SAN FRANCISCO, November 13, 2012 – Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass LLP has been recognized as one of the nation’s top law firms in the 2013 Best Law Firm list, published in print and online by Best Lawyers/U.S. News & World Report. The firm received six prestigious “Tier 1” rankings in the highly competitive San Francisco Metropolitan law firm category.

Coblentz was recognized as a San Francisco Metropolitan “Tier 1” firm in the areas of Commercial Litigation, Land Use & Zoning Law, Litigation – Eminent Domain & Condemnation, Real Estate Law, Trusts and Estates, and Tax Law. Seven practices were further recognized with a national ranking – Commercial Litigation, Environmental Law, Land Use & Zoning Law, Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law, Trusts & Estates Law, and Tax.

“This is a wonderful recognition to be included in the publication of U.S. News and World Report’s Best Law Firms among a collection of prestigious national firms,” noted Danna Kozerski, Co-Managing Partner at Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass LLP. “We are proud of this honor and greatly appreciate that our peers and clients have shown us such confidence and support.”

The Best Law Firms, a joint effort between U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers, surveyed and ranked nearly 11,000 firms in 80 national practice areas and 118 metropolitan practice areas. Research was based on feedback and interviews from thousands of law firm clients, lawyers and administrators. Individual firm diversity and pro bono efforts were also considered.

To be eligible for a Metropolitan ranking, a firm had to have at least one lawyer listed in Best Lawyers. In 2012, Jonathan Bass was awarded Best Lawyers’ San Francisco Lawyer of the Year for Real Estate Litigation. In prior years, Best Lawyers honored the late William K. Coblentz for Land Use & Zoning Lawyer of the Year, Pamela S. Duffy for Real Estate Lawyer of the Year, and William T. Hutton for Tax Lawyer of the Year.

Coblentz partner Sara Finigan has been elected to the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights’ (LCCR) Board of Directors.  The LCCR of San Francisco Bay Area advances, protects and promotes the rights of communities of color, immigrants and refugees – with a specific focus on low income communities and a long-standing commitment to African-Americans – by leveraging the power of the private bar to support direct service, and impact litigation and policy advocacy legal strategies.  The Board of the LCCR is committed to these principles of social justice that guide their work.  The Coblentz firm is also a pro bono partner of the LCCR – contributing their time to provide legal services to the community.

“Before the first rivet was ordered for the new San Francisco 49ers stadium in Santa Clara, the owners of the National Football League team, the York family, picked San Francisco law firm Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass LLP to handle the complex negotiations that would make or break the project. The law firm is known for handling large and complex development projects and for attorney Harry O’Brien, who revels in seemingly impossible deals that move at a snail’s pace.”

“So who is Harry O’Brien, this wonk who revels in complexity? ‘He’s an absolute pro,’ says Santa Clara City Councilmember Kevin Moore, who has been a leader in efforts to get the stadium. ‘He was absolutely on his ‘A’ game.’ There’s ‘The Six Million Dollar Man.’ He’s ‘The Billion Dollar Man.’”

“He knows when to talk and he knows when to just accumulate information,” Moore says. “You can almost hear his brain ticking. He’s a lot of times steps ahead of other people in the room.”

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Chambers and Partners, an internationally renowned legal guide read by industry-leading companies and organizations throughout the US and worldwide, has ranked Coblentz Real Estate and Land Use practice as Top Tier Band 1.

Esteemed partners Pamela Duffy and Harry O’Brien are profiled.  Law firms and individual lawyers are ranked in bands from 1-6, with 1 being the best, through in-depth and client focused research.

“This firm is especially noted for its work on PPP projects, where it finds its ability to effectively marry a strong understanding of land use and environmental law with real estate. On the traditional real estate side, the firm has been actively engaged in transactional and leasing work. On the land use side, the team has carried out work relating to approvals, entitlements and zoning.” – Chambers and Partners

Paul Escobosa, Todd Hovey and Jeffry Bernstein counseled SSF Imported Auto Parts, Inc. in its acquisition by Wessels+Müller AG (WM). SSF Imported Auto Parts, headquartered in South San Francisco, distributes high quality European replacement parts, expertise and service for Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Porsche, SAAB, Volvo and Volkswagen automobiles to the same core customer as Wessels+Müller AG. Based in Osnabrück, Germany, Wessels+Müller AG is one of the largest automotive part dealers in Germany with over 100 warehouse locations in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. “SSF and W+M have a strong overlap in programs, suppliers and philosophies”, adds Hans Kopecky, former co-owner who will assume the Chief Operating Officer position of the newly structured SSF Imported Auto Parts, Inc. Thomas Beer, an industry veteran, will serve as Chief Executive Officer. Wessels+Müller AG, with revenues approaching $1 billion, is fully owned by the Mueller family in its third generation.

Real Estate Partner Matthew Bove counseled Flynn Properties Inc. in its 60,000 square-foot lease to Pinterest, a fast growing online social network company where people connect over images, videos and other objects they “pin” to virtual posting boards. Pinterest’s new home at 808 Brannan Street will join the SoMA offices of other social media and tech firms, including Zynga, Twitter, AirBNB and Adobe.

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Coblentz is pleased to announce that it has been recognized as a 2012 Go-To Firm® in Litigation by ALM Publication – (publishers of Corporate Counsel and American Lawyer magazine). Coblentz is honored to be recommended by our clients and included in this elite list of firms who handle the significant legal matters of the world’s leading companies.

Pamela Duffy and Harry O’Brien honored as two of the “Top 30 Real Estate Lawyers” by the Daily Journal
Coblentz Real Estate partners Pamela Duffy and Harry O’Brien have been honored as two of the Top 30 Real Estate Lawyers by the Daily Journal.

Pam’s highlights include the Exploratorium’s relocation, Burlingame Point and the 5M project. Harry is highlighted for his work on the 49ers new stadium project. Both were chosen to this elite list based off of the Daily Journal’s research “weighing not only transaction value and intricacy, but also innovative ways in which attorneys kept projects afloat in the battered economy.”

Congratulations, Pam and Harry, on your well-deserved recognition.

Business Partner, Paul Escobosa, and Associate, Lindsay Gehman, represented award winning design agency, Philippe Becker Design, in its acquisition by Diversified Agency Services (DAS), a division of Omnicom Group Inc. Philippe Becker will join forces with Sterling Brands, a leading brand consultancy with offices in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Four years ago, Paul Escobosa represented Sterling Brands when it was acquired by DAS and has represented numerous advertising agencies and marketing service agencies in merger and acquisition transactions by global media, communications and marketing service companies.

Coblentz is listed as one of the Top 3 Best Trusts & Estates Firms in The Recorder’s ”The Best of 2012.” Coblentz has been honored by The Recorder’s annual “The Best of” list for the past three years.