Practice Areas
CIVIL LITIGATION
The firm provides services in all areas of civil litigation including insurance and private matters in all courts in Southern California, and occasionally beyond. This includes pre-litigation and claim activities; alternative-dispute-resolution methods including mediation and arbitration services; and both non-jury and jury trials and appeals.
TRIAL PRACTICE FIRM
The firm's attorneys have significant experience in both non-jury and jury trial practice, with Mr. Lester having achieved status as a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Unlike some firms that prefer to handle a case through early litigation stages only, Lester & Cantrell LLP have the experience and skill to handle matters through trial, and have been hired to take over cases from other firms for that specific purpose.
COMMERCIAL, CORPORATE, CONSTRUCTION AND REAL ESTATE LITIGATION FOR INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESS
The firm and its attorneys handle direct and derivative shareholder claims and disputes, matters involving claims of breach of fiduciary duty, dissolution, accounting and fraud. Mr. Cantrell has personally handled numerous shareholder claims, and has experience in litigating such matters through trial and appeal. The firm also handles commercial and construction contract claims and lawsuits, as well as real estate cases involving claims for breach of contract, specific enforcement, nuisance, trespass, and injunctive relief.
BUSINESS ADVISING
The firm provides advice to private business owners concerning the day-to-day challenges of operating their businesses. We provide a range of services for business owners concerning employment issues, contract negotiations, licensing, insurance and various other industry-specific topics. While no law firm can prevent lawsuits from being brought against their clients, we assist our clients in managing risk to either avoid or mitigate the impact of litigation.
GENERAL PROPERTY AND CASUALTY CLAIMS
The firm represents various insurers and private business owners for matters based upon claims of general commercial liability, landowner liability, product liability and employment issues.
REPRESENTING MEMBERS OF THE STATE BAR IN DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS BEFORE THE BAR
The firm is available to represent members of the State Bar of California in disciplinary actions and investigations commenced by the State Bar. Mr. Lester is a member of the State Bar of California Committee on Professional Liability Insurance.
REPRESENTATION OF ATTORNEYS, LAW FIRMS AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS IN THE DEFENSE OF CLAIMS ARISING FROM ALLEGED ERRORS AND OMISSIONS, MALPRACTICE, BREACH OF FIDUCIARY DUTY, ETC.
A core practice area of the firm is its representation of attorneys, law firms, design professionals and agent and broker claims. For over 20 years Mr. Lester has been handling matters in this area, and the firm's attorneys have significant trial experience in handling cases involving claims of legal malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, malicious prosecution and abuse of process. In addition to the representation of attorney professionals, the firm represents design professionals and real estate and insurance brokers and agents in matters based upon claims of professional errors and omissions.
EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION
The firm's attorneys have handled the representation of employers in the defense of class action and individual claims based upon a wide variety of employment based claims including wage and hour; harassment; discrimination and civil rights violations.