A litigation partner and co-chair of the firm’s Real Estate Litigation group, Al practically grew up in court. With a father who was Clerk of the Court, he spent his summers observing trials and studying courtroom strategy. Today he’s known for successfully resolving complex real estate, commercial, and financial disputes. Highly skilled in all facets of litigation, including trials and appeals, Al is most proud when he can craft a solution before litigation starts.

Financial, Real Estate, Commercial Disputes

Al is experienced representing parties on all sides and in all stages of financial, real estate and commercial disputes. He advises clients regarding problematic real estate and commercial transactions, investments, secured transactions, loan defaults, corporate and partnership governance and dissolutions, and insolvencies. His clients range from Fortune 50 companies to individuals, including developers, property owners, businesses, financial institutions, venture funders, investors, and fiduciaries.

Creative Solutions

With broad experience in the real estate and finance markets, Al is skilled in the full cycle of a dispute, from the time of breach or default, through settlement, restructuring, and workout negotiations, to litigation and even bankruptcy. While many litigators have a sue-first mentality, Al works closely with clients to develop creative and aggressive strategies to quickly achieve their business objectives while minimizing the costs and risks of litigation.

Dispute Prevention

Al counsels clients regarding deal terms and protections that help limit the risks and costs of future disputes. Al routinely advises clients and transactional counsel on deal structure and protections, as well as on the implementation of operational practices and procedures to prevent disputes or, at least, maximize a client’s rights and remedies if litigation becomes necessary. This advice includes review and revision of deal documents, term sheets, standard contract forms, promissory notes, guarantees, operating agreements, invoices and vendor agreements.

Probably the only lawyer with a meat grinder in his office, Al comes from a long line of sausage makers. He enjoys making his dad’s recipes and creating his own, as well as teaching others to make sausage. Al is also a regular at the local CrossFit box. Above all else, he enjoys hanging out with his family.

A partner and chair of the firm’s insolvency practice, Tracy represents clients in all aspects of their dealings with financially troubled companies. She is known for guiding clients through complex problems and trying circumstances to find practical and efficient solutions. She has written and presented extensively on insolvency and bankruptcy issues, is an active leader in professional associations, and is regularly recognized for exceptional performance by peers and legal publications.

Insolvency and Restructuring

Tracy represents debtors, creditors’ committees, creditors, and trustees in connection with Chapter 11 reorganizations and liquidations, out-of-court workouts, buying and selling assets, assignments for the benefit of creditors, avoidance actions (fraudulent conveyances, preferences, and equitable subordination) and Chapter 7 liquidations.

Diverse Industry Experience

In addition to traditional industries ranging from manufacturing to professional services, Tracy is experienced representing distressed companies in or associated with emerging markets, including the cannabis industry and green business, assisting with workouts and bankruptcy alternatives.

Conflict Resolution and Mediation

Tracy represents parties in commercial disputes and secured transactions. She also serves as a mediator and has successfully mediated many disputes involving intellectual property, real estate, estate distributions, partnership dissolutions, and commercial disputes.

Tracy served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Stanley Mosk, of the California Supreme Court.

For more than three decades, Chuck’s name has been synonymous with real estate law in California.

He has been involved in a host of high-profile transactions, from the Kaiser Center in Oakland to the Grant Hotel in San Diego. From 1985 to 2016, he taught advanced real estate courses to law and MBA students at the University of California’s Boalt Hall. He has also been a prolific writer and speaker on legal issues. Chuck frequently serves as a mediator, arbitrator and judge pro tem. He was the firm’s managing partner from 2000 to 2002.

Lately, much of his time has been devoted to expert consultant and witness work in complex cases across the country. Chuck has been retained as an expert consultant and witness in a variety of transactional and state and federal court matters throughout the United States. His expert work in these matters has covered such topics as title insurance, escrows, trust deeds and foreclosures, real estate sales transactions, commercial and real estate lending, commercial leasing, guarantees, attorney and broker standards of care and conduct, title searching and chain-of-title issues, priorities, real estate development, personal property secured transactions, and usury in the real estate context.

But Chuck never loses touch with his core practice focus on real estate transactions — lending, mortgages, trust deeds, escrows, title insurance, commercial leasing, real estate developments, guarantees, personal property secured transactions and broker issues.

