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Oliver W. Wanger is a shareholder of Wanger Jones Helsley PC in Fresno, California. He is a former United States District Judge (1991-2011); sat by designation as United States Court of Appeal (9th Circuit) Judge; and former Pro Tem Trial and Settlement Judge, Superior Court of California, Fresno County. He is a co-founder, former Dean, Chair of the Board of Trustees, President and Adjunct Professor of Law at San Joaquin College of Law, Fresno, California (1970-1994, 2011). United States Marine Corps Reserve (1960-1967). He offers private judging services, including arbitration, mediation, and private jury and mock trials and sentencings. He also engages in trial practice and trial consulting. He has qualified as an expert witness in Federal and State Courts, Arbitrations in judicial ethics, performance, and standards of care; attorney ethics and professional conduct, standards of care, attorneys’ fees and billing; insurance coverage issues – tripartite relationship, Cumis and Buss issues; trial practice and performance.

Mr. Jones focuses his law practice on civil litigation with a strong emphasis on real estate litigation, construction litigation, environmental litigation, and land use.  His clients include environmental energy companies, national home and community builders and developers, and a large population of statewide development and agricultural interests.

Mr. Helsley is a shareholder at Wanger Jones Helsley PC, and is head of its Employment Litigation practice.  In his civil practice, Mr. Helsley focuses on complex litigation matters in federal or state court, including employment litigation and commercial cases.  Mr. Helsley represents national Fortune 500 companies, regional and local employers in wage and hour class actions, race, gender, national origin and disability discrimination cases, sexual harassment cases, breach of contract, wrongful termination and other employment matters.  Mr. Helsley also represents employers in labor matters.  Mr. Helsley’s practice includes advising employers on various employment-related issues, including internal and external employee investigations.  Mr. Helsley also represents plaintiffs and defendants in complex commercial litigation, including antitrust and unfair competition matters.  Mr. Helsley has successful jury trial and appellate experience in federal and state courts.

Mr. Walter joined Wanger Jones Helsley in 2019 as a shareholder after over 20 years of leading his own firm. Mr. Walter has a statewide reputation in insolvency matters and has focused most of his practice on troubled businesses, restructuring, insolvency and reorganization cases. Mr. Walter has handled many cases involving large farming entities, agribusinesses, dairies, wineries, developers, retail businesses, medical groups, oil and gas matters, transportation companies and gold mines. He has developed subspecialty practices working with financially distressed hospital districts.

Mr. Toole joined WJH as a lateral attorney in 2001, and was elevated to a shareholder in 2005.  Mr. Toole focuses his practice on civil trials and litigation.  He has successfully prosecuted and defended cases through trial in multiple areas, including:  commercial litigation, class actions, corporate and partner dissolutions, insurance bad faith litigation, trade secret litigation and unfair business practices.  To date, Mr. Toole has tried over 18 cases to verdict and successfully defended or prosecuted over 25 appeals.  Clients of Mr. Toole range from Fortune 500 companies to individuals.

Mr. Laird focuses his practice on representing businesses and individuals in commercial, real property, insurance, agriculture, partnership/shareholder and litigated probate disputes in trials, arbitration and litigation.  His clients include national agricultural growers/packers/shippers, national manufacturing companies, local builders and developers, general contractors, and other successful local businesses and individuals.  Mr. Laird joined Wanger Jones Helsley in 2001 and became a shareholder in 2005.

Mr. Kinsey is a Shareholder of the law firm of Wanger Jones Helsley PC.  Mr. Kinsey’s practice focuses on all aspects of land use, environmental law, water law, and civil writs and appeals.  He has been recognized as a certified specialist in appellate law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, a distinction held by only a small handful of attorneys in the San Joaquin Valley.  He also has significant experience advising clients on and litigating matters involving governmental ethics, administrative law, and municipal law.

Mr. Kinsey is a specialist on the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), and regularly provides instruction to non-attorneys regarding the preparation of CEQA documents.

Mr. Vote practices both commercial litigation and real estate transactions, which allows him to offer his clients a unique blend of deal-making and dispute resolution.  His litigation practice includes cases involving breaches of contract and fiduciary duty; creditors’ rights and remedies; partnership, corporate, and LLC dissolutions; unfair trade practices, and other business disputes.  Mr. Vote’s Civil Engineering degree has made him well-suited to represent clients with a wide range of construction defect, delay, disruption, and related disputes.  Mr. Vote also forms and maintains all types of business entities; prepares shareholder, partnership, and operating agreements; and represents both buyers and sellers of real property in all manners of real estate transactions, including purchase agreements, sales agreements, and option transactions.  Finally, Mr. Vote brings his unique skill set and experience to dispute resolution by acting as a private mediator on select cases.

Mr. Ewell joined Wanger Jones Helsley in October 2011, as an associate attorney. Prior to joining Wanger Jones Helsley in 2011, Mr. Ewell previously worked for the firm from September 2000 to December 2003, litigating and advocating in a variety of civil actions including real estate litigation, commercial litigation and contract litigation.  From January 2004 to October 2010, Mr. Ewell worked as an in-house attorney for Ranger Group, Inc., and its related entities, performing a wide range of legal services, including contract preparation, negotiation and review, and representing the companies in a broad range of litigation matters.  During this time, Mr. Ewell also worked as a principal in a number of different entities developing real estate projects throughout California. From October 2010 to October 2011, Mr. Ewell worked for Powell and Pool, concentrating on creditor’s rights issues in bankruptcy and representing national banks in non-judicial foreclosure actions.  Additionally, during law school, Mr. Ewell served as an extern for Justice Nickolas Dibiaso at the Fifth District Court of Appeal, State of California.

Mr. Christofferson is a shareholder of WJH. Mr. Christofferson practices in all areas of business litigation, including cases involving breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, business dissolution, joint venture, as well as subrogation, personal injury, insurance coverage disputes, employment, family law, estate planning, conservatorships, and guardianships. He has litigated a dozen court trials and arbitrations throughout the San Joaquin Valley, Los Angeles and San Diego and has successfully argued before the Ninth Circuit and the Third District Court of Appeals.