Phillips, Spallas & Angstadt LLP is a civil litigation firm which strives to extricate its clients from litigation expeditiously and efficiently. The firm’s guiding principles are that clients deserve consistent and thorough communication and our dedicated efforts to eliminate their exposure.
With decades of litigation experience, and hundreds of successful trials, Phillips, Spallas & Andgstadt LLP has the necessary expertise to navigate all state and federal venues in California and Nevada. A key ingredient of our firm's success is the diversity of our attorneys. We are committed to diversity both within the firm and our profession of law at large, and we are proud to support several fellowships and scholarships for minority students.
Featured Attorneys
Matthew A. Gardner
Partner
Matthew A. Gardner joined the firm in 2018 as an experienced litigation defense attorney having defended clients that ranged from large corporations to single individuals. Mr. Gardner quickly became a leader in the Los Angeles office. He leads a talented group of defense attorneys to navigate challenging cases across numerous practice areas in state and federal court throughout California. Mr. Gardner received his Bachelor’s Degrees in History and Political Science from the University of California, San Diego, and he earned his J.D. from the University of Southern California. The firm is grateful for Mr. Gardner’s dedication and leadership, and we look forward to having him on the team for many years to come.
Sandra L. Block
Partner
Sandra L. Block joined the firm in 2019 as a litigation defense attorney with extensive knowledge and experience. Ms. Block quickly emerged as a team leader in both the Los Angeles and San Francisco offices. She leads a team of savvy defense attorneys to defend against all kinds of claims for clients in state and federal court throughout California. Ms. Block graduated from Brandeis University with Honors and earned her Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law School where she was the Senior Articles Editor of the school’s law review and on the Dean’s List. The firm thanks Ms. Block for her hard work and dedication, and we look forward to our continued collaboration and partnership.
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Michael C. Zimmermann
Associate
Michael C. Zimmermann is an associate in our San Francisco office, where he represents individuals and entities in a range of disputes. Mr. Zimmerman’s civil litigation practice focuses on the defense of complex tort and commercial claims. Mr. Zimmermann earned his bachelor’s degree in History from the University of San Diego and his law degree from the University of San Francisco where he served on the law review for two years. Mr. Zimmermann is admitted to practice before all state courts in California and the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.
Recent Results/News
- 18Apr
Los Angeles Attorneys Win Motion for Summary Judgment for Homeowners Association in Shooting Case
Congratulations to Partner Sandra Block and Associate Stephen Smyth for their recent Motion for Summary Judgment victory. Plaintiff was as an independent contractor hired by a homeowner at a condominium complex. While working at the...11AprPartner Robert Phillips Makes Presentation at 2024 CLM Conference
Partner Robert Phillips made a presentation, “ABC’s of Defending Spinal Injury Claims” at this year’s annual CLM Claims Unleashed 2024 (April 2 – 4) conference in San Francisco. Mr. Phillips’ presentation covered topics that included... - 9Feb
Los Angeles Office Motion of Summary Judgement Victory
Attorneys Sandra Block and Christina Newell recently secured a summary judgment for our client in a case brought in Orange County Superior Court. Plaintiff slipped in client’s home while working as a housekeeper and sustained...11JanSan Marino City Counsel Appoints Howard Brody as Trustee for Greater Los Angeles Vector Control District
The San Marino City Council recently appointed Howard Brody, Senior Litigation Counsel, as a Trustee representing the San Marino District on the Greater Los Angeles Vector Control District (GLAVCD). GLAVCD is a public health agency... - 4Jan
San Francisco Office Serves Meals and Toys for Glide
We want to celebrate and thank our incredible Phillips, Spallas & Angstadt team who volunteered for service at Glide this year. Glide is dedicated to serving the San Francisco Tenderloin community (and beyond) with food...18DecAttorney Michael Zimmerman Prevails on Motion for Summary Judgment
