John Hamilton | Orange County Collection Lawyer | California

Lee v. Rowzee, O.C. Sup.Ct. case #07CC03470 -- Judgment $2,000,000. March 2007- August 2012 -- Four years of civll litigation against multiple defendants. Two of the defendants (one a then-licensed California attorney) sentenced to Federal prison after a criminal action related to their multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme was filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles. Articles were in Los Angeles Times and Orange County Register about the Ponzischeme and the multiple civil lawsuits of which thiscasewas one of them.

I am a solo practitioner and I advertise thatIhandle every client's matter, personally. I am a roll-up-the-sleeves, hands-on attorney. I do not employ any other attorneys, nor paralegals nor legal secretaries. Clients of mine can expect that I will personally write every legal letter and legal document, make every phone call, return every phone call; and conduct any trial (if necessary) on a client's behalf. When you hire me, you get only me.

A lawyer that focuses his practice on only a few subject areas and one of those subject areas is an area of law the client for which the client is hiring lawyer. An lawyer that claims to practiceall -- or nearly all -- areas of the law is probably a 'jack of all trades but a master of none".

Local knowledge is important to the extent of knowing the reputation the judges within the legal community and adopting to that judge's style when writing motions and appearing in court. There are some judges an attorney may very well want to file apre-emptorychallenge to disqualify the assigned judge in the case. I've done it twice in the past four months.

First, a general determination if the prospective client has a winnable case. Second, a ball-park figure of how much it will cost the prospective client to proceed with the case under alternative scenarios.

The prospective client should bring with him/her all documents related to the issues for which services are requested. Better yet, before the first meeting, the client should either fax or email with a PDF attachment (if able to do so) the documents related to the issues.

I am a solo practitioner and I advertise thatIhandle every client's matter, personally. I am a roll-up-the-sleeves, hands-on attorney. I do not employ any other attorneys, nor paralegals nor legal secretaries. Clients of mine can expect that I will personally write every legal letter and legal document, make every phone call, return every phone call; and conduct any trial (if necessary) on a client's behalf. When you hire me, you get only me. And . . .Prior to earning a law degree in 1993, I had over 20 years experience in the securities, insurance and banking industries including being Senior Vice President of one of the nation's largest financial institutions in the 1980's. This prior business experience gives me not only a legal perspective but also a practical business perspective in seeking solutions to clients' legal problems.

Working for myself and not relying on others to do the work which, so often, does not measure-up to my standards.

Boating -- member of two Southern California Yacht Clubs and in 2011, the Judge Advocate of one of them.

Was avolunteer Deputy District Attorney in a program sponsored by the Orange County Bar Association, called "The Trial Attorney Project".

• State Bar of California; The Florida Bar (voluntary inactive status); Orange County Bar Association; Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles.

• Member: Moot Court Honors Program;
  Trial Advocacy Team in National Competition;
  ATLA Tournament of Champions at Ohio State University.