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GEORGE L. GUTIERREZ

April 24, 2025 , , , , No Comments

EDUCATION

GEORGE L. GUTIERREZ graduated cum laude from California State University, Long Beach, with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.  He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco School of Law and was admitted to the California State Bar in 2014. During law school, Mr. Gutierrez earned a Certificate in Intellectual Property & Technology Law with Honors, served as a Survey Author for the USF Intellectual Property Law Bulletin, and was a Technical Editor for the USF Maritime Law Journal.  He also authored multiple legal publications.

BACKGROUND

Prior to joining Samuelsen, Gonzalez, Valenzuela & Brown, LLP, Mr. Gutierrez was a Partner at a prominent maritime law firm, where he defended multinational insurance carriers and employers in defense of claims brought under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act and its extensions. His extensive litigation background includes conducting hundreds of depositions, evaluating and litigating high-exposure claims before the Office of Administrative Law Judges and Benefits Review Board, and consistently securing favorable outcomes through strategic negotiation and trial advocacy. 

Mr. Gutierrez also previously worked as a Senior Associate Attorney at a Los Angeles-based law firm, where he represented insurance carriers and third-party administrators in all phases of California workers’ compensation litigation.  

Mr. Gutierrez is known for his client-focused approach, prioritizing clear communication and tailored legal strategies to achieve optimal outcomes. He is committed to delivering results through meticulous preparation, aggressive defense strategies, and effective advocacy. He takes pride in guiding his clients through the litigation process with dedication and clarity, ensuring their goals are always his top priority. 

Mr. Gutierrez handles both California state workers’ compensation claims and federal claims in the firm’s San Diego office. 

KRIS EAMES

October 9, 2024 , , No Comments

Education and Background:

Kris Eames graduated from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, earning dual Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws degrees with a focus in Commercial and Banking law. During his undergraduate studies, he completed the Victoria Plus and Wellington International Leadership Programs.

Mr. Eames then prepared for an overseas exchange program at University of Oklahoma College of Law. After completion, he returned to earn his Master of Laws (LLM) degree. During his studies, Mr. Eames worked in personal injury, mass tort, medical device, property damage, and inverse condemnation claims at a seasoned plaintiff’s firm based in Houston, Texas. Mr. Eames continued on to assist personal and business bankruptcy petitioners in the Texas Northern and Southern Bankruptcy Courts with a well-known bankruptcy firm, also in Houston.

Legal Practice:

Upon admission to the bar, Mr. Eames began his insurance defense career at a distinguished Houston-based defense firm, litigating cases arising under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) and Defense Base Act (DBA). Mr. Eames’ practice also handled matters brought pursuant to the War Hazards Compensation Act (WHCA).

Mr. Eames gladly brings his LHWCA, DBA, and WHCA experience to assist the clients of Samuelsen, Gonzalez, Valenzuela & Brown’s office in Long Beach, California.

COURTNEY HOOPER

July 9, 2024 , , No Comments

Education:

Courtney Hooper graduated magna cum laude with honors from West Virginia University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies with a concentration on Europe and a second Bachelor of Arts degree in World Languages, Literature, and Linguistics with a concentration on Spanish. Among her various activities and memberships during her undergraduate studies, she served as the WVU Panhellenic President and was a member of the Chi Omega Fraternity.

Ms. Hooper then earned her Juris Doctor degree from the West Virginia University College of Law. While in law school, she worked as a federal judicial intern for the Honorable John Preston Bailey, United States District Judge for the Northern District of West Virginia; as a legal extern for the WVU Office of the Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel; and as a student clinician in the WVU College of Law Immigration Law Clinic. She also worked as a lifeguard in her “free” time.

Background:

Following law school, Ms. Hooper returned to Judge Bailey to work as a federal judicial law clerk for a term of two years. She then began her defense career, working for the better part of a decade for a prominent New York defense firm primarily litigating cases arising under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act and Defense Base Act before various federal and administrative tribunals. She also worked extensively on matters involving and brought pursuant to the War Hazards Compensation Act.

Now residing in Philadelphia (a lifelong allegiance to Pittsburgh sports notwithstanding), Ms. Hooper brings her considerable Longshore and DBA experience to the Long Beach office of Samuelsen, Gonzalez, Valenzuela & Brown and continues defense of clients in such matters.

