Coblentz real estate partners Pam Duffy and Harry O’Brien are listed in the California, Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use category of the 2017 Chambers USA guide, published by Chambers & Partners. Pam and Harry have been consistently ranked as Leading Lawyers by Chambers USA since 2003.

Pam Duffy is again ranked as a Leading Lawyer in the top tier, Band 1, noted for her strength in zoning and land use matters. Clients described Pam to Chambers as having “superb breadth of knowledge” and “really understands how San Francisco works, not only in her legal expertise and intelligence, but also her great political knowledge of the town. She is great to deal with.” Harry O’Brien is also again ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Band 2. Clients describe Harry as “a very good and solid land use attorney who is well connected in San Francisco,” and “a smart guy.”

The Coblentz real estate practice is also listed in the top tier, Band 1, for California, Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use. Known for its strong presence in the Bay Area and comprehensive real estate offering, clients also commented on the Coblentz team’s strong zoning reputation and clear communication skills: “I find them very easy to work with; they have a reputation for being one of the top firms in the city, especially on land use. They are very straightforward; they say what they think in a way we can understand, and they get good results.” Another client praises the team’s commitment to their goals, noting “Very good focus on our needs, with a consistency and continuity I appreciate.”

London-based Chambers and Partners conducts intensive, continuous research to identify the world’s leading lawyers and law firms – individual lawyers are ranked (in their practice-areas) on the basis of their legal knowledge and experience, their ability, their effectiveness, and their client-service.

Coblentz litigation partner Timothy Crudo is also listed by Chambers USA as a Leading Lawyer in the California, Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations category.

The Coblentz office design was a featured project in Contract Magazine, a commercial interior design and architecture publication, covering projects, products, and practice issues that set the standards in the industry.

Coblentz worked with global architecture and design firm Gensler on the firm’s new San Francisco office space Contract says “illustrates how the latest [in] design innovations can be successfully applied to one of the most conservative industries,” and noting the firm’s desire for a “workplace that would celebrate its 125-year history, reflect local culture, welcome clients, and embrace the future by appealing to a new generation of legal talent.”

“Gensler understood our desire to create an innovative, standout space that was, at the same time, highly functional and well suited to our current and future needs,” says Maggie Callicrate, chief operating officer of Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass. “The result is a stunning office that draws you into bright, modern, and highly functional spaces for everyday work and creative meeting spaces for connecting with co-workers and clients.”

View the featured project and additional photos here.

Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass assisted Elevate Credit in its initial public offering, the fourth venture-backed tech IPO of 2017. Elevate Credit debuted on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ELVT, with an offering of 12.4 million shares of common stock at a price of $6.50 per share.

Elevate has originated $4 billion in nonprime credit to more than 1.6 million consumers to date. Its innovative online credit solutions provide immediate relief to customers and help them build a brighter financial future. The company is committed to rewarding borrowers’ good financial behavior with features like interest rates that can go down over time, free financial training and free credit monitoring.

The team from Coblentz consisted of Paul Tauber, Karen Frank, Scott Hall and Jacob Mayers.

Coblentz is recognized by BTI Consulting Group’s report, BTI Brand Elite 2017: Client Perceptions of the Best-Branded Law Firms. BTI Brand Elite 2017 includes the 426 law firms with a definitive impact in key areas, including achieving recommendations to peers without prompting, likeliness to be an industry leader over the long term, delivering new and valuable services other firms don’t, and continuously improving the client experience. BTI’s research is based solely on in-depth interviews with 633 corporate counsel at the world’s largest and most influential companies.

Coblentz was also named as a Client Service Leader by BTI Client Service A-Team 2017, where corporate counsel ranked Coblentz in the top firms nationally for client service excellence.

On February 16, 2017, Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass teamed up with the Bar Association of San Francisco’s Justice & Diversity Center to host a real estate and facilities pro bono legal clinic. The clinic featured an educational presentation by Coblentz attorneys Barbara Milanovich, Valerie McDermott, Misti Schmidt, and David Anderson, who provided attorney volunteers with an overview of lease negotiation, administration and litigation, property ownership, land use, and tax considerations.  After the presentation, Coblentz volunteers paired up with in-house counsel from several Bay Area offices to help six small nonprofits assess their real estate and facilities “wellness” and identify potential legal issues.

Companies represented by in-house counsel included Apple, Inc., Seagate Technology, Oracle Netsuite, and Essex Property Trust.  Non-profit participants included Delivering Innovation in Supportive Housing (DISH), San Francisco Housing Development Corporation, Swords to Plowshares, Downtown Streets Team (DST), and Spanish Speaking Citizens’ Foundation.

Richard Patch has been named among the best attorneys for client service by corporate counsel in BTI’s 2017 Client Service All-Star list.

The annual list from BTI Consulting Group Inc. is based on direct feedback from more than 300 corporate counsel of large businesses and Fortune 1000 companies with $1 billion or more in revenue identifying attorneys who stand out for delivering superior client service. The Client Service All-Stars excel in six common traits identified by corporate counsel and legal decision makers: having superior client focus; demonstrating an exceptional understanding of the client’s business; superior legal skills; delivering efficient, value-added service; being innovative thought leaders; and delivering outstanding results.

