Tue 6th Nov 2018, Blog
By Ariana Seldman Hawbecker In 2005, the Murrays bought a Montana ranch from the Seversons. But the Murrays didn’t transfer everything over. Instead, the Seversons reserved ownership over two-thirds of the minerals found in, on, or under the land. A year later, an amateur paleontologist uncovered the fossils of two dinosaurs locked in battle (the “Dueling Dinosaurs”) on the property. The discovery of other valuable dinosaurs, said to be worth in the millions of dollars, …
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Fri 2nd Nov 2018, Blog, Firm Accomplishments and Recognition
Bienert | Katzman is proud to announce that it has once again been recognized as a Tier 1 firm in Orange County for “Criminal Defense: White Collar” and “Litigation – Bankruptcy” by U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” in 2019. Bienert | Katzman has achieved this recognition every year since 2010. The U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firm” rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process. Selection by U.S. News – …
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Thu 13th Sep 2018, Blog
by Ariana Seldman Hawbecker The Ninth Circuit reversed the dismissal of various claims against several Medicare Advantage Organizations who a whistleblower claims submitted fraudulent health data to the federal government (“CMS”). Anita Silingo, a former employee of Mobile Medical Examination Services, Inc. (“MedXM”), brought claims under the False Claims Act on behalf of the United States Government against MedXM and several Medicare Advantage Organizations. After MedXM settled the case, the Organizations moved for dismissal of …
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Wed 12th Sep 2018, Blog
by Ariana Seldman Hawbecker On September 11, 2018, the Ninth Circuit reversed a district court’s decision barring the State of California from requiring Thomas More Society (the “Law Center”) and The Americans for Prosperity Foundation (the “Foundation”) to provide a list of their most significant donors to the state. Both organizations, registered as Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organizations, had successfully argued at the trial court level that California’s requirement that they file an …
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Tue 28th Aug 2018, Blog, Firm Accomplishments and Recognition
Whitney Z. Bernstein won a published decision in the Ninth Circuit reversing her client’s federal conviction for illegally re-entering the United States after deportation. In the process, she established favorable case law for defending criminal immigration cases. Whitney’s client immigrated to the United States as a lawful permanent resident (“LPR”) when he was just one month old. He lived legally in the United States for most of life until 2008 when he was stripped of …
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Sat 25th Aug 2018, Blog, Case Successes
Through a negotiated settlement and a court order, whistleblower Beverly Brown has received a total relator share award of more than $78 million for her efforts in obtaining a $280 million False Claims Act settlement against Celgene Corporation. The $280 million settlement was the second largest recovery ever recorded in a non-intervened case brought under the federal False Claims Act and the relator share award to Brown is also among the largest in history. The …
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Fri 24th Aug 2018, Blog, Case Successes
Bienert | Katzman recently settled all claims asserted against its client, J. Wayne Allen, in a long-running legal malpractice, fraud, and RICO case pending in the Orange County Superior Court. The settlement came after the completion of jury selection and with opening statements set to begin. The settlement amount, $1,250,000, represented less than one percent of the plaintiffs’ damages claim. In 2001, the plaintiffs – members of the Stueve family that founded Alta Dena Dairy …
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Tue 21st Aug 2018, Blog, Firm Accomplishments and Recognition
Bienert | Katzman is proud to announce that five of its attorneys – Thomas H. Bienert, Jr., Steven J. Katzman, James D. Riddet, and John Littrell – have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers of America© 2019. Mr. Bienert has been selected to the Best Lawyers® list every year since 2009, and was named as Orange County’s “White Collar Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers® in 2011. Mr. Katzman has been selected to the …
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Mon 20th Aug 2018, Blog
Whitney Z. Bernstein is an experienced criminal defense attorney who brings her skills, tenacity, and compassion to every case and client. Prior to joining Bienert | Katzman, Whitney was a trial attorney with the Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc. in the Southern District of California and Brooklyn Defender Services in Brooklyn, New York. Whitney has defended hundreds of clients charged with state and federal felony and misdemeanor criminal offenses. In addition to Whitney’s …
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Thu 2nd Aug 2018, Blog, Case Successes
Whitney Z. Bernstein won a published decision in the Ninth Circuit reversing her client’s federal conviction for illegally re-entering the United States after deportation. In the process, she established favorable case law for defending criminal immigration cases. Whitney’s client immigrated to the United States as a lawful permanent resident (“LPR”) when he was just one month old. He lived legally in the United States for most of life until 2008 when he was stripped of …
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