When losing is not an option, call us for a free consultation with one of our trial lawyers. When other law firms say it can’t be done, we often prove otherwise. Whether you are filing or defending against a state or federal lawsuit, our team is here to help.

Over the last 38 years, our business attorneys have mastered countless strategies and tactics, and we are ready to share them with you—giving you the competitive advantage you can’t afford to be without. We have gone up against some of the largest law firms in San Diego, California, and across the nation. These were top-tier litigation attorneys, but some of them had a few tricks up their sleeves—and in the process, they trained us well.

Our San Diego trial lawyers have represented businesses of all sizes, and having one of the nation’s top negotiators as our lead attorney has made a significant impact. Our goal is to resolve cases efficiently, not drag them into trial—saving you time and hundreds of thousands of dollars in litigation costs.

We approach litigation as a strategic war game. With My Immigration Attorney, success is about strategy, planning, and execution—and that’s why we prevail, time and time again.

This is important to everyone, so let’s address it upfront. We do not take business cases on contingency—only personal injury and plaintiff Labor & Employment Law cases. Our hourly rates are fair and reasonable.

Unless you specifically request a senior trial lawyer to handle all aspects of your case (which would result in a higher hourly rate), we delegate tasks to lower-cost team members whenever possible. However, a senior lawyer still reviews all incoming and outgoing pleadings (i.e., legal documents), develops strategy, and guides the case. This means you pay only a small percentage of a senior lawyer’s rate while still benefiting from their expertise—saving you tens of thousands of dollars.

Our lawyers do not take cases with less than $100,000 at risk. We review 200–300 résumés to hire one high-level trial lawyer. Every lawyer at our firm is highly experienced and accustomed to handling complex, high-stakes cases. If your case is smaller, there are attorneys who specialize in such matters.

We do not nickel-and-dime our clients. Our minimum billing is 0.18 hours, unlike many firms that charge 0.25 hours per increment. These savings add up. If you or opposing counsel send a brief email, and the response is equally brief, your bill will state “BILLED AS ONE” so you are not charged separately for each exchange. If a task is very brief, we may bill even less than the minimum. We believe in earning our fees through the complex, high-value work we are trained for.

We also believe you should not be billed just to stay informed about your case. When an important development occurs, we will call or email you and explain it—FREE OF CHARGE. We continue this practice until the end of your case.

Our billing is fair and transparent. When we work on your case, you are billed down to the minute—no guessing, no rounding, no generalizing. We monitor time precisely, and many tasks in a case go unbilled, so it’s not just about the hourly rate—it’s about what’s included.

Lastly, our firm prioritizes education. We are constantly learning and improving to become better litigators. Many lawyers only take Continuing Legal Education (CLE) courses every three years as required by the State Bar of California. In contrast, we subscribe to courses from three different companies year-round, every year. We also subscribe to CEBs, use Westlaw, FastCase, and various other online legal databases to maintain our strategic edge—all in addition to our comprehensive in-house legal library.

Before we share our strategies with you, let’s first outline the litigation process. Whether you are involved in a shareholder dispute, filing a lawsuit to address anti-competitive activity, or facing partnership issues, we can guide you.

There are two types of litigation: state and federal. Once a lawsuit—also called a Complaint—is filed, the defendant has 30 days to submit a response, known as an Answer. After an Answer is filed, there is a long period before the case goes to trial. During this time, two major legal processes typically take place: discovery and motions.

Discovery

Discovery is the process of gathering information about the case, the other party’s strategy, and their evidence. We use several discovery tools, including:

• Interrogatories (formal written questions)
• Requests for Admission (statements the opposing party must admit or deny)
• Requests for Production (requests for documents and evidence)
• Depositions (sworn testimony from witnesses)

Call one of our business litigation attorneys, and we’ll explain how each tool works and how they can be used strategically in your case.

Motions

Motions are formal requests to the court to take a specific action in the case. The way you approach discovery—whether you take an aggressive or conservative stance—will significantly impact your legal fees.

Why Most Cases Don’t Go to Trial

Very few cases make it to trial, and for good reason. The key to winning is effective discovery—which is an art in itself. Things are not always as they seem, and success often depends on knowing what to ask and how to ask it.

Call us today to speak with one of our San Diego trial lawyers, who can demonstrate how commercial law is more nuanced than it appears. The key is knowing what to do—and how to do it. We get the job done right the first time.

Let’s say you want to file a lawsuit against a person or company that wronged you. You can draft a lawsuit, file it with the court, have it served, and proceed with the case. But once you do, you are committed to spending money.

There are two alternatives:

1. Negotiation
2. Drafting a lawsuit without filing it (see below)

At the end of the day, litigation is as much a game of strategy as it is a game of law. As the saying goes, “He or she who has the best lawyer wins.” Another saying? “Whoever says you can’t have it all hasn’t met my lawyer yet.”

