Founding partner Mark E. Ellis is a trial lawyer and litigator whose practice embraces civil litigation in both state and federal courts. He has tried more than 50 cases.

Mr. Ellis regularly defends professionals sued for malpractice, malicious prosecution, ethics violations, and other professional wrongdoing. Mr. Ellis has defended hundreds of malpractice cases, taking more than 30 to trial or arbitration. As of the spring of 2008, he has never lost a legal malpractice case that reached final determination by jury verdict or court judgment.

Mr. Ellis also handles financial institution, business and commercial litigation, including complex litigation involving class actions under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23 and under California's Unfair Competition Law, Business and Professions Code, Section 17200. His practice includes commercial and consumer litigation in state and federal courts related to the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Fair Credit Reporting Act, as well as their state equivalents.

In 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, Mr. Ellis was chosen by other attorneys as one of the top 5 percent of lawyers practicing in Northern California, and was named a Northern California "Super Lawyer" in San Francisco Magazine.

Mr. Ellis' practice includes the representation of clients before the appellate courts. A former appellate law clerk, Mr. Ellis has handled more than 50 appeals before state and federal appellate courts. In February 2006, he was one of the winning attorneys in Rusheen v. Cohen (2006) 37 Cal.4th 1048, a decision by the California Supreme Court. Increasingly, his practice includes representing plaintiffs in serious personal injury actions.

Mr. Ellis has participated in dozens of trials and/or binding arbitrations. He has won approximately 90 percent of those trials or arbitrations that reached decision.
Mr. Ellis is licensed to practice in the State of California and the State of Washington, before all the Federal District Courts of California as well as several other federal district courts throughout the country. He is admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit