Firm Overview Experience. Integrity. Results.

Exceptional client service, creative thinking, problem solving, and decades of proven success. These are the hallmarks of Umberg/Zipser. Our clients face difficult and complex issues — issues that may threaten their key assets or ventures, intellectual property, most valuable people, reputations, or even ongoing viability. We bring the expertise, ingenuity, and experience to deliver the results they seek, with the efficiency and flexibility they need.  Named one of the Daily Journal’s Top Litigation Boutique Firms, U/Z is a go-to firm for litigation in Orange County and around the state.

We never lose sight of our client’s objectives, and work creatively to achieve them. Our clients come to us because we deliver the highest quality work product together with unparalleled service. Collectively, we have tried countless cases to successful verdict. But trial isn’t always the right answer. Our pretrial strategies, successful motion practice, and extensive alternative dispute resolution experience enable us to achieve superb results without a trial, and even keep litigation from occurring against our clients. With big-firm experience and small-firm efficiencies, along with an established record of trial and litigation success, we are equally adept at handling the multi-party, complex case as well as more limited and specialized matters where the utmost efficiency is required.

Our attorneys are recognized experts in a wide array of practice areas, including business litigation, intellectual property, lawyer liability and ethics counseling, class actions, trade secrets, real estate, and white collar criminal defense. Indeed, our peers and the legal community continue to recognize our accomplishments, as we have multiple awards across a variety of organizations and publications.

The firm’s lawyers are consistently named as Best Lawyers in America® and Super Lawyers®. U/Z founding partner Dean Zipser was named “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers in America® for Bet-The-Company Litigation and Intellectual Property Litigation in Orange County. At Umberg/Zipser, we pride ourselves on our ability to handle a wide variety of matters for a diverse client base. We know that clients’ needs differ from client to client, and matter to matter. In response to these needs, we offer a range of flexible billing arrangements that promote efficiency and predictability. Our client focus, devotion, and flexibility have enabled us to maintain client relationships that span decades.

We are strong believers in giving back to our profession and our community – in actions, and not just words or dollars. Our lawyers are actively involved as leaders of multiple professional, pro bono, and charitable organizations, as well as governmental positions.

U/Z attorneys have been recognized for their accomplishments by a host of organizations nationally, statewide and locally. These include:

• Recipient, Franklin G. West Award, Orange County Bar Association, for lifetime achievement in advancing justice and the law
• The Best Lawyers In America®, including Bet-The-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation, Banking and Finance Litigation, and Real Estate Litigation
• The Best Lawyers In America®, Lawyer of the Year, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Orange County Area
• The Best Lawyers In America®, Lawyer of the Year, Intellectual Property Litigation, Orange County Area
• BTI Consulting Client All-Star Team – awarded following interviews with 270 Fortune 1000 general counsels (2009)
• Multiple recipients of the State Bar of California, Wiley Manuel Award for Pro Bono Service
• Recipient, Anti-Defamation League of Orange County & Long Beach, Jurisprudence Award
• Los Angeles Magazine, “Southern California Super Lawyers,”  and  “Rising Star”
• Martindale-Hubbell “AV, Preeminent” rating

We believe in serving our community.  U/Z lawyers have held and continue to hold leadership roles in a number of organizations. Our ranks include:

• California State Assembly, former member; author of 58 measures signed into law
• California State Bar, Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct – former chair, current advisor
• California State Bar, Rules Revision Commission – co-vice chair
• Orange County Bar Association (OCBA) – past president, current secretary
• OCBA – numerous committee and task force chairs and members, including its judiciary, finance, nomination, and appointments committees
• OCBA – Masters Division (serving attorneys and judges in practice 25 years or more) – past chairperson and current board member
• Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Orange County Chapter – past presidents and current and former board members
• Federal Bar Association, Orange County Chapter – founding member, current secretary, and current and former board members
• Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference – current and past lawyer representatives
• Orange County Bar Association Charitable Fund –past president and board member
• Constitutional Rights Foundation of Orange County – current president, past president and current board members
• Orange County Bar Foundation – current and former board members
• Public Law Center of Orange County – current and former board members
• Central District of California – Indigent Panel, multiple members
• U.S.  State Department Partnership for Legal Reform in Afghanistan – Co-Chair
• California High Speed Rail Authority, past Chairman
• Senator Boxer’s screening committee for federal judicial appointments
• South Coast Repertory Theater, Board Member
• Colonel, United States Army Reserve; JAG Corps, war crimes prosecutor, Chief, Anti-Corruption in Afghanistan
• White House Office of Drug Control Policy, Deputy Director
• Junior Statesmen Foundation, Board Member

U/Z is proud to generously support many charitable organizations in a wide variety of areas, including:

• The Anti-Defamation League
• The Catholic Worker House
• Children’s Hospital of Orange County
• Constitutional Rights Foundation of Orange County
• Habitat for Humanity
• HomeAid of Orange County
• Junior State of America
• Orange County Bar Foundation
• The Public Law Center
• Share Ourselves (S.O.S)