Samuel A. Wyman

PRACTICE AREAS

• Business Litigation and Counseling
• Construction and Surety
• Employment Law
• Environmental Law
• Insurance Defense
• Professional Liability
• Real Property
• Retail, Restaurants and Hospitality
• Trucking & Transportation
• W&W Trial Team

EDUCATION

• University of California, Davis, B.A., Economics, 1989
• University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, J.D., 1992
• National Moot Court Competition Finalist

BIOGRAPHY

Practice Areas
Co-founder of Wolfe & Wyman LLP, Sam's practice focuses on litigation and dispute resolution, with a particular expertise in insurance, construction and real estate matters. He has tried and arbitrated numerous high-profile cases to verdict before juries, judges and private arbitrators. The Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process is of particular interest to Sam. In addition to mediating hundreds of claims as a litigant, he has earned a post-graduate certificate in mediation from Pepperdine University School of Law, the top post-graduate ADR program in the nation and has served as a mediator on over 50 matters on behalf of the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Admitted to Practice
California State Bar
All California Federal Courts
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Professional Activities
Sam received the coveted "AV" rating by Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest rating available by this prestigious organization. Beginning in 2004, Sam was named a Southern California "Super Lawyer" by Law & Politics and Los Angeles Magazine, which recognizes the top 5% of attorneys in each state as chosen by their peers and through independent research. He has also been selected as a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America; an invitation-only trial lawyer honorary society consisting of less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers. In 2015, Sam was selected by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel for inclusion in their list of the “Nation’s Top One Percent.” In 2018, Sam was selected as one of Southern California’s “Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators” by America’s Top 100.

Sam has served as adjunct professor at California State University, Long Beach in their expert witness certification program and has been a frequent lecturer to clients and industry groups, including Lorman Education Services, NBI, AAMGA, and the Association of Construction Defect Claims Managers. He is a member of the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (“CLM”), the Professional Liability Underwriting Society (“PLUS”), the American Bar Association (Litigation and Construction Sections), the Orange County and Los Angeles County Bar Associations (Litigation Section), the Southern California Association of Defense Counsel, and the Defense Research Institute.

Hobbies and Interests
Sam serves on the Board of Directors of the Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County where he is Vice President, Philanthropic Development.  He spent close to 10 years as a member of the Board of Directors at Tarbut V' Torah Community Day School, including 3 years as the Board Chair.  Sam served on the Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation and Family Services (“JFFS”) of Orange County for many years, where he was the founder and chairman of the Family Philanthropy Venture Fund.  He currently is on the Executive Committee of the JFFS Solomon Society and co-chair its Missions Committee.  In 2006, Sam received the Bob and Helen Aaron Legacy of Leadership award from Jewish Federation of Orange County and in 2011, Sam was honored to be named the 2011-12 Solomon Society "Mensch of the Year."

Sam enjoys spending time with his wife Susan, daughters Kyra and Reesa, and their Golden-Doodle “Lola.”   In his free time, Sam enjoys skiing, boating, music , food & wine.
 

Experience

• Defense of an action for trespass, subsidence and compromise of lateral/subjacent support during construction of a 24,000 sq. ft. residence in Holmby Hills (Alan "Bud" Yorkin v. Beverly Hills Development Corporation, et al., Los Angeles Superior Court No. SC 067115)

• Defense of a toxic exposure claim at the Manetta San Jose International Airport control tower. Facing a $7 million claim by former and current air traffic controls, Sam obtained a complete defense jury verdict after three and a half weeks of trial (Daniel Helm , et al. v. Lincoln Air Conditioning, et al., Alameda County Superior Court No. RG07346948)

• Prosecution of an action for Specific Performance and Tortious Interference with Contract involving a $2.4 million real estate sales contract and related claims for damages of $24 million (Gray v. New Urban West, et al., San Diego Superior Court No. GIN 032170)

• Defense of the Orange County Swap Meet in a premises liability claim. A favorable defense jury verdict was returned after just 31 minutes of deliberations: a firm record! (Harrison v. TelPhil Industries, et al., Orange County Superior Court No. 02CC06564)

• Defense of an action for Premises Liability involving catastrophic injuries when a second floor balcony collapsed (Ferguson v. Rev. Cecil Harris, Los Angeles County Superior Court No. BC290656)

Reported Appellate Opinions

• Avery v. GE Auto Ins. Program, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal, 243 Fed.Appx. 268, 2007 WL 2083563, C.A.9 (Cal.) July 16, 2007 (Not Selected for publication in the Federal Reporter)

• Helm v. Lincoln Air Conditioning Corp., California Court of Appeal, Not Reported in Cal.Rptr.3d, 2010 WL 828348, Cal.App. 1 Dist., March 10, 2010

• Martinez v. Swartzbaugh, California Court of Appeal, Not Reported in Cal.Rptr.2d, 2002 WL 31888855, Cal.App. 4 Dist., December 30, 2002

• Hervatin v. Knickerbocker, California Court of Appeal, Not Reported in Cal.Rptr.2d, 2000 WL 35393280, Cal.App. 2 Dist., August 21, 2000

• Hervatin v. Knickerbocker, California Court of Appeal, Not Reported in Cal.Rptr.2d, 2001 WL 35790877, Cal.App. 2 Dist., February 13, 2001