We want to congratulate Associate Attorney Michael Zimmerman for prevailing on a Motion for Summary Judgement. In a case in which the plaintiff was injured while opening an allegedly defective gate at a horse stable,... - 14Dec
Partner Priya Navaratnasingham elected to the Board of Directors for the Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada
We are proud to announce that Partner Priya Navaratnasingham has been elected to the Board of Directors for the Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada. The ADCNC represents the interests of defense...13NovSan Francisco Attorney George M. Morris presents on Dog Bite Law in CA
We are proud to continue our Senior Associates Presents Series. We want to thank George M. Morris for his recent presentation, giving an overview of Dog Bite Law in California. In our latest offering in... - 31Jul
Associate Attorney Cristina Quinonez and the Firm Thank La Raza and the Bay Area Latina Law Leadership Academy
As a first-generation Latinx attorney, it is important to me to encourage other Latinx to join the legal profession and support one another through law school and career advancement. I decided to become an active...9JunAssociates attend San Francisco La Raza Lawyer Association’s Noche de Gala
San Francisco Associate Christina Quinonez and Summer Associate Gueverly Mendez attended the San Francisco La Raza Lawyer Association’s Noche de Gala this month, celebrating diversity and equity with the Association. With over 400 attendees, this... - 26Apr
Day of Service – San Francisco Food Bank Event
Phillips Spallas & Angstadt Day of Service: We want to thank our team for their volunteer work at the San Francisco/Marin Food Bank event. By 11:00 a.m. 672 bags of food were distributed to the...14FebLos Angeles Attorney Sandra Block has been elevated to Partner
Sandra L. Block joined the firm in 2019 as a litigation defense attorney with extensive knowledge and experience. Ms. Block quickly emerged as a team leader in both the Los Angeles and San Francisco offices.... - 14Feb
Attorney Matthew Gardner rises to Partner in Los Angeles office
Matthew A. Gardner joined the firm in 2018 as an experienced litigation defense attorney having defended clients that ranged from large corporations to single individuals. Mr. Gardner quickly became a leader in the Los Angeles...28DecLos Angeles Attorneys Defeat Appeal of Trial Court Ruling Granting Dismissal of Case
Partners Sandy L. Block and Michael R. Halvorsen recently secured affirmation of a trial court ruling on a demurrer that dismissed the entire case against the clients. The City of Hermosa Beach was a co-defendant... - 6Dec
San Francisco Attorneys Obtain Defense Verdict in Catastrophic Injury Case
In a November 2022 jury trial, the jury rendered a defense verdict in a catastrophic injury case defended by Robert Phillips, Elisa Marcaletti, and Kristin Choi. The firm defended a retail client in which plaintiff’s...1DecLos Angeles Attorneys Prevail in California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District
Attorneys Michael R. Halvorsen and Sandra L. Block prevailed in an appeal brought by a neighbor homeowner challenging the issuance of conditional use permit and certificate of occupancy to a residential townhouse project on the... - 7Nov
San Francisco Sails for Justice
Attorneys Cristiana Giannini and Christopher B. Daley, and legal assistants Emma Heidinger and Rachael McGregor participated in the Sailing for Justice fundraiser with Justice At Last, a San Francisco Bay-Area nonprofit law firm dedicated to...31MayOur Attorneys and Staff Give Back at Food from the Bar
A culture for service is a fundamental core value at our firm. It is an integral part of our practice and extends beyond our clients to those in need within our local community. Attorneys and... - 31May
San Francisco and Los Angeles Offices Team Up to Obtain Summary Judgment in Personal Injury Case
Attorneys Robert K. Phillips, Michael R. Halvorsen, and Federico A. Stea recently secured a summary judgment for our client in a case brought in San Francisco Superior Court. Plaintiff tripped on an irregular sidewalk adjacent...21MarSan Francisco Team Awarded Summary Judgment in Favor of Client
Attorneys Rob Phillips, Priya Navaratnasingham, and Christopher Lunsford in our San Francisco office obtain summary judgment in favor of homeowner clients in a lawsuit filed in the Solano County Superior Court. Plaintiff alleged that he... - 15Mar
San Francisco Team Wins Motion For Summary Judgment in Client’s Favor
Attorneys Rob Phillips, Priya Navaratnasingham, and Christopher Lunsford in our San Francisco office obtain summary judgment in favor of homeowner clients in a lawsuit filed in the Solano County Superior Court. Plaintiff alleged that he...22FebSan Francisco Team Wins Summary Judgment in Client’s Favor
