I have also been fortunate to have been able to use my intelligence and security training and knowledge to develop successful investigative and litigation strategies to quietly resolve sensitive employment disputes without negative publicity for my clients. Most significantly, I have been fortunate to have been mentored by attorneys with a wealth of experience and good common sense, and to them I am grateful. I like to think of myself as a "strategic" lawyer, attempting to assist my clients in determining what they really want to accomplish, and then developing strategies to achieve those goals at an acceptable cost and with an appreciation of all of the risks involved. Regarding my personal background, I grew up in a small town on the banks of the Mississippi River in Wisconsin. A fantastic place to grow up -- exploring caves in the bluffs that towered above my hometown of Alma, fishing every day if I wanted to (you've heard of ice fishing?), hunting year round (quail, deer, squirrel, duck, etc.), and generally experiencing a Tom Sawyer childhood. After high school, by a fortunate twist of fate, I flew off to New York City and boarded a bus that took me up the Hudson River Valley, where I entered the United States Military Academy. Nine years later, after having graduated and thereafter serving five years on active duty as a Military Intelligence officer, I entered law school at the University of Wisconsin. After my active duty service, I remained in the U.S. Army Reserve until 1992, resigning my commission at the rank of Major. If I can be of service to you, please contact me at dan@djschultzlaw.com or 480.775.7200. |