Sid has extensive experience in real estate, business and regulatory matters. He represents a broad spectrum of clients, including title insurers and agents, healthcare providers, transportation logistics, food processors, lenders, agribusinesses, real estate investors and venture capital providers.

Not only working with startups, Sid works with well-established entities in negotiating and closing complex business deals involving mergers, acquisitions, sales, share and asset purchases, shareholder separations, joint ventures, and private placements.

He represents prospective business purchasers, and he has developed special skills in working with business founders, their families, and personal professional advisors. Sid’s involvement is usually characterized by team participation, excellent communication between participants resulting in expeditious and efficient documentation, often avoiding costly future misunderstandings.

Sid has been instrumental in developing a strong team at Wendel Rosen to effectively represent title insurers and underwritten title insurance companies in regulatory matters before the California Department of Insurance. These matters include audit compliance and the obtaining of organizational permits and approvals for sales, mergers and acquisitions of underwritten title companies.

In addition, he has a particular passion for transportation issues, bringing experience and familiarity with matters involving logistics and infrastructure financing affecting shippers, retailers, rail carriers and land development projects.

A native of Modesto, California, Sid provides first-hand knowledge of the Great Central Valley’s changing demographics and connectivity to Wendel Rosen’s clients and their expanding needs. Sid helped originate and maintains strong connections with Wendel Rosen’s Modesto office. With considerable experience and knowledge of the Great Central Valley’s resources, challenges and opportunities, Sid has been involved in several projects, including agriculture research, food safety, farm equipment manufacturing, and public and private development partnerships.

Howard maintains a thriving real estate practice representing clients, including retail sales and services, financial institutions, religious entities, restaurants, agriculture and manufacturing, in all aspects of real property transactions. His practice includes a substantial amount of commercial leasing, as well as the acquisition and disposition of commercial property. He currently leads the firm’s real estate team that represents a prominent East Bay health club chain in its national expansion. Howard served as managing partner of Wendel Rosen from 2003 to 2007. He started with the firm in 1978 as an associate and was elevated to partner in 1985.

He also represents clients in connection with secured transactions, financing, commercial real estate brokerage agreements, construction and architectural agreements, and related areas. In addition, he handles real estate components of an asset or stock acquisition on behalf of clients. Howard advises property owners, tenants, buyers and sellers on their rights and obligations pertaining to real property and uses his expertise to help clients manage their real estate assets as a strategic part of their overall business plan.

Pamela is Of Counsel at Wendel Rosen. She counsels the firm’s public agency teams in their work on behalf of counties, municipalities, transportation agencies, regulatory agencies, and other public entities.

As part of the firm’s public agency team, Pamela works with public agencies in matters involving project planning, eminent domain, inverse condemnation, and public agency law and helps resolve legal issues related to funding, design, acquisition, and construction. She assists agencies in overcoming the challenges inherent in public projects, working from early stages, through trial and beyond, to help deliver public projects on time and on budget.

Allan focuses on land use, real estate and environmental law, advising clients on large and small residential, commercial and industrial development projects. Allan has worked and appeared in almost all Bay Area counties and numerous local cities, securing approvals for complex projects from county boards and city councils. Allan has served as lead counsel on projects including: (i) large residential development projects; (ii) commercial and mixed-use projects; and (iii) significant industrial projects. Throughout his career, Allan has successfully obtained general plan amendments, rezonings, subdivisions, environmental review, and all related permits on hundreds of projects. He has worked closely with Bay Area counties/cities with regard to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Williamson Act, and related federal, state and local laws.

Allan previously served as in-house counsel for Chevron, negotiating and obtaining land and development permits and leases for complex oil and gas operations throughout the western states, offshore California, and Alaska.

Allan’s clients include large industrial clients, landowners, developers of commercial, industrial, residential and open space properties, public agencies, and cities. He has extensive experience in working with community groups and local citizens while processing and gaining approvals for major projects.

For approximately 12 years, Allan was a member (and past chair) of the City of Walnut Creek Planning Commission. As a Planning Commissioner, he made decisions and recommendations regarding complex developments, subdivisions, and land use permits, guiding the City through complex changes in its general plan, specific plans, and zoning ordinances. Allan now has over 30 years of experience in the Bay Area, representing clients on matters ranging from large, complex developments, to critical permits and zoning matters for local business owners.