The Art of Law

There is an art to law, and our San Diego trial lawyers are strategic experts. Litigation is no different from a well-played chess game—every move has pros and cons. Knowing which moves to make, how to execute them, and when to act is what sets great lawyers apart.

This is where we shine. This is what we love about our work—Checkmate!

One alternative is to have us negotiate your case. Negotiation is very different from arbitration or mediation—it is rapid (usually completed within a week) and aims to preserve the relationship between the parties, making it especially valuable in domestic disputes.

Our lead attorney, Steven Riznyk, has successfully resolved kidnappings, extortion, blackmail, and career destruction—all over the phone, in just a week, and without any money changing hands (the hardest part).

If you are facing a critical and complex situation, we can likely negotiate a solution quickly and to your satisfaction—just something to consider.

Mr. Riznyk is currently writing a book on this subject and trains lawyers nationwide on the topic. Three attorneys, each with over 38 years of experience, have stated that his Continuing Legal Education (CLE) course was the best they had attended in their careers.

Very few San Diego trial lawyers will tell you about this method because it doesn’t generate significant legal fees. However, one effective strategy is to fully prepare a federal or state lawsuit without filing it.

This approach provides you with leverage in negotiations, as the opposing party often wants proof that you have a legitimate claim and are prepared to pursue it. In many cases, simply preparing the lawsuit and sending it to them is enough to prompt a resolution.

However, if they do not comply, be aware of the potential consequences. This strategy holds no value if you are not willing to follow through. If you bluff and later face legal action from the other party, they will no longer take your claims seriously or believe that you will stand behind your word.

If we take on your case, it’s because we believe in you and your cause. Some companies engage in unethical practices and hire trial lawyers solely to drive up their opponent’s legal fees—we don’t operate that way.

However, if you’ve made a mistake, we can help. With our business litigation and negotiation skills, we can work to resolve the issue efficiently.

One of our favorite clients is a small business owner who was sued by two former employees—one in San Diego County and the other in Orange County, each represented by different law firms. Both firms initially demanded settlements of $375,000. With a bit of litigation and high-level negotiation, we settled both cases for just $5,000 each, with six months to pay.

While outcomes vary, this case demonstrates the effective results that My Immigration Attorney delivers for its clients.

We are not in the business of overcharging our clients. Our goal is to resolve your case quickly and cost-effectively. You might think this is counterintuitive, but it’s not—if we achieve great results for you, you’ll become our best form of advertising, referring new clients to us.

This approach has worked for us for 38 years, and it will continue to do so.

We are on your side.

There’s a reason why other trial lawyers, doctors, politicians, and CEOs—people who could hire anyone—choose our firm: our strategies and our San Diego trial lawyers!

Many trial lawyers treat lawsuits as long, drawn-out cases designed to generate excessive legal fees—we don’t operate that way. Our goal is to exceed your expectations in both results and costs, so you feel confident that referring us to your friends is truly doing them a favor.

We have clients who fly in from San Francisco and drive from Los Angeles—and there’s certainly no shortage of lawyers in those cities.

That said, there are cases where the opposing trial lawyer can try to force you into a costly position. However, there are also strategies that can be used to bring a case to a halt more quickly. Not all trial lawyers are aware of these methods, and even fewer can execute them effectively.

At My Immigration Attorney, we are businesspeople first and lawyers second—and that’s what sets us apart.

• All updates are free of charge, and we regularly call and email you—communication is standard operating procedure at our firm.
• Every time you call us, the first 10 minutes are free. You shouldn’t have to pay just to speak with your attorney about your case.
• At any given time, you have a complete copy of your case, as we provide constant updates.
• We are high-level researchers. As a medium-sized firm, we invest approximately $2,400 per month in online legal research databases. Our pleadings win in court because they are well-written, well-researched, succinct, and thorough.
• All clients work directly with the lead attorney. Your case will not be handled by a junior lawyer—you will always have access to the most experienced legal professional.
• We only hire top-tier trial lawyers who bring real expertise to the table. We are constantly complimented on our staff—so much so that HR recruiters have tried to poach our team for years. We even stopped advertising staff names after discovering this.
• We stay up to date on all legal developments in our practice areas. We attend seminars, review legal updates, and, most importantly, master legal strategy.
• Our pricing is fair and reasonable. All of our bills are highly detailed—no surprises. Many clients even use them as case histories.
• In specialized areas, unique research or expert consultants may be required. Most of the time, we absorb those costs.
• We are not a low-level law firm that simply copies and pastes. We have high-level, dedicated, and intellectually sophisticated professionals who are truly devoted to their craft.