|
JIM L. ZOELLNER
Attorney at Law, Partner
Certified Specialist, Workers' Compensation Law
The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
|
BIOGRAPHY
Jim L. Zoellner is currently a partner with Floyd, Skeren & Kelly, at our firm's Orange County office location.
Mr. Zoellner began his career in workers' compensation in 1984 as a claims representative for Travelers Insurance Company in Orange, California. Mr. Zoellner also received claims experience with Pacific States Casualty in Chino, California. At Pacific States, Mr. Zoellner started the company's highly respected Hearing Representative Program. He handled numerous hearings and depositions while attending law school at Western State University College of Law. Upon graduation in 1992, Mr. Zoellner continued his workers' compensation career by passing the California State Bar examination and joining a firm specializing in the defense of workers' compensation claims.
Mr. Zoellner joined the firm of Floyd, Skeren & Kelly in 2002 as the Managing Attorney of the Orange Office. His litigation experience includes all levels of Hearings before the Workers' Compensation Appeal Board (WCAB) and Appellate Courts. Mr. Zoellner is a member of the State Bar of California, the Supreme Court of the United States, and several local bar associations. He is a Certified Specialist in Workers' Compensation Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. |
| |
|
|
|
CHRISTOPHER D. LEAR
Attorney at Law
Managing Attorney
Certified Specialist, Workers' Compensation Law
The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
|
BIOGRAPHY
Christopher D. Lear is currently the Managing Attorney of the Offices of Floyd, Skeren & Kelly's Orange County office location.
After obtaining his Undergraduate Degree from Western State University, Mr. Lear went on to obtain his Juris Doctorate Degree at Western State University College of Law.
Upon becoming licensed to practice law in California, Mr. Lear gained experience in a number of areas of law before beginning employment with State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF) in 1999. After four years of experience in workers' compensation matters with SCIF, Mr. Lear began his tenure with the Law Offices of Floyd, Skeren & Kelly in 2003, bringing his strong litigation background and breadth of knowledge to the firm.
Mr. Lear is also a proud member of the United States Army Reserve since 1987. |
| |
|
|
|
LAURA BANKER
Attorney at Law
|
BIOGRAPHY
Laura Banker is an associate attorney in our firm’s Orange office. She earned her undergraduate degree from the California State University, Sacramento and her Juris Doctorate Degree at New England School of Law in Boston, Massachusetts. She graduated cum laude from both schools. Ms. Banker became a member of the both the California State Bar and Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers in 1996. Ms. Banker practiced Civil Litigation for many years and began practicing Workers' Compensation law in 2000. Her experience includes litigating cases as exclusive in-house counsel and specializing in Workers’ Compensation and subrogation matters for various sized employer insured companies. Ms. Banker has also represented third party administrators, insurance companies, employers, self-insured entities, and public entities, including cities, school districts and water districts, in all aspects of Workers’ Compensation defense and Subrogation matters, including standard workers’ compensation defense, §132a discrimination claims, and serious and willful misconduct allegations. |
| |
|
|
|
BRYAN R. BUSH
Attorney at Law
|
BIOGRAPHY
Bryan R. Bush is an associate attorney with the Law Offices of Floyd, Skeren & Kelly, LLP in our firm's Orange County location.
Mr. Bush earned his Bachelor's Degree from Hope College in Holland, Michigan. He went on to earn his Juris Doctorate at Pepperdine University School of Law. Mr. Bush is licensed to practice law in the state of Michigan, as well as in California.
Mr. Bush began his career working in civil litigation for one of the largest civil litigation firms based in Orange County. While there, Mr. Bush assisted the firm in starting its workers' compensation defense practice.
Mr. Bush is completely conversant in all aspects of workers' compensation defense, including defending serious and willful and §132(a) claims. Additionally, Mr. Bush has an active subrogation practice on behalf of our clients. While able to handle either subrogation or workers' compensation defense, Mr. Bush is able to easily blend both defending the workers' compensation claim, while also pursuing subrogation in the same matter; thus, assisting clients to reduce their overall costs.
Mr. Bush is admitted to practice before the Southern and Central Federal Districts in California, as well as all of the State Courts in California. |
| |
|
|
|
ROBERT J. CHIMITS
Attorney at Law
Certified Specialist, Workers' Compensation Law
The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
|
BIOGRAPHY
Robert J. Chimits is an associate attorney with the Law Offices of Floyd, Skeren & Kelly, LLP in the firm's Orange County office location. Having completed his undergraduate education at Mesa College, Mr. Chimits went on to graduate from Western State University College of Law where he received his Juris Doctorate Degree. After obtaining 15 years of workers' compensation experience, Mr. Chimits joined the Law Offices of Floyd, Skeren & Kelly in 2004.
Mr. Chimits was lead counsel on behalf of the city of Anaheim in the case of Fenn vs. Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB),a published 4th District Court of Appeal Opinion wherein Mr. Chimits successfully protected the interests of the city of Anaheim. |
| |
|
|
|
GLENN A. HOLLINGHURST
Attorney at Law
|
BIOGRAPHY
Glenn A. Hollinghurst is an associate attorney in our firm's Orange County location.
Mr. Hollinghurst earned his Bachelor's of Science Degree from California State University, Chico in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management where he was a member of the National Honor Society. He went on to earn a Juris Doctorate from California Western School of Law.