Ms. Hooper is admitted to practice law in New York, Massachusetts, West Virginia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as before the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia.

KARL FRANCOIS

January 25, 2024 , , No Comments

EDUCATION

Karl Jeff Francois received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Economics from Florida International University. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law and was admitted the following year.

BACKGROUND

Mr. Francois began his career as a legal assistant/paralegal where he specialized in probate, family, and foreclosure defense cases. During law school, Mr. Francois worked as a legal intern with the Miami Dade Public Defender’s Office and gained experience assisting the lead attorney during trial. He then worked as an intern at the University of Miami School of Law Immigration Clinic furthering his experience with administrative law at the federal level including significant legal research and law and motion drafting.

Since law school, Mr. Francois has worked exclusively in defending Federal workers’ compensation cases under the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act and its extensions, including the Defense Base Act. He is continuing this practice at the firm’s Long Beach office handling every aspect of cases.

JOSHUA LARSON

June 19, 2023 , , Comments Off on JOSHUA LARSON

JOSHUA LARSON received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Riverside, with a major in Political Science. He attended Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, California and earned his Juris Doctor in December of 2008. He was admitted to the State Bar of California in June of 2009. In December of 2012, he earned his Business and Economics Law LL.M. at Chapman University School of Law.

BACKGROUND

In Law School, Mr. Larson was active student leader. He was a member of the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (APALSA) and served as their Vice President and President. He was a member of the Thomas Jefferson Student Bar Association and served as the Social Chair Officer and Vice President.  While in Law School, Mr. Larson interned with Office of the Alternate Public Defender, Intellectual Property Legal Advisors, and Simo Holdings, Inc., f/k/a No Fear, Inc.

Upon being admitted to the California State Bar, Simo Holdings promoted Mr. Larson to Corporate Counsel where he was responsible for all its U.S. legal matters relating to this prominent action sports brand. Subsequently, Mr. Larson expanded his legal experience practicing Bankruptcy, Intellectual Property, Business, and finally, Workers’ Compensation litigation.

Mr. Larson has been practicing Workers’ Compensation Defense since 2013. He is experienced in defending claims under the Federal Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) and California State Labor Code.

Samuelsen, Gonzalez, Valenzuela and Brown is pleased to have Mr. Larson in our Long Beach Office.

GEORGE JONES

November 18, 2021 , , Comments Off on GEORGE JONES

EDUCATION 

GEORGE JONES received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Hawaii in 1980 and his Juris Doctorate from the University of San Francisco in 1992, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the USF Maritime Law Journal.  George was admitted to the California Bar in 1992.  

BACKGROUND  

George Jones has been practicing maritime law for over 25 years in the Long Beach/Los Angeles area and has significant experience litigating a wide variety of maritime claims including Jones Act, USL&H/DBA, cargo, vessel liability and general insurance claims. 

Prior to joining Samuelsen, Gonzalez, Valenzuela & Brown, George served as Vice-President of one of the nation’s premier maritime adjusting firms. Prior to that, George managed his own law firm, Jones Maritime Law, APC, which specialized in maritime personal injury litigation, including Jones Act, USL&H and DBA matters. George is licensed to practice law in all state and federal courts in California. He is a Proctor of Admiralty Member of the Maritime Law Association of the US. George is also A/V Preeminent rated by Martindale Hubbell, the highest independent, peer review rating awarded for excellence in both competency and ethics. 

Long Beach

November 13, 2012 , , Comments Off on Long Beach

211 East Ocean Blvd
Suite 500
Long Beach, CA 90802

TEL:  310.831.0872
FAX:  310.831.1333

MICHAEL K. MARMER

September 14, 2012 , , Comments Off on MICHAEL K. MARMER

EDUCATION

Undergraduate, California State University at Long Beach, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, 1973-1978

Graduate, Southwestern University School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1978-1981, Admitted to California Bar 1981

BACKGROUND

Mr. Marmer specializes in the following practice areas: Defense of employers and carriers in workers’ compensation claims arising under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA), the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, the Defense Base Act (DBA), the War Hazards Compensation Act, as well as representation of employers and carriers in civil subrogation claims arising under the Jones Act, the Federal Maritime Law, and Suits In Admiralty Act.

