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.

U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® ranked Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP among its 2017 list of “Best Law Firms.” Coblentz is ranked in 13 different practice areas in both National rankings and Metropolitan San Francisco rankings. The firm was awarded  six prestigious “Tier 1” rankings in the highly competitive Metropolitan San Francisco law firm category, in the following practice areas: Commercial Litigation, Land Use & Zoning Law, Litigation – Land Use & Zoning, Real Estate Law, Tax Law and Trusts & Estates Law. Coblentz was also awarded a National “Tier 1” ranking in Land Use & Zoning Law.

Best Lawyers® names firms included in the 2017 “Best Law Firms” list as being recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a tiered ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise.

Rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes clients’ and peers’ evaluation of firms based on expertise, professionalism and responsiveness. To be eligible for a ranking, a firm must have a lawyer listed in The Best Lawyers in America©, which recognizes the top 4 percent of practicing attorneys in the U.S. Fourteen Coblentz attorneys are recognized by The Best Lawyers in America© for 2017, and partner Tay Via was selected as the Best Lawyers® 2017 Litigation – Land Use and Zoning “Lawyer of the Year” in San Francisco.

Coblentz congratulates DISH Network L.L.C. and Richard Patch, Jon Bass, Lauren Kowal, Rees Morgan, Katharine Van Dusen, and Mark Hejinian on the recent announcement that the Eighth Circuit unequivocally ruled in DISH Network’s favor in the Stokes, et al. v. DISH Network L.L.C. and Padberg v. DISH Network L.L.C. cases. The two cases, filed in the Western District of Missouri and assigned to the same judge, involved the temporary loss of programming to customers during programmer disputes at the time of renewal of the affiliation agreements. This is the first clear appellate court decision speaking directly to the potential class-wide exposure to cable and satellite companies for these temporary interruptions.

In the 2014 Padberg matter, the firm defended DISH in a jury trial of a nationwide class action to a very favorable jury verdict which was subsequently set aside by the district court. The Stokes matter involved the same kind of takedown of programming two years after the Padberg dispute. The Eighth Circuit determined that the trial court erred in refusing to grant DISH’s motions to dismiss for failure to state a claim.

Coblentz partner Sara Finigan was named among the Top 100 Lawyers in California for 2016 by the Daily Journal. The list recognizes 100 elite lawyers across all practices in California who are making the most impact on the legal profession.

Sara is the co-chair of the firm’s business practice, specializing in joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, real estate and technology. In its coverage of Sara, the Daily Journal remarks, “Few consider corporate law a cauldron of creativity. Perhaps that’s what sets Finigan apart – she sees in complex business matters the opportunity for expression and the chance to help her clients find innovative approaches to managing their business.” The Daily Journal also notes Sara’s recent representation of Stok LLC in ownership restructuring, and Uber Technologies in its $123.5 million purchase of Uptown Station in Oakland.

Read more here.

The Best Lawyers in America© recognized 14 Coblentz attorneys in its 2017 listing of the nation’s top legal talent. The annual referral guide is based on peer review and feedback from leading attorneys in the same geographical region. Several of our ranked attorneys have been recognized annually by Best Lawyers® for over 15 years.

Clients commented that “Coblentz is extremely capable, thorough and skilled,” and the litigation team “did a fantastic job, they are the best!”

Real estate partner Tay Via has also been selected as the Best Lawyers ® 2017 Litigation – Land Use and Zoning “Lawyer of the Year” in San Francisco.

Congratulations to these Coblentz attorneys for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© guide:

• Jon Bass: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Real Estate
• Jeff Bernstein: Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law
• Pamela Duffy: Environmental Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Real Estate Law
• Philip Feldman: Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Trusts and Estates Law
• Karen Frank: Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Alan Gennis: Real Estate Law
• William Hutton: Tax Law
• Jeff Knowles: Commercial Litigation
• Danna Kozerski: Real Estate Law
• Barbara Milanovich: Real Estate Law
• Jim Mitchell: Trusts and Estates Law
• Harry O’Brien: Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law
• Richard Patch: Litigation – Antitrust
• Tay Via: Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning

Coblentz partner Philip Feldman is ranked as a leading lawyer in the Private Wealth Law – Northern California category, Band 2, in the inaugural Chambers High Net Worth guide published by Chambers & Partners.