Patricia has more than three decades of legal experience in local government and land use law. Recognized for her thoughtful, incisive approach, she advises public and private sector clients on planning and zoning laws, guides land use applications, and obtains project approvals, including environmental and regulatory permits. Patricia has presented and written extensively on land use topics, including co-authoring State and Local Government Land Use Liability (Thomson Reuters).

Land Use

Patricia advises clients on all aspects of land use law, including the application of affordable housing and density bonus laws, as well as SB 35, which allows ministerial approvals of qualifying affordable housing projects. She has extensive experience in processing entitlements for complex master planned and mixed-use projects throughout the state and in obtaining land use entitlements for projects to support the disabled and handicapped.

Public and Private Sector

A wide range of clients seek Patricia’s representation for her experience, deep insight, and compassionate demeanor. She has worked with landowners and developers of commercial, industrial, residential and agricultural property (including growers, wineries, and related businesses), shopping center owners, hotel and resort owners, educational institutions, public agencies, and hospitals and medical facilities. She also serves as special land use counsel to several cities, counties and special districts.

Geological Hazard Abatement Districts

Patricia serves as legal counsel to Geologic Hazard Abatement Districts (GHADs). She counsels GHADs and similar entities on related issues, and represents property owners, cities, and counties in forming GHADs. As secretary on the board for the non-profit California Association of GHADs, she works to improve the effectiveness of GHADs at preventing, mitigating, and controlling geological hazards. Patricia has written several articles and papers related to GHAD formation and implementation.

Chair of the firm’s Litigation practice group, Mark has more than 25 years of experience in real estate, business, lending and title insurance litigation. He has a solid track record of successful client representations in resolving disputes that entail real property, title insurance coverage, escrow liability, commercial landlord-tenant, easement, boundary line, encroachment and lien priority claims. Mark represents property owners, developers, fractional interest investors, title insurers, underwritten title companies, financial institutions, wireless communications and broadcast tower owners, as well as real estate brokers and salespersons.

Mark has been an adjunct professor at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law where he co-taught a course on real estate transactions and litigation during the fall 2015 and 2016 semesters.

Raised by a real estate broker and investor, Gregg has been absorbing the nuances of property deals since childhood. He earned his real estate license at age 18. Today, Gregg offers clients a lifetime of real-world experience and deep legal insight to real estate matters.

Commercial Real Estate

Gregg has extensive experience in real estate and business transactional work, including commercial real estate leases, sales, 1031 exchanges, and financing. He has handled hundreds of commercial lease transactions for retail, office, industrial, agricultural, and telecommunications sites. Gregg also advises developers, landlords and property owners with matters such as sales, acquisitions, development, property management, and financing. He has counseled apparel and shoe chains, , restaurants, fitness club operators, jewelry store chains and manufacturing companies in numerous real estate asset and business transactions.

Management and Leadership

Gregg has served in leadership positions in bar and industry organizations, as well as various leadership roles at the firm.

Long active with National Retail Tenants Association (NRTA), Gregg has a deep understanding of the issues facing the retail industry. He has served as NRTA’s general counsel, received its Founders Service Award, and co-chairs the curriculum committee working to provide retail, office, corporate, industrial and franchise tenants with real estate education training.

Gregg has written extensively on legal and real estate issues, authoring chapters on retail leasing, office leasing, real estate finance practices and real property sales transactions volumes for California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB). He served as chief consultant on CEB’s Retail Leasing: Drafting and Negotiating the Lease.

Community and Social Connection

Praised as dedicated and responsive to clients, Gregg is also committed to community engagement. He chairs the Wendel Rosen Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee and is an active volunteer and leader with nonprofit and community groups, advancing humanitarian, sustainability and social issues.

Gregg volunteers with Baragwanath Blessings Inc., a nonprofit organization (founded by his daughter Colette) that helps babies and children around the world, including supplying babies in Latin America, Africa and Asia with hand-made hats and blankets and operating nutrition programs and medical clinics in Guatemala. Long interested in music, he is head roadie for his musician-son Dan and sings bass in the Oakland Interfaith Community Choir.