Dennis D. Law

Dennis D. Law is a principal with the firm and a member of the Civil Litigation and the Environmental and Land Use Practice Groups. Dennis is a trial attorney with extensive jury trial experience. His practice focuses primarily on real property and business disputes, including specialties in land use counseling and litigation.

Dennis graduated with honors from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He received his Juris Doctor degree in 1979 from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law and joined the firm that year.

Dennis has handled a wide variety of civil litigation matters, ranging from very small matters requiring attention to economics and efficiency to very large and complex litigation matters requiring extensive attention to strategic, management and sometimes public relations issues. He has been the lead trial attorney on numerous jury and bench trials. He has also been lead attorney on several cases litigated before the California Court of Appeal. In addition to his experience involving trial court and appellate court-related litigation, Dennis has extensive experience in alternative dispute resolution forums, most notably mediation and informal settlement negotiations.

Some of the types of matters Dennis has handled include:

Prosecution of multiple writs of mandate petitions against local and State agencies arising out of a variety of entitlement issues, including water entitlements, land use restrictions and other forms of governmental controls. Many of these matters have involved lands and issues within the California Coastal Commission jurisdiction. In addition to handling the hearing of these matters, Dennis has been instrumental in effectuating the successful settlement of many of these matters.
Lead trial attorney on a precedent-setting and unique land subsidence case against a public agency for inverse condemnation damages resulting from ground water removal. On an appeal filed by the public agency, Dennis successfully defended the favorable trial court judgment; the resulting Court of Appeal decision is frequently cited as precedent in the area. See Los Osos Valley Associates v. City of San Luis Obispo (1994) 30 Cal. App. 4th 1670.
Lead trial attorney in a jury trial against a local medical practice on behalf of a terminated physician. This case involved unusual health care responsibility issues and resulted in a large verdict in favor of the physician.
Lead trial attorney representing a state agency in a series of cases that went to trial on issues involving, among other claims, gender discrimination, sexual harassment and racial discrimination. The total amount of time spent in trial on these cases totaled more than a year in both jury trials and court trials. The cases involved extensive case management and other complex litigation strategies.
Lead counsel in various business litigation matters relating to the control and operation of business enterprises, including corporate and partnership matters.
Lead counsel in various real property matters including construction defect disputes, real property sales and lease disputes and boundary and easement disputes.
Prosecution and defense of estate matters including will contests and trust litigation.

Throughout his legal career, Dennis has been very involved in a variety of community organizations. He has served as former Director, President and Board Counsel for the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce, Charter President of the San Luis Obispo Property Owners Association, former President of the San Luis Obispo Lions Club, former President of the San Luis Obispo Mozart Festival and former Adjunct Professor of Business Law at California Polytechnic State University. Dennis currently serves as President of the San Luis Obispo Bar Association and on the Board of Directors for the Foundation for the Performing Arts Center.

Dennis is admitted to practice in all of the courts of the State of California as well as the Central District of California of the United States District Courts.

Currently, Dennis is available to handle most forms of business and property litigation, as well as counseling and strategic planning in the areas of land use and real property planning. He is available to work with clients one on one, and he is also available to work collaboratively with other attorneys under arrangements called for by the client.