WHY THE MCGILL LAW OFFICE

“My vision is to consistently deliver an excellent client service from which I can build lasting relations.  I believe that the attorney-client relationship should be one built on understanding and trust, from which you can feel assured and confident that I will always represent your interests to the very best of my ability.

To deliver my client-centered philosophy, I provide my clients with a personal and dedicated legal representation.  I am always at the ready to respond instantly to my clients’ needs.”

Goal Orientated

I am focused on meeting my clients' objectives as quickly as possible, without incurring unnecessary cost or compromising on the quality of the legal service that I provide.

There are often several routes to achieving a client's goal but choosing the path that is right for the client is what really matters.  From the outset, I will identify your goals, the key issues of your case and the potential problems that may arise with a view to avoiding unnecessary legal expense or delays.   I will provide you with details of the different options available to you and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each.   

My experience has also taught me that proactive and innovative solutions can be very effective, which is why I always seek to understand the commercial and personal interests of all parties involved in the case.  I can then explore whether there is a practical or creative way of obtaining the desired outcome without engaging in a costly and drawn out legal process.

Flexible Fee Structure

I offer a variety of ways in which you can structure payment of your legal costs, depending on the nature of your case and the type of representation that you require.  I am committed to providing my clients with a tailor-made legal service and, where appropriate, I encourage clients to choose a preferred fee arrangement, including hourly fees, fixed fees, contingency fees or a combination of these options.  

Network and Connections

Over my forty years of legal practice I have developed a large network of connections, which includes many attorneys from around the world, expert witnesses, mediators and prosecuting attorneys.  These connections provide me with a wealth of resources, which often prove to be highly beneficial to the results I achieve for my clients.

I have particularly enjoyed working with my close friend Rod Sisson, whose principal office is in Anchorage, Alaska.  Rod and I have litigated cases together in California and Alaska, as well as Hawaii, where I have appeared with permission of the courts pro hoc vice.  Rod and I have achieved great success in the cases we have worked on together, which I attribute to our great working relationship, our work ethic and our shared philosophy of putting clients’ interests first.

International Reach

In a world where international trade and cross-border disputes are becoming increasingly common, I am proud to associate myself with UK attorney, Richard Parry.  Richard received his legal training in the UK where he worked for 8 years at Eversheds, a highly respected international law firm with world wide presence.  In addition to being a member of the Law Society of England & Wales he is also licensed to practice in California and the Cayman Islands.  Richard currently works as an attorney at Bodden Litigation in Grand Cayman, where he advises international clients on offshore disputes and business incorporation in the tax exempt jurisdiction.  My connection with Richard provides my law office and my clients with resources should they requires advice or representation in the United Kingdom, the Cayman Islands and beyond.

SOME NOTABLE CASES

The "Rub-a-dub-dub" San Quentin Escape Case

I prevented the State of California from convicting inmates who were accused of building a boat within the prison’s walls and escaping from San Quentin Prison by rowing to freedom on the San Francisco Bay.  

Taking strategic initiative in the case and effectively arguing that, regardless of what the newspapers wrote, the prosecution had not proven its case with evidence in the courtroom, I persuaded juries in two separate trials not to convict.  After those victories, the District Attorney gave up and dismissed the case.

Catastrophic Brain Injury - Alaska and Israel

When a foreign student suffered serious brain injury in Alaska, I sprang into action with Rod Sisson of the Sisson Law Group.  Rod and I aggressively litigated the case and, after taking depositions in Alaska, we flew to Israel and took more than a dozen depositions covering the length of the country in just three days.  This diligent and aggressive action resulted in the highest single-person mediation award that JAMS mediation service in Seattle had ever seen, providing just compensation for the client’s debilitating injuries and resources for the client to receive care for life.

Landslide and the cost of inaction - Northern California

Powerful Pacific storms tore away cliff-side land adjoining property owned by a not-for-profit corporate client located along the northern California coastline.  The destructive nature of the storm exposed a two-inch diameter water pipe.  The utility company that owned the pipe was notified but failed to take any action to rectify the risk posed by the pipe.  The pipe subsequently broke and the water pressure carved more of the land from the cliff, sending the it sixty feet below into the Pacific Ocean.

I filed lawsuits against the utility provider and the client’s insurer but both refused to accept responsibility.  Aggressively pressing the case towards trial, I pressured the parties into settlement negotiations and secured an extremely favorable outcome in which the client received settlement funds equal to the market value of its property while also retaining the land and beautiful residence which had been placed at risk by the defectively placed utility pipe.