President & Managing Partner

David R. Scheidemantle

David Scheidemantle has been a lawyer for more than 30 years.  He focuses his practice on insurance coverage and counseling on behalf of policyholders, products liability and construction defect litigation, toxic tort and class action defense, complex business litigation, and general counseling for companies and individuals.  Before founding Scheidemantle Law Group P.C., Mr. Scheidemantle was an equity partner for 10 years at Proskauer Rose LLP and Co-Managing Partner of Connon Wood Scheidemantle LLP. He has also been a partner of Lathrop Gage LLP. Earlier, he practiced at Cahill Gordon & Reindel in New York, following two federal judicial clerkships.

COMPLEX LITIGATION AND ARBITRATION

• Won multi million-dollar settlement on behalf of parent of failed savings and loan association in action against multiple federal regulators. Due to its size, settlement required approval of President of the United States and Secretary of the Treasury.
• Prosecuted and successfully settled $100 million contract claim on behalf of Spanish pharmaceutical company against California supplier of blood plasma in International Chamber of Commerce arbitration in London, governed by California and Dutch law, in which principal arbitrator sat on Britain’s House of Lords.
• Won permanent injunction against a trademark infringer and successfully moved to have infringer held in contempt of court. Henry Schein, Inc. v. Certified Business Supply, Inc., U.S. District Court, Central District of California, Case No. SACV03-1662 DOC.
• Obtained favorable settlement in defense of antitrust and RICO action against major television studio, precipitated by summary judgment motion scheduled for hearing on day settlement was reached, which resulted in payment to studio in excess of $1 million.
• Successfully defended Fortune 500 company in series of complex limited partnership disputes involving divestiture of hospital.
• Represented weight loss company in AAA International Arbitration proceedings and in multiple injunction actions by franchisees throughout United States and Canada alleging breaches of alleged rights to exclusive territories.
• As West Coast litigation counsel to Australia’s largest bank, litigated and advised bank concerning securities and lender liability actions and other banking-related matters.
• Achieved multi-million dollar settlement in favor of claimants in accountant malpractice action involving highly complex tax issues, without necessity of commencing litigation.

INSURANCE COVERAGE

• Secured $70+ million coverage-in-place agreement in environmental matter for products manufacturer following litigation against four insurance carriers.
• Prosecuted insurance coverage actions in federal district courts in Pennsylvania, Texas, and Massachusetts, involving series of products liability claims, resulting in highly favorable settlement under which insurer funded past and future claims alleging mass product failure across multi-billion-dollar market.
• Advised multinational chemical company regarding insurance coverage for massive products liability claim with alleged damages exceeding $1.5 billion.
• Won recovery from multiple insurers of $2.85 million in coverage fees and defense costs incurred by client in successfully defending massive products liability action.
• Ran complex insurance coverage litigation in one of largest bankruptcies in history of State of California in which debtor sought and obtained millions of dollars in environmental cost recovery from multiple insurers and prior property owners.
• Argued and won reversal in U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Cir., in favor of policyholder in which 9th Cir., adopted the after-acquired property doctrine notwithstanding California appellate authority rejecting that doctrine. KF Dairies, Inc. v. Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co., 224 F.3d 922 (9th Cir. 2000).
• Won full insurance coverage for performing artist sued for wrongful death by family members of a houseguest.
• Won full insurance coverage from multiple off-shore insurance carriers for performing group under a tour-cancellation policy.
• Represented public utility seeking insurance coverage in series of wrongful death and fear of cancer actions involving more than 1000 plaintiffs.
• Won full insurance coverage for software manufacturer sued for invasion of privacy, along with all costs incurred in pursing coverage.
• Won full insurance coverage for property owner after carrier had denied coverage.
• Counseled owner of $12 million Stradivarius violin regarding insurance coverage inadequacies in a London market policy.

PRODUCTS LIABILITY, TOXIC & MASS TORT, AND CLASS ACTION DEFENSE

• Argued and won affirmance in U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Cir., of summary judgment in favor of U.S. subsidiary of $90 billion petro-chemical company in putative nationwide class action involving alleged defects in component parts used in $4 billion worth of finished goods over a 20-year period. Wasco Products v. Southwall Technologies, et al., 435 F.3d 989 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 127 S.Ct. 83 (2006).
• Won dismissal of virtually all claimed damages in alleged $30 million products action based on plaintiff’s spoliation of evidence, then defeated plaintiff’s petition for interlocutory appeal. Shortly thereafter, plaintiff agreed to dismiss action in exchange solely for waiver of costs.
• Argued and won affirmance in U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Cir., of dismissal of a products liability action alleging $4 million in damages. Four Seasons Solar Prods. Corp. v. Black & Decker Corp., et al., 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 10688 (2d Cir. Jun. 1, 2004).
• Won early dismissal on the pleadings in Atlanta federal court of $3.5 million fraud and breach of warranty claim alleging sale of defective construction products.
• Obtained dismissal of multiple products liability actions throughout the United States involving same alleged defect across product line, while avoiding any payments to the claimants.
• Won dismissal of multiple benzene manufacturing work-place exposure actions in numerous states.
• Avoided litigation and negotiated minimal settlement on behalf of alleged manufacturer of polybutylene water pipes in multi million-dollar claim asserted by utility company.
• Argued and won dismissal on pleadings of environmental nuisance and fear of disease action against industrial company by 60 residents of trailer park.
• Successfully defended major rental car company in two putative nationwide consumer class actions alleging unfair business practices.
• In products liability action arising from nationally reported vehicular crash involving 16 fatalities in a single vehicle, won dismissal of alleged manufacturer of vehicle’s shock absorbers.
• Participated in coordinating national defense and trial strategy for Fortune 100 company in approximately 150 products liability asbestos-in-buildings cases involving tens of thousands of buildings located throughout United States, including virtually every public utility building, public school, public office building, bridge, and tunnel in City of New York.

