Wulfsberg Reese Colvig & Firstman is distinguished from the dozens of major law firms that maintain offices in the Bay Area by a number of important factors. At fewer than 30 lawyers, we are able to efficiently manage large, complex cases typically handled by firms many times our size. Through effective use of experienced and highly-skilled paralegals, assisted by a state-of-the-art document management system, we can manage cases involving millions of documents efficiently and economically.

We approach every case in a decisive and practical fashion, looking for economical solutions to legal problems through arbitration, mediation or other informal claims resolution processes. (Our Approach to Cost-Effective Legal Services >> ) Yet, if necessary, we are prepared to litigate every case through discovery, trial and appeal.

Some of our recent trial work includes: an $ 8 million jury verdict in favor of our client, the owner of a 27-story office building, in a construction defect dispute; a federal district court trial in an environmental dispute involving a local public entity in which we successfully defended the claims of a special master for $36 million in additional compensation; a ten-week trial in a commercial contract dispute resulting in a decision for our client on all claims and, at the successful conclusion of an appeal, a fee award of $2.2 million.

In the construction area, the Firm is currently handling litigation, arbitration and mediation of disputes involving power plants, process facilities and hospital projects, on behalf of major engineering, procurement and construction contractors, and public and private owners, involving over $500,000,000 in claims.

Situated in Oakland on the shores of Lake Merritt, our firm - and our clients - enjoy several geographic benefits. Without the overhead of a downtown San Francisco law firm, we are able to maintain billing rates significantly lower than lawyers of the same skill and experience across the Bay. We are within walking distance of the Oakland Courthouse, a twenty-minute BART ride from downtown San Francisco, and within ready access to all Bay Area courts, from Contra Costa County and the developing 680 corridor, to the Silicon Valley, to Marin County and points north. With our offices less than ten miles from the Oakland Airport, our lawyers can quickly travel to jurisdictions throughout California; as a result, we often represent our clients in matters venued in Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego, each a one-hour plane trip away.

Despite our modest size, Wulfsberg Reese Colvig & Firstman offers its clients a depth of legal skills and experience that rivals our larger competitors. Drawing from the diverse experience of its lawyers at all levels, the Firm maintains major practice groups in seven areas: construction litigation, commercial litigation and bankruptcy, environmental law, design professional defense, insurance law, financial institutions, and business law. Unlike lawyers in many business litigation firms, most of our senior lawyers have the advantage of being experienced trial attorneys who are prepared to present their client's case at trial, to a judge or a jury, and to argue it through appeal.

Despite the demands of a busy litigation practice, the Firm strives to maintain a collegial and informal atmosphere at all levels. As a result, we have been successful in finding and retaining highly-qualified employees on a long-term basis, affording our clients the benefits of both competence and continuity. We strive for diversity among all of our lawyers, paralegals and staff, and actively recruit women and minorities.

Mindful of the value of broadened horizons, we encourage all of our lawyers to develop interests outside the law, whether it be sports, recreation, family activities or civic involvement. Our goal is to create a work environment that is challenging, exciting and fun at the same time - where the interests of our clients are paramount.