Mr. Hollinghurst volunteered as a Mediator with the California Western School of Law outreach program, where he conducted mediations pertaining to personal injury, breach of contract and landlord/tenant disputes within the San Diego court system.
Mr. Hollinghurst began his career working with the Department of the Navy preparing cases including complex exhibits for appeal by the Office of General Counsel at Camp Pendelton, CA. He then moved on to practice Civil litigation before he began his career in Workers' Compensation defense. Since 2001, Mr. Hollinghurst has exclusively represented employers, large insurance carriers, and third party administrators on their Workers' Compensation cases including defending serious and willful and §132(a) claims. Mr. Hollinghurst brings numerous years of aggressive workers' compensation defense litigation experience to the firm. |
| |
|
|
|
STACY S. LEE
Attorney at Law
|
BIOGRAPHY
Stacy S. Lee is an associate attorney with the law offices of Floyd, Skeren & Kelly, LLP in our firm's Orange County office. Ms. Lee graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in political science and a minor in public policy. She graduated cum laude from Chapman University School of Law in 2006, and was admitted to the state bar in December 2006.
Prior to attending law school, Ms. Lee worked as a workers' compensation claims manager for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. Since entering the bar, she has aggressively defended workers' compensation cases before nearly every Workers' Compensation Appeals Board in Southern California.
Ms. Lee currently represents employers, third party administrators, insurance companies, self-insured entities and uninsured employers in the defense of workers' compensation matters. Ms. Lee has also successfully handled Labor Code Section §132(a) and serious and willful claims filed against employers. |
| |
|
|
|
JOHN G. MAHER
Of Counsel
|
BIOGRAPHY
John G. Maher, Jr. , Of Counsel, is associated with our Orange County Office. Mr. Maher obtained his undergraduate degree from San Diego State University, and subsequently became a claims adjustor with State Farm Insurance. Thereafter, Mr. Maher graduated from Western State University law school in 1977. After passing the Bar, Mr. Maher began his career in Workers' Compensation defense with the Law firm Miller and Folse and later became the managing partner at the Law Offices of Nezin & Maher as well as Maher & Taylor. He has given numerous seminars concerning Workers' Compensation and related fields and has served as a Judge Pro Tem at various appeals boards. Mr. Maher has over 30 years of experience in Workers Compensation representing third party administrators, insurance companies, self-insured entities, employers, and uninsured employers in all standard workers' compensation issues including §132(a) discrimination claims and serious and willful misconduct allegations. |
| |
|
|
|
PERLA RUIZ
Hearing Representative
|
BIOGRAPHY
Perla Ruiz is a Hearing Representative and a supervising secretary with the Law Offices of Floyd, Skeren & Kelly, LLP in our firm's Orange County office location.
Ms. Ruiz has more than 10 years of experience in the workers' compensation industry and, most recently, has moved into the dual capacity of a Hearing Representative and supervising secretary with the Law Offices of Floyd, Skeren & Kelly. Since coming to the Law Offices of Floyd, Skeren & Kelly in 2002, Ms. Ruiz has been an integral member of our Orange County litigation and support staff.
Currently, Ms. Ruiz represents and assists attorneys with the firm's Orange County office in representing insurance entities, self-insured entities, third party administrators and uninsured employers in all aspects of workers' compensation matters. |
| |
|
|
|
DONA LEE SKEREN
Attorney at Law
Certified Specialist, Workers' Compensation Law
The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
|
BIOGRAPHY
Dona L. Skeren is an associate attorney with the Law Offices of Floyd, Skeren & Kelly, LLP. After finishing her undergraduate education at California State University, Fullerton, Ms. Skeren graduated from Golden Gate University School of Law with her Juris Doctorate Degree.
While attending Golden Gate University School of Law, Ms. Skeren was a law review staff member and received several academic awards in her studies. Ms. Skeren has been an associate attorney with the Law Offices of Floyd, Skeren & Kelly since 1995 and has also assisted in the editing and publication of Judge David W. O'Brien's California Workers' Compensation Claims and Benefits and Unemployment Insurance treatises.
Throughout her 15 years as an associate attorney with the Law Offices of Floyd, Skeren & Kelly, Ms. Skeren has represented insurance entities, third party administrators and employers in all aspects of defending workers' compensation matters, including standard defense of claims, §132(a) discrimination allegations, serious and willful allegations and all other related matters. |
| |
|
|
|
DAVID L. ZIMMERMAN
Workers' Compensation Judge, Retired
|
BIOGRAPHY
David Zimmerman was a Judge at the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) for 19 years. He retired from the bench in July of 2004. Prior to being appointed as a Judge, Mr. Zimmerman was the attorney in charge of the State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF) office in Los Angeles and later in Long Beach. While he was an attorney in charge, Mr. Zimmerman tried all of the cases involving politicians in Los Angeles County including Los Angeles County Assessor, Philip Watson, Los Angeles County District Attorney, Joseph Busch, and Los Angeles County Supervisors, Warren Dorn and Ernest Debs.
Mr. Zimmerman was an attorney in the State of Michigan prior to moving to California where he was engaged in the general practice of law.
Mr. Zimmerman has been certified as an Arbitrator by the Administrative Director's office of the Division of Workers' Compensation. |
|