MUSICAL PURSUITS

• Violin soloist, Opera Meets Violin, salon performance, San Marino, California, 2018
• 5 Violins, 5 Centuries, 5 Composers Salon Performance, James Allen Freeman house, Pasadena, California, 2014.
• Violin soloist, L.A. Children’s Chorus (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles; Hong Kong; Shanghai, Beijing, China), 2008-2012.
• First violinist, Cuarto del Mundo, 1999-2002.
• Concertmaster, Juilliard Symphony, 1980-82 (Lincoln Center, New York).
• Concertmaster, National Orchestra of New York, 1980-82 (Carnegie Hall, New York).
• Concertmaster, Juilliard Philharmonia, 1979-80 (Lincoln Center, New York).
• Violinist, 1978-82 (Basically Bach Music Festival, New York; Original Broadway Sweeney Todd Production (1980), Uris Theatre, New York; Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York; Lincoln Center, New York).

Partner

Deborah Bucksbaum

Deborah Bucksbaum represents insurance policyholders in coverage disputes and litigation and counsels clients on a broad range of business-related issues. Over her 30-plus years practicing law, she has worked for large multi-national law firms, served as chief legal officer for an affordable housing developer, and co-founded what was believed to be the first 100% women-owned business litigation firm in California.

Deborah’s insurance coverage successes have included the following:

• As personal and coverage counsel, obtained full coverage from multiple carriers for large-scale environmental cleanup and managed collaboration among insurers, environmental counsel, and other stakeholders in the nearly ten-year cleanup process.
• Negotiated and secured agreement from seven carriers with different types of policies to provide full coverage for settlement in fair housing class action matter.
• Advised multi-national client on complex multi-level coverage for massive construction products liability claims.
• Negotiated and secured agreement from multiple carriers for full reimbursement of defense costs for client’s successful defense of massive products liability claim.
• Coordinated with insurer and oversaw, as personal counsel, successful defense of client by insurer-appointed counsel through trial of fair housing case.

Other Interests

• Deborah also serves clients as a business and personal coach, co-founded a gift-book publishing company, and happily balanced her law practice with her career as a mother for 18 years.

Partner

Adam D. Wieder

Adam Wieder’s practice focuses on litigation involving commercial, real estate, labor and employment, and environmental law.  Throughout his career, he has represented businesses, individuals, and public entities in state and federal court litigation and before administrative agencies.  Mr. Wieder has hands-on trial and arbitration experience and has successfully tried a wide array of cases before judges and arbitrators. He also has extensive experience in alternative dispute resolution, including mediations and negotiated settlements.  Mr. Wieder provides practical legal advice and efficient solutions to clients on a broad range of business issues and compliance with various federal, state, and local government regulations. Before becoming Of Counsel to Scheidemantle Law Group P.C., Mr. Wieder was an attorney at Musick, Peeler & Garrett LLP for over 10 years.

TRIAL AND ARBITRATION EXPERIENCE

• Prevailed in a bench trial on behalf of an employer against a former employee who appealed a Labor Commissioner’s decision on claims relating to wage and hour issues.
• Obtained a complete defense verdict and an award of fees and costs for a leading reseller of Microsoft ERP solutions who was sued for $2 million based on claims for fraud and breach of contract.
• Obtained a complete defense verdict in a bench trial representing a residential landlord and his companies who were sued for over $1 million.
• Prevailed in an arbitration on behalf of an international computer services provider, obtaining a judgment for the entire amount sought, as well as all attorneys’ fees and costs incurred by the client.
• Second-chaired a bankruptcy court trial representing hundreds of investors in a foreign currency exchange Ponzi scheme who were sued by a bankruptcy trustee.

NOTABLE RECENT RESOLUTIONS

• Reached several successful settlements on behalf of one of the nation’s largest school districts in federal court actions involving environmental contamination.
• Achieved an outstanding settlement on behalf of an accounting firm in a professional liability action for its audit of a publicly traded company.
• Successfully settled numerous cases on behalf of companies who received warnings or were sued under California Proposition 65.

Attorney

Leah Ilhame Kabli