Greines, Martin, Stein & Richland LLP

Managing Partners: Ted Xanders and Cindy Tobisman

Senior Partners: Kent L Richland, Tim Coates, Robin Meadow, Robert A Olson, Laurie Hepler, Alana Rotter, David Hackett

Number of partners: 13

Number of lawyers: 24

Languages: English

Ever since its founding in 1983, the firm has been one of California’s premier civil appellate boutiques. From its base of practice in the California state and federal appellate courts, in recent years the firm has forged a potent United States Supreme Court practice: since 2006, it has won nine of the ten cases it has briefed and argued in the high court. The firm is counsel of record in over 500 published decisions and in many more hundreds of unpublished decisions and it has acted as amicus counsel in many additional appellate matters. The firm also frequently consults with trial lawyers to ensure that their cases are well positioned for a potential appeal. Through its appellate practice, the firm has developed substantive expertise in many areas, including constitutional law, civil rights, governmental torts and immunities, personal injury, insurance coverage and bad faith, complex business disputes, business torts, copyright and trademark, unfair competition, antitrust, real estate, entertainment law, environmental law, employment law, maritime law, family law, bankruptcy, professional malpractice, arbitration, lemon law, and probate. The firm’s clientele includes national banks and other major national companies; major liability, casualty and title insurance companies; state and local governments; hospitals; public and private universities; entertainment industry companies and individuals; and lawyers.

California State & Federal Courts:

• Niedermeier v. FCA US LLC (2024) 15 Cal.5th 792: The California Supreme Court held that vehicle consumers are entitled to full statutory restitution under California’s lemon law—without offset.
• Colyear v. Rolling Hills Community Association of Rancho Palos Verdes (2024) 100 Cal.App.5th 110: Court of Appeal affirms ruling prohibiting homeowners association from cutting mature trees on GMSR’s client’s property.
• Endeavor Operating Company, LLC v. HDI Global Insurance Company (2023) 95 Cal.App.5th 839: GMSR defeats entertainment company’s novel appeal for pandemic coverage.
• Inzunza v. Naranjo (2023) 94 Cal.App.5th 736: GMSR persuaded the Court of Appeal to set aside a $7.629 million judgment against its client.
• Nigel B. Burbank Unified School District (2023) 93 Cal.App.5th 64: GMSR wins reversal and remand of $1.75 million judgment against school district, with instructions to hold trial on apportionment of fault.
• Starlight Cinemas, Inc. v. Massachusetts Bay Insurance Company (2023) 91 Cal.App.5th 24: Court of Appeal affirms dismissal of movie theater’s property insurance claim for pandemic-related business losses.
• JPV I, L.P. v. Koetting (2023) 304 Cal.App.5th 550: Court of Appeal reverses denial of alter ego motion.
• Williams v. FCA US LLC (2023) 88 Cal.App.5th 44: GMSR secures another Court of Appeal win holding that manufacturers cannot offset their Song-Beverly Act damages by amounts the plaintiff receives for trading in a “lemon” vehicle.
• Johnston-Rossi v. Rossi (2023) 88 Cal.App.5th 1081: GMSR obtained reversal of order in family-law case that would have allowed children to be forced into 90+-day program isolating them from mother without a showing of significant changed circumstances or best interest of children. Case declared rule on issue of first impression.

United States Supreme Court:

• Rivas-Villegas v. Cortesluna (2021): GMSR won its ninth case in the United States Supreme Court, which reversed a Court of Appeals ruling that erroneously denied a police officer qualified immunity based on inapt precedent.
• L.A. County Flood Control Dist. v. NRDC, Inc. (2013): In a closely watched Clean Water Act case, the Court reversed the Ninth Circuit, holding that the firm’s client had not violated the Act simply by moving water through improved portions of a river into other portions of the same river.
• Messerschmidt v. Millender (2012): In an important decision for law enforcement, the Supreme Court held that sheriffs’ deputies were entitled to qualified immunity from civil liability where their search was carried out pursuant to a search warrant, even though the search itself was unlawful.
• Los Angeles County v. Humphries (2010): In a critical decision for cities and counties, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that a municipality cannot be subjected to declaratory or injunctive relief in a civil rights action under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 unless the plaintiff establishes that an injury was inflicted as a result of a policy, custom or practice fairly attributable to the local public entity.
• City of Ontario v. Quon (2010): The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a police department’s review of text messages sent and received by a SWAT team officer on his department-issued pager did not violate the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition of unreasonable searches and seizures.

Los Angeles, California

+1 (310) 859-7811

San Francisco, California

+1 (415) 315-1774