Oct. 15, 2015
Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae LLP
See more on Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae LLPLos Angeles
a story, how to marshal facts and the law to get to the heart of an issue. And that's
just what the attorneys at Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae LLP strive to do.
Specializing in business litigation, the firm's 16 attorneys handle a wide spectrum
of cases that include real estate, entertainment, intellectual property, title insurance
and partnership, corporate and securities litigation.
The secret to the success is simple, Early said. Building strong teams of people dedicated
to the work who strive to do the best job possible for each case and every client.
"There's really no substitute for good old-fashioned hard work and we work hard. There
are no shortcuts in this business," he said.
The firm, which practices primarily in California, Nevada and Wisconsin, has a client
list that includes several high profile companies such as Sun West Mortgage Co. Inc.,
Warner/Chappell Music Inc., Meridian Health Services Holdings Inc. Fidelity National
Financial Inc. and First American Title Insurance Co.
Early started the firm in 2010 with what he calls five "up and coming stars." Within
two years, Early won a complete defense verdict while acting as lead trial counsel
defending a Hawaii-based bank. That $55 million verdict was selected by The Daily
Journal as one of the "Top Defense Verdicts of the Year," in 2012.
Last year, Early Sullivan successfully represented United General Title Insurance
Co. ("United General") in opposing RNT Holding's appeal of Early Sullivan's underlying
summary judgment victory for United General. The Court of Appeal's decision provides
clarity regarding the interpretation of key title insurance exclusions and establishes
that an insured lender's release of its insured interest in a subject property terminates
the insurer's potential liability.
More recently, Early Sullivan won a complete defense verdict in a case brought against
its client Meridian Healthcare, a leading nursing home in California, in which no
punitive damages were awarded.
In another case, the firm represents CPIF California LLC, a lender that made a $10
million loan thinking it was getting a first position lien, but was in fact being
used by the owner of the property as part of a massive fraud involving multiple lenders.
In the aftermath, each of the lenders involved, with loans totaling more than $30
million, claims to have been defrauded and are attempting to secure the property for
themselves.
"We love complex issues and we love what we do," said Early. "We love these issues,
unravelling it figuring it out, getting to the truth of the dispute and solving the
situation."
Early said he started the firm because he, and the other partners, wanted to move
in their own direction. Now, with nearly a dozen more attorneys and the results pouring
in, he has bigger plans.
"We've always had a vision of growing organically. We are conservative financially,
but as the business continues to grow and the client base has grown substantially,
we grow with it," he said. "We are building a platform to be what we believe and hope
to be one of the great Los Angeles and California law firms."
-RYAN VAN VELZER
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