Sommers & Schwartz LLP is a firm of effective trial lawyers serving California and national clients with complex commercial litigation needs, specializing in copyright, trademark, intellectual property and trade secret work for both Plaintiffs and Defendants and in business breakup litigation of all kinds. We also specialize in taking over trial representation within 120 days of trial and have obtained successful results in five such complex cases in the last five years.

Our particular strength is clarifying complex or technical issues for lay juries through state-of-the art trial presentation. Sommers & Schwartz LLP uses effective motion practice to cut litigation down to size and craft the issues to be tried to maximize chances of success. Sommers & Schwartz LLP partners have extensive trial experience and practice before all California courts, Federal District Courts and Bankruptcy Courts. The firm also appears before arbitration panels including FINRA ,the American Arbitration Association, the International Chamber of Commerce.

Sommers & Schwartz LLP has also had exceptional success at court and private mediations, using this tool to settle even seemingly intractable cases after basic discovery is over, but before very expensive pre-trial preparation work begins.

Sommers & Schwartz LLP has also pioneered the use of software based discovery tools through strategic use of search techniques. By culling out the mass of irrelevant documents and focusing on key pieces of evidence and key players, Sommers & Schwartz LLP can master large document productions efficiently to quickly focus on effective approaches to managing complex litigation. These techniques have allowed medium sized businesses successfully battle larger firms and large entities to reasonably limit defense costs while minimizing potential exposure.

Sommers & Schwartz LLP handles many types of cases, but we particularly specialize in:

• Copyright, trademark cases and intellectual property litigation.
• Trade secret and unfair competition litigation.
• Business break-up and corporate acquisition litigation.
• General litigation of business disputes
• Executive wrongful termination and securities commission cases.
• Commercial Landlord/Tenant Litigation.
• Special investigations for corporate boards and bankruptcy creditor committees.
• Defense of national health research institutes in duty to inform cases.
• Outside general counsel work for moderate sized businesses.

Sommers & Schwartz LLP also specializes in crafting workable mixed fee arrangements for small to medium sized companies with good plaintiff’s cases. Discount fee arrangements, tied to lower contingency fee percentages, monthly payment limits, and a litigation strategy focused on taking on as few pretrial battles and unnecessary tasks as possible and any potential for early, reasonable settlements. See Andrew Schwartz’ article in “The Marin Lawyer” entitled “Helping Small and Mid-Sized Businesses Gain Access to Civil Courts” by choosing Publications above.

Mr. Sommers is known for his trial skills and the ability to prepare a case for trial quickly and win. Mr. Sommers is also known for seamless and effective use of multi-media trial presentations, and is generally recognized as an expert in the field. Mr. Summers excels in managing large-scale discovery through state-of-the art systems approaches. Frank speaks German, Russian and French and has handled matters for Russian-speaking clients in the Bay Area.

Mr. Schwartz is known for his preparation of complex cases for jury trials through discovery and motion practice, enabling the firm to arrive before the jury in a position of advantage, ensuring exceptional results. Mr. Schwartz’ twenty-five year experience on in handling massive, complex litigation as representing as Senior Litigation Counsel for Bank of America and for private corporations throughout his practice allows him to cut to the core of the most complex cases and to explain them clearly to judges, juries, arbitrators and mediators.

Sommers & Schwartz LLP has recently been named Of Counsel to the exceptional firm of Bartko Zankel Tarrant Miller of San Francisco focusing on large-scale trial practice of complex cases. This association increases the capacity of both firms to try complex business, finance, intellectual property and securities litigation.

Sommers & Schwartz LLP recognizes that our clients need solutions, not reasons why the litigation process is often expensive and time consuming. With Sommers & Schwartz, you can be assured that your dispute-related costs are being managed with the same stringency that you apply to your core businesses. Put your troubles in our hands and let us deal with them so that you can concentrate on running your business.