According to BTI, the class of 2017 Client Service All-Stars is “especially sought after by clients as their needs have shifted in response to the surge in complex work. These attorneys are proactive in building client relationships. They take, and make, the time to understand their clients in-depth—their business, their objectives, and their goals. This elite group enjoys a clear cut advantage over the competition.”

As a senior trial and appellate lawyer, Richard Patch is widely regarded as one of the leading satellite, cable and telecommunications lawyers in the country. Richard was also recognized as a BTI Client Service All-Star in 2014, and Coblentz has been recognized in BTI’s Client Service A-Team for several consecutive years, where corporate counsel continue to rank Coblentz in the top firms nationally for client service excellence.

The Coblentz litigation group was ranked in the top 15 percent of all U.S. law firms for Commercial Litigation and Class Actions as featured in BTI’s Litigation Outlook 2017, which annually provides in-depth analysis of the litigation market from direct feedback in interviews with corporate counsel at the world’s largest companies.

Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP was honored with the 2017 Keta Taylor Colby Award for pro bono service from the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area (LCCR). Coblentz Pro Bono Committee chair Howard Slavitt and committee member Mark Hejinian accepted the award on the firm’s behalf at the LCCR 30th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Awards Luncheon at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis.

Each year, LCCR honors select partners for exceptional advocacy on behalf of their clients and in support of their mission to advance civil rights. The Keta Taylor Colby Award is presented to a legal partner who provides outstanding representation to the poor and under-represented through involvement in the Second Chance Legal Clinic, which addresses the civil consequences of the disproportionate representation of people of color and low-income affected by the criminal justice system.

Of the firm’s pro bono efforts, LCCR noted, “Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass has excelled in its pro bono representation of low income and marginalized individuals. Last year, under Howard Slavitt’s leadership as co-chair of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee, Coblentz made significant pro bono contributions in a variety of program areas, including Election Protection, Legal Services for Entrepreneurs, and Asylum.

Most notably, Coblentz has also been an especially dedicated partner for the Second Chance Clinic. 27 of the firm’s attorneys represented 16 Clinic clients helping to remove barriers to employment and reopen the doors of opportunity for the clients and their families. Among the firm’s outstanding pro bono team, Mark Hejinian particularly excelled in his dedication of time and commitment to access to justice for all. For example, he diligently worked to assist a mother of a special needs child to clear legal hurdles preventing her from securing her license as a registered nurse. His dedication and legal advocacy made it possible for the client to secure employment to provide for her family.”

Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP is pleased to announce the election of Katharine Van Dusen to the firm’s partnership. This promotion is effective January 1, 2017.

“We are delighted to welcome Katharine to the Coblentz partnership,” said Alan Gennis, co-managing partner. “Katharine has been a star in our litigation group since joining us from her clerkship, and has always demonstrated extraordinary client service, legal excellence and a sincere commitment to pro bono matters. She is a prime example of the values we represent at Coblentz. We look forward to Katharine’s continued growth and success at the firm.”

Katharine Van Dusen is an experienced litigator who focuses on complex business and commercial disputes in state and federal courts. Katharine represents clients in a range of matters, including consumer class actions, construction and real estate disputes, and business disputes. She has also represented pro bono clients in immigration proceedings, unlawful detainer actions and debt collection cases. Katharine earned her law degree cum laude from Northwestern University School of Law, where she was an editor of the Northwestern University Law Review. She received her A.B. in political science and German from the University of Michigan.

Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass is recognized in BTI’s Client Service A-Team 2017, where corporate counsel ranked Coblentz in the top firms nationally for client service excellence. The annual report ranks nearly 300 law firms recognized for delivering the absolute best levels of client service, the results of in-depth interviews with legal decision makers at the world’s leading organizations. The leaders in client service earn recognition from corporate counsel on an ongoing basis, fostering and maintaining strong client relationships day-in and day-out.

The independent survey from BTI Consulting Group solicits feedback from leading legal decision makers at large organizations with $1 billion or more in revenue to determine which law firms top the charts in client service. Firms are scored on 17 client service activities including client loyalty, legal skills, understanding a client’s business and advice on business issues. No submissions, nominations or client names are accepted for the survey.

Litigation partner Scott Hall was the featured guest on KUCI (88.9 FM)’s “Privacy Piracy” Radio Show. Host Mari Frank, a privacy consultant, interviewed Scott regarding privacy concerns and recent regulations related to drones.

In the interview, Scott discusses the rise of recent drone technology and widespread use and the privacy concerns that creates, the evolving regulatory atmosphere at both federal and state levels, and where he sees the drone industry progressing in the future. Scott notes, “the excitement of the new technology with so many potential applications as well as the safety and privacy concerns regarding misuse of drones that accompany the rapid increase in drone use have caused the current frenzy.”

Listen to the podcast of the show here.