Donald S. Gottesman
Founding Partner
Specializing in complex commercial disputes, Mr. Gottesman is a co-founder of the firm and an experienced trial attorney. Mr. Gottesman has tried and won cases in diverse legal fields, including real estate, construction, tax, partnership, antitrust, brokerage, employment, and insurance.  He has been lead trial counsel in both civil and criminal cases and has won several multi-million dollar verdicts for his clients.
Mr. Gottesman has also handled numerous successful appeals, including David H. Tedder & Assocs. v. United States, 77 F.3d 1166 (9th Cir. 1996) (tax dispute); Mission Bell Plaza Phase II, LLC v. Redevelopment Agency of City of Moorpark, No. B162358, 2003 WL 21640780 (Cal. Ct. App., July 14, 2003) (contract dispute); York v. Costanzo, No. B198137, 2007 WL 2966558 (Cal. Ct. App., Oct. 12, 2007) (partnership dispute); Real Estate Analytics, LLC v. Vallas, 160 Cal.App.4th 463 (2008) (real estate dispute); Aguilera v. Heiman, 174 Cal.App.4th 590 (2009) (worker’s compensation dispute); and Giftime, Inc. v. KWI 1901 Newport Plaza, L.P., No. G043634, 2011 WL 6400626 (Cal. Ct. App., Dec. 21, 2011) (commercial landlord tenant dispute).
After obtaining a $5 million jury verdict for his client in a real estate brokerage dispute, Mr. Gottesman was profiled by the Los Angeles Daily Journal in an article entitled “Shakespeare Buff Repels Oppressor’s Wrongs” (1996). And he was honored as one of the “Top 25 Lawyers of the Valley” by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal (2007).
Mr. Gottesman is admitted to practice before all courts of the State of California and the United States District Court, Central District of California, but has also tried cases in other jurisdictions, including New York, Texas and Indiana.
- Southern California Super Lawyer, Los Angeles Magazine (2007-201
- “Top 25 Lawyers of the Valley” Honoree, San Fernando Valley Business Journal (2007)
- Martindale Hubbell “AV” rating
- Beverly Hills Bar Association
- Los Angeles Bar Association
- American Bar Association (Litigation and Real Estate Sections)