Steven I Hochfelsen

Biographical Information

Steven I. Hochfelsen is a litigation attorney. A member of the American and the Orange County Bar Associations since 1986, Mr. Hochfelsen has handled business litigation of every description through trial. In recent years, Mr. Hochfelsen has represented major commercial landlords, developers, nationwide manufacturers and distributors of consumer goods, insurance companies and defense contractors in various state and federal court cases. His recent cases involve real property lease disputes, construction litigation, bankruptcy, general commercial contracts, unfair competition and trade secrets, insurance and bad faith issues and commercial fraud claims.

Mr. Hochfelsen has extensive experience in Federal and state court representation of clients in connection with breach of contract and fraud claims, landlord-tenant disputes and product defect claims. He has successfully defended building materials manufacturers, importers and distributors against claims brought by contractors alleging that the materials were unsuitable for their intended purpose and seeking to establish liability for more than $650,000 in claims for project reconstruction. Judgment was entered in favor of the defendant manufacturers, importers and distributors and against the plaintiff contractors. He successfully prosecuted a case on behalf of a commercial building owner involving more than $2 million in damages as the result of defective glass used in the construction of an all-glass building.

Mr. Hochfelsen was a member of the trial team that defended a $900 million class action lawsuit brought against a major life insurance company and its parent corporation with respect to alleged investment/insurance contracts sold by the insurance company. The majority of the class claims were dismissed at trial, ultimately resulting in a favorable settlement. In addition, Mr. Hochfelsen successfully defended a major Orange County real estate holding corporation against contract claims and mechanic's liens filed as a result of construction disputes in connection with a shopping center renovation. He is also one of a very few attorneys in California who have been able to obtain a summary judgment against an insurer on the ground that the insurer acted in bad faith when it refused to defend its client in litigation.

Mr. Hochfelsen is a resident of Huntington Beach, California.

EDUCATION

Mr. Hochfelsen graduated from Hastings College of the Law, University of California (J.D. 1986), where he was an Associate Note Editor and the Technical Editor for the Hastings International and Comparative Law Review.

PROFESSIONAL & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Mr. Hochfelsen is a former member of the Costa Mesa Mayor's Commission on the Redevelopment of Rea Center and the former Chairman of the Public Action Committee of the Environmental Board for the City of Huntington Beach. He was the 1993-94 Chairman of the Precinct Organizing Committee for the 67th Assembly District. He has spoken on Litigation topics for the California State Bar. Mr. Hochfelsen is also an active member of the following organizations:

• Orange County Bar Association
• Los Angeles Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Association of Business and Trial Lawyers