Mr. Marmer also practices defense of workers’ compensation claims arising under the California Labor Code as well as representing employers and carriers pursuing civil subrogation in the California Superior Courts.
Mr. Marmer has jury, and administrative trial experience in the U.S. District Courts, California Superior Courts, the U.S. Office of Administrative Law Judges, and before the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board of California.

PUBLIC SPEAKING/LECTURES

Speaker: Longshore Claims Association, Attorney fee issues under the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act, and Defense Base Act, arising within the jurisdiction of U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. San Diego, CA 2012.

Speaker: Hearing Loss Claims under the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act; National Association of Waterfront Employers, West Gulf Maritime Association, June 2014.

Speaker: Hearing Loss Claims under the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act, Longshore Claims Association, Annual Conference 2014. Newport Beach, CA.

Speaker: Workers Compensation Institute; Defending Employers and Carriers in foreign nationals’ claims arising under the Defense Base Act. Orlando, FL August 2018.

Speaker: Work Comp Central Annual Seminar; Civil Subrogation: Employers Rights, Remedies, and Litigation Strategies. May 2019.

Member: Joint Department of Labor Bar Association which is a Claimant and Defense counsel bar regarding practices and procedures under the LHWCA and DBA of claims before the federal Office of Workers Compensation Programs, and the federal Office of Administrative Law Judge.

DAVID UTLEY

September 14, 2012 , , Comments Off on DAVID UTLEY

EDUCATION

DAVID UTLEY graduated from Whittier College in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, obtained his Juris Doctor degree from Western State University College of Law in 1977, and has been a member of the California Bar since 1978.

BACKGROUND

Mr. Utley has forty-six years of personal injury and workers’ compensation trial and litigation experience in California and Federal court venues. He has expertise in the litigation of claims arising under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, Defense Base Act, Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Nonappropriated Funds Instrumentalities Act, and the California Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board. He has additional experience handling subrogation claims in multiple forums.

He served as a Court-appointed Mediator in personal injury lawsuits for the Los Angeles County Superior Court from 1999 to 2014 and prior to that time upon that court’s Arbitration and Settlement Conference volunteer panel. He has been an invited speaker at the 2009 Northwest Longshore Claims Administrators Seminar, 2010 Longshore Claims Association Seminar, 2012 Chartis Defense Base Act Seminar, 2013 Signal/LCA Maritime Conference, 2014 Annual Loyola Longshore Conference, 2016 Advance Consulting Inc. DBA Conference, 2019 and 2022 Longshore Claims Association seminars. He is available to serve as a Mediator in association with Longshore-DBA Mediators, Inc.

Mr. Utley has received a “AV- Preeminent 5.0 out of 5″ Martindale-Hubble Peer Review Rating for the past 26 years. Following a thirty-two-year career representing injured workers, he was invited to come to Samuelsen, Gonzalez, Valenzuela and Brown in 2011 where his focus is upon the defense of Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, Defense Base Act claims, and the representation of the subrogation interests of employers and carriers.

SHAWN S. HAGHIGHI

September 14, 2012 , , , , , Comments Off on SHAWN S. HAGHIGHI

EDUCATION

SHAWN S. HAGHIGHI graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English (British Literature) and a minor in Policy Studies. He received his Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles and was admitted to the State Bar of California the same year.

BACKGROUND

In law school, Mr. Haghighi was an active member in Phi Alpha Delta International Law Fraternity, a Judicial Extern for the Los Angeles Superior Court, and volunteered for two years for VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) assisting low income families. In law school, Mr. Haghighi also served as a law clerk for the state’s leading firm in enforcement of family support judgments as well as interning for the business affairs department in one of the nation’s largest talent agencies.

Following law school, Mr. Haghighi served as an associate attorney in a well-known Orange County plaintiff’s firm handling a wide variety of civil matters from medical malpractice to class action lawsuits. Subsequently, he continued his civil experience at a high-volume Orange County plaintiff’s firm. Thereafter he began his defense career, exclusively handling civil matters for a large insurance authority, on behalf of self-insured cities, towns, and other public entities.

M. Haghighi joined the law offices of Samuelsen, Gonzalez, Valenzuela and Brown as an associate attorney in 2011. He has been handling workers’ compensation defense in our Long Beach office, including both state matters and cases under federal jurisdiction. Mr. Haghighi strongly believes in a tailored and pragmatic approach to cases. He prides himself on being a detail-oriented and creative problem-solver. Mr. Haghighi became a partner in 2018.

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