EDUCATION :
UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO, SCHOOL OF LAW San Diego, California
Juris Doctorate - Awarded 1989
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO Chicago, Illinois
A.B. - Economics 1986
BAR MEMBERSHIP :
Member: State Bar of California;
Admitted: United States Supreme Court; United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE :
BAX GLOBAL INC/SCHENKER, INC. Irvine, California
Assistant General Counsel, June 2004 - March 2009
- Reviewed all major international and domestic customer and vendor contracts
- Provided legal review of all real estate transactions, including sales and leases
- Reviewed and drafted contracts for IT hardware, software and services
- Provided legal support for Human Resources issues/terminations/benefits/OFCCP audits
- Selection, supervision and management of outside counsel for HR and business matters
- Ensured compliance with international, federal and state regulations OFAC/FCPA/ITAR
- Handled dissolutions of dormant entities and performed corporate secretary functions
- Performed due diligence for sale of BAX Global from Brink’s Inc. to Deutsche Bahn AG
- Assisted with the integration/asset sale of BAX Global to Schenker, Inc. post DB acquisition. This made the formerly public company an asset of a foreign government (Germany).
SANCHEZ LAW FIRM, APC Los Angeles, California
Partner, October 2003 - June 2004
- Set up numerous corporations, LLC’s, LLP’s and trusts in California and other states
- Provided business formation advice to clients
- Provided HR advice and support to clients
- Principal clients include trucking, home delivery and courier companies
- Mergers and acquisitions, franchising, due diligence investigations
GOLDEN EAGLE EXPRESS, INC. Long Beach, California
General Counsel / Director of TechnologyMarch 2002 – September 2003
- Arranged, negotiated and closed real estate sales, leases and refinancing deals
- Drafted contracts with independent contractors, vendors and software developers
- Handled all HR issues/represented company before the California Labor Board
- Selection, supervision and management of all outside litigation counsel
- Supervision of IT department, systems and software development projects
- Ensured compliance with all federal and state regulations (DOT, TSA and Customs)
- Performed all M&A work relating to acquisition of global freight forwarding operation
- Handled all pollution issues with federal, state and local California agencies
- Responsible for advising the Board of Directors and contract review.
HAIGHT, BROWN & BONESTEEL Santa Ana, California
Of Counsel, February 2000 - March 2002
- First chair civil litigation experience, at trial/appellate levels of State and Federal Courts
- Principal Areas of expertise included: insurance coverage, cargo subrogation, customs, transportation (ocean, air & ground), marine casualty and logistics
- International litigation—including vessel arrests domestically and around the world
- Enforcement of foreign judgments domestically and domestic judgments abroad
MAKI CREATIONS, INC. Stanton, California
General Counsel, March 1998 - January 2009
- One of four company founders/Forty percent shareholder
- Responsible for all legal aspects of manufacturing operations
- Handled all legal issues for the company from start-up to ultimate stock sale of company
PORTER, GROFF & LODWICK Long Beach, California
(Formerly FISHER & PORTER/FISHER, PORTER & KENT)
Associate/Of Counsel, July 1985 - February 2000
- Attorney since 1989, numerous other capacities 1985-1989 (including on site MIS)
- Civil litigation experience at trial and appellate levels of both State and Federal Courts
- First chair trial counsel for cases pending in State/Federal Courts and 9th Circuit appeals
- Extensive cargo subrogation experience on behalf of foreign/domestic marine cargo insurers
- Surface Transportation, Maritime and Aviation litigation practice, vessel arrests and seizures
- Extensive international litigation experience
- Martindale Hubble AV rated litigator
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & ASSOCIATIONS :
Member: State Bar of California
Admitted: United States Supreme Court; United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Proctor Member: Maritime Law Association
Member: Association of Corporate Counsel
Editor: Journal of Transportation Law, Logistics & Policy (Water Section1996-1999)
LECTURES & PUBLICATIONS :
Lecture - "Caveat Emptor: The ISM Code Cometh"
Presented at the Association for Transportation Law, Logistics & Policy, Transportation Lawyers Association and Canadian Transportation Lawyers Association 1998 Joint Conference, Fort Meyers, Florida, 1998
Published - "Oh What a Tangled Web We Weave"
64 Journal of Transportation Law, Logistics & Policy 247 (Winter 1997)
Published - “To Whom Nothing is Given, Of Him Nothing Can be Required”
64 Journal of Transportation Law, Logistics & Policy 122 (Fall 1996)
LANGUAGES :
English - Native
Greek - Fluent
Spanish - some conversational