Attorneys Robert K. Phillips, Alyce W. Foshee, and Britney N. Karim secured a summary judgment for our client, an international retailer, in a case brought in Kings County Superior Court. Plaintiff alleged our client’s personnel... - 15Jan
San Francisco Office Secures Major Results for Client with Back to Back Demurrer Wins
Partner Elisa Marcaletti and associate Connor Gaballa prevailed on two consecutive demurrers in a landlord-tenant case venued in San Mateo County. This case involved an unauthorized individual residing at the clients’ property allegedly pursuant to...15MarLas Vegas Office Obtains Summary Judgment in Premise Liability Case
Attorneys in the Las Vegas Office secured summary judgment for our client in a premises liability case brought in the United States District Court, District of Nevada. Plaintiff slipped and fell on a liquid spill... - 15Jan
Las Vegas Office Obtains Summary Judgment in Wrongful Death Case
Attorneys Robert K. Phillips and Megan E. Wessel secured a summary judgment for our client in a wrongful death premises liability case defended in the United States District Court, District of Nevada. The deceased allegedly...1JanAlyce Foshee and Timothy Kuhls have been elevated to Partner
We are delighted to announce that Alyce Foshee and Timothy Kuhls have been elevated to Partner. Ms. Foshee is based in the San Francisco office and specializes in product liability, catastrophic personal injury, pharmacy and... - 15Nov
Las Vegas Office Obtains Summary Judgment in Premise Liability Case
Attorneys Robert K. Phillips and Megan E. Wessel recently secured a summary judgment for our client in a premises liability case brought in United States District Court, District of Nevada. Plaintiff slipped on a clear...2OctMotions for Summary Judgement Granted in Clients’ Favor and Case Dismissed
Attorneys Kimberly R. Thompson, Sandra L. Block, Matthew A. Gardner, and Michael R. Halvorsen of our Los Angeles Office recently secured a summary judgment for the clients in a case brought in San Bernardino County... - 15Jul
Las Vegas Office Obtains Summary Judgment in Premise Liability Case
Attorneys Robert K. Phillips and Megan E. Wessel secured a summary judgment for our client in a premises liability case out of United States District Court, District of Nevada. While exiting a job interview on...5FebSan Francisco Office Obtains Defense Verdict in Motor Vehicle Jury Trial
San Francisco attorneys Robert K. Phillips and Victor C. Ng obtained a defense verdict in a six-day motor vehicle jury trial in San Benito County Superior Court. While liability was stipulated, the defendant contested the... - 27Jan
Las Vegas Obtains Defense Verdict at Arbitration in Premises Liability Lawsuit
Congratulations to our Las Vegas office for obtaining a defense verdict in a premises liability lawsuit brought against a Fortune 500 retailer. The plaintiff alleged negligence after a pallet being pulled by a store associate...16JanLas Vegas Office Obtains Defense Verdict in Property Damage Lawsuit
Associate Daniel Joslyn obtained a defense verdict in a property damage case in the Henderson Justice Court in Clark County, Nevada. After a bench trial, the Court ruled that the defendant, an international retailer, was... - 12Jul
San Francisco Office Obtains Summary Judgment in Catastrophic Auto-Pedestrian Accident
Partner Robert Phillips and associate Mana Ettafagh prevailed on a motion for summary judgment in an auto-pedestrian accident resulting in catastrophic injuries. Plaintiffs alleged negligent design and construction of a Fortune 500 retailer’s parking lot....24JanNevada Office Obtains Summary Judgment in Premises Liability Case
Las Vegas associate Ryan Kerbow obtained summary judgment in a premises liability slip and fall matter. Plaintiff slipped and fell on orange soda in a store. Approximately twenty seconds prior, a female customer pushing a... - 31Oct
Phillips, Spallas & Angstadt LLP receives the Diversity Gold Seal from Vault and the Minority Corporate Counsel Association
Phillips, Spallas & Angstadt LLP is the proud recipient of the Diversity Gold Seal from Vault and the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA TM) for its efforts to foster and enhance diversity in the legal...3JulPooja Kumar Receives 10 Best Attorney Award for Client Satisfaction from the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys
