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RECENT TRENDS International shipping... Greenhouse gas and the world economic slowdown made for interesting trends revealed from the recent International Transport Forum, where discussion of maritime shipping noted that less shipping means reduced greenhouse gas from fuel use and scraping of less efficient vessels. As world trade shifts in response to the economic crisis: China has gone from net exporter to importer of coal, but may revert back to exporting. Commodity downturns mean less shipping. Product liability... litigation moving to California from Texas was a widely noticed phenomenon. But the trend never lasted. When Texas instituted tort reforms, its "wildcatting" plaintiffs firms looked to California for claims for asbestos injury and other "mass tort" actions. But during the last few years those firms have turned their attention to other states. BLOGS
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OUR MISSION
Our client relationships are long and close. Our attention to our clients' legal matters is personal and committed. We help clients avoid litigation by early intervention in their legal problems. We seek to avoid litigation, but when litigation is necessary, we practice it competently.
Feel free to call for an initial legal consultation. Use the Online form day or night to get detailed legal advice right away.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
1541 Corporate Way, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95831
T: (916) 442-2019
F: (916) 442-0220
manager@thesmithfirm.com
WHAT WE'VE DONE FOR CLIENTS LATELY:
♦ Our client is a Senegalese exporter from America to Africa. Not once but twice, his cargo containers were "lost" for long periods before being delivered to Dakar and Kampala with cargo a waste. Overcoming COGSA limitations and against Maersk attorneys we defeated summary judgement in federal district court and settled all our client's damages. Mbacke v. Transcon Cargo, Inc. et al. Eastern District of California case 2:06-cv-01356.
♦ We defended a restaurant sued for nonsense violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act--things like having the wrong wording on a handicapped sign. We prevailed on summary judgment in the federal district court, getting the case thrown out. The Court ruled in support of our arguments that the plaintiff lacked standing because the violations had been fixed. Hernandez v. Lai Wah Restaurant, Eastern District of California case CIV. S-05-0346.
♦ Our client, a "mom and pop" dry cleaner, was responsible for ground and water contamination. We worked with environmental consultants to reduce costs while assuring that regulators were quickly satisfied, using our experience in underground contamination and applicable regulations.
♦ California solid waste law provides a hearing to "any person" charging that county landfill permits don't follow the law. We represented a small environmental group that wanted that hearing. Solano County refused. We sued to get the hearing in superior court. Lost. Appealed. The First District Court of Appeal reversed in our favor. The reported decision makes clear to all counties that the public has a right to administrative review of solid waste facility permits. The case is Sustainability of Parks, Recycling and Wildlife Legal Defense Fund v. County of Solano Dept. of Resource Management (2008) 167 Cal.App.4th 1350.
♦ We represented landowners in a massive downtown Sacramento redevelopment project. Our work involved litigation in CEQA, contract performance, redevelopment law, contamination and eminent domain, as well as providing transactional counsel. The City of Sacramento Redevelopment Agency settled for $18.6 million.
We believe our responsibility is ultimately to the legal system and the Final Judge.
So we hew to strict standards of honesty and fairness while providing zealous, competent and affordable representation of our clients.
If you are that kind of client, we're your kind of attorneys.