Chambers describes Phil as having “expertise advising clients on estate gift and income tax planning, adopting wealth transfer and preservation strategies, philanthropy and trust and probate administration. He represents institutional and individual fiduciaries in trust and estate disputes and administration.” Peers praise Phil as being “very highly thought of and respected” and “a nice person and an excellent attorney,” and note he is “absolutely great and he really knows his stuff.”

London-based Chambers and Partners conducts intensive, continuous research to identify the world’s leading lawyers and law firms – individual lawyers are ranked on the basis of their legal knowledge and experience, their ability, their effectiveness, and their client-service. Chambers HNW independent research is conducted by a team of private wealth researchers, interviewing hundreds of lawyers, family offices, accountancy professionals, tax advisers, bankers, investment managers and high-end real estate agents.

The Legal 500 United States has named Coblentz a “Recommended Firm” in the Real Estate and Construction – Land Use/Zoning category, with a National Band 2 ranking in 2016.

Described as “a go-to firm for land use and zoning matters in the Bay area,” Coblentz is one of only a few Northern California firms recognized by The Legal 500 for outstanding performance in this area.

Partners Pamela Duffy, Harry O’Brien and Danna Kozerski also received individual recognition.  Pam Duffy is recognized as a “Leading Lawyer” on The Legal 500 United States 2016’s guide to outstanding lawyers nationwide. Harry O’Brien and Danna Kozerski are recommended by the editorial as well.

The Legal 500 Series provides worldwide coverage on legal services providers in more than 100 countries, and highlights the practice area teams who are providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice to corporate counsel. Rankings are based on a series of criteria, including research based on feedback from more than 250,000 clients worldwide.

Partner Tim Crudo was the interview subject of “Ask the RevRec Experts” podcast, Episode 22: Legally Speaking, from financial software and services company Leeyo. As a well-regarded speaker on the topic of the stepped-up enforcement efforts of the DOJ and SEC on white collar crime, Tim weighs in on what this could/should mean for those in charge of corporate revenue, how to stay on the right side of this enforcement and potential worst-case scenarios, if not.

Leeyo Software helps companies transform complex revenue accounting and forecasting processes so they can be confident their financials are accurate and compliant. The “Ask the RevRec Experts” podcast reviews questions asked through the website, email, out in the field, webinars or at industry events to find answers for each, directly from guest experts.

Coblentz partner Timothy Crudo is ranked as a Leading Lawyer in the California, Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations category in Band 4 by Chambers USA.

Chambers describes Tim as offering “expertise in a broad range of white-collar criminal matters, including securities, antitrust and healthcare fraud.” Clients credit him as a “diligent, knowledgeable, understanding and insightful” attorney who “goes above and beyond” in his representation of clients.

Tim is a trial lawyer focusing on white collar defense and government enforcement, particularly investigations and cases brought by criminal prosecutors, government regulators, and shareholders in white collar, securities, and corporate governance matters.

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 partners Pam Duffy, Harry O’Brien and Tay Via are listed in the California, Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use category of the 2016 Chambers USA guide, published by Chambers & Partners.

Pam Duffy is again ranked as a Leading Lawyer in the top tier, Band 1. Clients described Pam to Chambers as “tenacious and smart” and noted she “handles mega projects,” particularly in the healthcare, sports and retail industries. Chambers notes her particular experience in large public and private entity transactions and in-depth understanding of the long-term implications of development requirements and how they affect construction, financing, operation, leasing, and sale of a development project.

Harry O’Brien is also again ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Band 2. Chambers describes Harry as “well versed in the full spectrum of real estate transactions, including obtaining zoning, land use and CEQA approvals.” Clients report that he “is outstanding in providing good business counsel.” Harry’s transactional real estate, commercial development and land use practice emphasizes representing real estate developers in entitlement, finance and construction of large commercial, residential and institutional development projects and public-private partnerships.

Tay Via is listed as one of only two Noted Practitioners in the California category. Tay specializes in large public/private projects and represents real estate companies, nonprofit entities, and other businesses, identifying strategies for navigating the increasingly complex real estate development process.

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.