|
|
|
|
Michael D. Thamer, Esq.
Practice Areas |
Education | Career |
Appointments/Lectures |
Martindale-Hubbell |
Published Opinions | Michael Thamer’s practice focuses primarily on fighting all forms of corporate and government abuse. In the last eight years, Mr. Thamer has dedicated his practice to representing the interests of victims of elder and dependent adult abuse throughout the state of California. This includes representation of numerous plaintiffs, including advocacy groups in civil actions against corporate for-profit operators of skilled nursing and intermediate care facilities. Throughout California, Mr. Thamer has tried over 40 jury trials to verdict in State and Federal District Courts. In March 1998, Mr. Thamer obtained a $94.7 million punitive damage award in the Gregory v. Beverly Enterprises, Inc. in Siskiyou County. For further details on this case, click here. To view a CBS TV story, which focuses on a case prosecuted by Mr. Thamer, click here. Mr. Thamer is a regularly invited lecturer on elder and dependent adult abuse litigation. He has presented lectures for California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, Consumer Attorneys of California, the ATLA* Nursing Home Litigation Group, School of Gerontology at University of Southern California, and the California Healthcare Association. *ATLA stands for Association of Trial Lawyers of America J.D., University of Santa Clara Law School, 1981:
B.S., Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine, 1978
Law Offices of Michael D. Thamer (Attorney at Law) 1991 - present
Hews, Munoz, Swift & Thamer (Partner) 1985 - 1991 Orange County Public Defenders Office (Deputy Public Defender) 1982 - 1985 Judge Pro Tem, Siskiyou County Superior Court Invited Lecturer for University of Southern California, American Trial Lawyers Association, Consumer Attorneys of California, California Healthcare Association, California Association of Healthcare Facilities, Siskiyou County Bar Association, and California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform Lecturer for MCLE* seminar on Legal Ethics Court-Appointed Arbitrator in civil matters and attorney/client fee disputes Serves as an arbitrator and mediator selected by private attorneys for civil cases in Siskiyou County City Attorney for the City of Etna, California (1992 through 1998) Currently represents Siskiyou County Domestic Violence Center on a pro bono basis Member of the Siskiyou County Bar Association, American Trial Lawyers Association, and Consumer Trial Lawyers of California Member and Siskiyou County Bar Association Representative on the Siskiyou County Court Strategic Planning Committee *MCLE stands for Minimum Continuing Legal Education “AV” Rating** ** According to Martindale-Hubbell, an “AV” Rating is confirmation that the bearer is considered a highly respected, ethical member of the Bar. “It signifies that (the holder’s) legal abilities are of the very highest standard and that (his) professional ethics are unquestioned.” Fitzhugh v. Granada Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, LLC (2007) 150 Cal.App.4th 469 Gregory v. Beverly Enterprises, Inc., et al.(2000) 80 Cal.App.4th 514 Jury Trials in the following venues: US Federal Court, Central District Siskiyou County Superior Court Orange County Superior Court Riverside County Superior Court Los Angeles County Superior Court San Diego County Superior Court Prosecute and Defended Litigation in the Superior Courts of the following California Counties:
Extensive experience in civil and criminal litigation. Civil expertise includes elder abuse, insurance bad faith, legal negligence, bad faith lending, product liability, business disputes, real property disputes, and water disputes. Extensive juvenile court experience, including dependency and delinquency proceedings. Criminal defense experience in hundreds of misdemeanor and felony cases, including complex murder cases. Tried in excess of 60 court and jury trials to verdict in State and Federal District Courts throughout California. Civil trials include: California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR), et al. v. State of California, Department of Health Services. Hon. Peter J. Busch, San Francisco Superior Court Plaintiffs sought and were granted a writ of mandate compelling the State of California Department of Health Services to conduct prompt investigations of complaints of substandard care in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. As a result of the case result, California is investigating complaints within time lines prescribed by law for the first time in fifteen years. This case was profiled in the San Francisco Chronicle, Sacramento Bee, and San Jose Mercury News. Gregory v. Beverly Enterprises, Inc., et al. [80 Cal.App.4th 514] Represented Plaintiff in elder abuse case against the largest operator of U.S. nursing homes, Beverly Enterprises, Inc., and subsidiary. Following a five-week jury trial, jurors found the defendants liable on claims of elder abuse, fraud and negligence, and awarded compensatory damages of $365,581, and punitive damages in the amount of $94,720,450 - at the time, the largest verdict against a nursing home operator in the nation’s history. The Gregory case was profiled in the Wall Street Journal, the CBS Evening News, and other national media. Jones, et al., v. Hill, Farrer & Burrill, et al. Represented Plaintiffs in legal negligence case against four law firms concerning their representation of Plaintiffs in a civil tort matter with unfavorable outcome. Received Plaintiff verdict following a six-week jury trial. Easterling v. Allstate Insurance Company, et al. Represented Plaintiffs in insurance bad faith case. Three-week jury trial resulted in Plaintiff verdict, including jury award of $500,000 in punitive damages. Baker, et al., v. Allstate Insurance Company, et al. Assisted in representation of Plaintiffs in insurance bad faith case. Received Plaintiff verdict, including a $1,800,000 punitive damages verdict, following a three-week jury trial. Sutton v. Celoseal Roofing, et al. Represented Plaintiff, whose injuries included brain damage, in a product liability case. Received Plaintiff verdict in excess of five times Plaintiff's demand following a three-week jury trial. El Farra v. Lloyds of London, et al. Represented Plaintiff in insurance bad-faith action in Federal Court, Central District of California. Received Plaintiff verdict following a two-week jury trial. Cases and expertise have been featured in numerous state and national media sources, including: CBS ‘60 Minutes’, CBS Evening News - San Francisco (KPIX TV), Time Magazine, Occupational Therapy Practice, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Sacramento Bee, Orange County Register, San Jose Mercury News, California Lawyer, California Law Business Journal, Eureka Times Standard, Siskiyou Daily News, and the Pioneer Press. |
Michael Thamer |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
Copyright 2004 - 2008 by Michael D. Thamer. All rights reserved. |