Congratulations to Las Vegas associate Pooja Kumar, who recently received the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys’ 10 Best Attorney Award for Client Satisfaction in Nevada. The criteria considered included the attainment of the highest... - 6Jun
Mendocino County Bar Association Commends James Ghidella for Settlement Expertise
Brian Momsen,Esq., President of the Mendocino County Bar Association, has commended Senior Counsel James Ghidella on behalf of the Association for his many years of service as pro tem Settlement Officer of the Court and...13FebSan Francisco Partner Sworn in as Court Appointed Special Advocate
Partner Candice Mullings Williams was sworn in as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for abused and neglected children. Ms. Williams provides one-on-one support, companionship, mentoring, and advocacy for foster children in Court and beyond. - 25Jan
Nevada Office Obtains Summary Judgment in Tort Case
Associate Alyce Foshee obtained summary judgment in a tort dispute, with the Eighth District Judicial Court (Clark County, Nevada) dismissing plaintiffs’ complaint which alleged causes of action for (1) malicious prosecution, (2) negligent hiring/training/supervision, (3)...16JanSan Francisco Office Successfully Moves to Strike Employment Lawsuit Against Fortune 100 Employer
San Francisco attorneys Greg Spallas and Anna Gehriger prevailed on behalf of a large employer client on a special motion to strike (pursuant to the Anti-SLAPP statute, California Code of Civil Procedure section 425.16) resulting... - 11Oct
San Francisco Office Successfully Obtains Dismissal of Action in Federal Court
San Francisco attorneys Robert K. Phillips and Priya Navaratnasingham successfully obtained a dismissal with prejudice of plaintiff’s entire action before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. Plaintiff alleged breach of...14JunSan Francisco Office Successfully Defends Favorable Contractual Liability Judgment in Court of Appeals
Robert K. Phillips recovered a large six-figure sum for Gap, Inc. from a vendor after successfully litigating the contractual indemnity provisions and prosecuting a jury trial to determine fault for the underlying accident. Mr. Phillips... - 17Feb
Nevada Office Obtains Summary Judgment in Premises Liability Case
Las Vegas associate Ryan Kerbow obtained summary judgment in favor of retailer Sam’s Club in a premises liability case. Plaintiff claimed special damages in excess of $1.4 million as a result of a slip and...3JanSan Francisco Office Successfully Compels Arbitration in a Case that Received National Media Attention
Partner Elisa R. Marcaletti successfully moved to compel arbitration in a nationally-recognized case on behalf of the firm’s client, a wedding photography/videography company based in Chicago, Illinois, that does business in over twenty states. Plaintiff,... - 26Oct
San Francisco Office Successfully Defends Multi-Million Dollar Auto Claim
San Francisco attorneys Robert K. Phillips and Kaa Bao Yang successfully defended an auto dealer in a two-week motor vehicle jury trial in Monterey County Superior Court involving catastrophic injuries and claims of permanent disability....16OctSan Francisco Paralegal is Elected to the San Francisco Paralegal Association’s Board
San Francisco paralegal Albert Chen is elected to the San Francisco Paralegal Association’s 2017 Board of Directors. The association is a nonprofit organization created to represent the paralegal profession. - 29Sep
Las Vegas Office Obtains Dismissal Sanctions in Premises Liability Action
Brenda Entzminger and Betsy Jefferis obtained a dismissal with prejudice in a personal injury case against the retailer, Wal-Mart. Plaintiff sought general and special damages in the seven-figure range for a slip and fall matter. The...29SepNevada Court Grants Defendant’s Motion for Judgement as a Matter of Law in Premises Liability Action
Robert Phillips and Brenda Entzminger obtained a defense judgment in favor of Wal-Mart, following a jury trial in September 2015. Although the jury had originally awarded over $718,000 in favor of the plaintiff, the United States... - 27Sep
San Francisco Office Successfully Defends Premises Liability Jury Trial
San Francisco attorney Sara Khan Tackett successfully defended a two-week premises liability jury trial in Santa Clara County Superior Court involving claims of serious injuries and permanent disability. Plaintiff asked the jury to award over...8FebCandice Mullings Williams has been promoted to Partner
Congratulations to Candice Mullings Williams, who has been promoted to Partner at the firm. Ms. Williams joined the firm in 2007. She specializes in civil litigation defense, with a focus on high exposure personal injury...