Education

Law School/Year: University of Southern California, 1981

College/Year: University of Illinois, 1978

Bar Admissions

California

Practice Areas

Bankruptcy, Business Litigation, Commercial, Real Estate

Major Cases

I have represented: The debtor in the San Diego Symphony bankruptcy; a creditor in the San Diego Diocese bankruptcy; parties in major subprime mortgage bankruptcies (Own it, People's Choice, New Century, American Mortgage, Aegis, ect.); most of the savings and loan associations resident in San Diego in the 1980s; clients in international life science transactions and technology cases including Magis Networks, Next Wave and Gryphon Therapeutics cases; clients in nearly all of the San Diego ponzi scheme cases including Pinn Fund, Dominelli, Pioneer Mortgage, Coastal Equities and CMC cases.

Professional Background

I majored in finance at the University of Illinois at Champaign, and then received my law degree from USC. I spent most of my legal career as a partner at Luce Forward Hamilton & Scripps, where I served on the executive committee and chaired the commercial and insolvency practice group. I also served as chair of that practice group at Heller Erhman LLP, where I was a shareholder and also the national hiring chair. I am currently a shareholder at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton.

Professional Affiliations

I am an American College of Bankruptcy Fellow and am listed in Best Lawyers in America, Southern California Super Lawyers and San Diego Top Lawyers. I co-chair the Lawyers Representatives for the Southern District. I have chaired the boards of San Diego Bankruptcy Forum and Sunset View Foundation, and have served as director for Lawyers Club, Athena, California Women Lawyers, San Diego Center for Children and ABTL.

I received the State Bar Wiley Manuel pro bono award five times, and the Outstanding Service Award from San Diego Volunteer Lawyers Program. I am a Court Appointed Special Advocate for foster children.

Personal Background

I am married to Michael O'Halloran and am the mother of Luke (21) and Sean (18). For fun, I love chocolate, wine, skiing, biking and bad comedies.