Law Firm Overview

California Business and Employment Lawyer, Alicia I. Getchell, provides full service business law, employment law and litigation services, including advice and business services, such as policy drafting, policy review, litigation avoidance, auditing, contract negotiation and contract drafting.

Ms. Getchell began her career working for two internationally recognized law firms (Paul Hastings and Pillsbury Winthrop) and has solid experience in all aspects of litigation, including several trials, appeals and class actions. Ms. Getchell has achieved litigation successes before state and federal trial courts, administrative bodies and state and federal appeal courts.

In addition to her law practice, Ms. Getchell is the CEO and principal of Good Sharks, Inc., an internet based company providing legal matching services for businesses and individuals and legal marketing services for attorneys. As a small business owner, Ms. Getchell brings practical, business-oriented focus to her legal practice.

Litigation Experience and Legal Skills

• Single and multiple plaintiff cases, both plaintiff and defense
• Complex and class actions
• Advice, counseling, litigation avoidance and business auditing
• Contract drafting and negotiations
• Experienced drafter of a full range of successful pleadings and motions
• Fact investigation
• Depositions
• Witness preparation and hearing/pre-trial preparation
• Settlement negotiations and mediations
• Court appearances
• Administrative hearings
• Trial experience in both class actions and single plaintiff cases
• Appeals
• Published contributor to legal articles and client education materials
• Active pro bono practice

Representative Litigation Successes

• (S.D. Cal.): published full summary judgment in wrongful termination case; Rotherham v. American Red Cross, Case No. 04CV1172 BEN (LSP), 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16239 (Mar. 5, 2007)
• (S.D. Cal.): class allegations dropped by plaintiff in amended complaint in response to 12(b)(6) motion brought by Ms. Getchell
• (Cal. Superior Court): won judgment in favor of clients who were victims of collection fraud and prepared clients to testify in criminal case against defendant
• (Cal. Superior Court): successfully regained home for client who was victim of real estate fraud and defended countersuit, including obtaining injunction for client and having three of four counts in countersuit dismissed on demurrer
• (Cal. Superior Court): successfully obtained restraining orders for multiple clients
• (Cal. Superior Court): motion for terminating sanctions granted
• (Cal. Superior Court): $800,000 bench verdict in favor of plaintiff for breach of contract, based in part on liability theory and parol evidence theory advanced by Ms. Getchell
• (EEOC and DFEH): won no-cause findings in three separate discrimination charges
• (Cal. Dept. of Industrial Relations): won a no-coverage determination in a prevailing wage challenge

Areas of Practice

• Business & Commercial Law
• Contracts
• Business Organizations
• Employment Law -- Employer
• Business Law
• Employment Law
• Litigation

Representative Cases

• Lyle v. Warner Bros. Television Prods, 38 Cal. 4th 264 (2006)
• Rotherham v. American Red Cross , (U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16239 2007)

Ancillary Businesses

• Good Sharks, Inc. (CEO of legal matching business)

West Practice Categories

Business & Commercial Law, Contracts, Business Organizations, Class Actions -- Plaintiff, Employment Law -- Employee, Employment Law -- Employer, Litigation & Appeals, Mergers & Acquisitions