Value
Our San Francisco lawyers are experienced in handling a wide variety of cases, including complex, high-exposure, document-intensive litigation and transactions. It is in just such high-exposure, complex cases that we often are able to deliver legal expense savings to clients, since we have “big-firm” experience without the “big-firm” hourly rates and overhead. In these sensitive economic times, it is prudent to consider what our team can do to advance your legal interests while striving to reduce your overall legal expenditures

History
Our firm was formed in 1997 as Cox, Wootton, Griffin & Hansen, LLP. The professional relationship between those initial founding partners, however, had its roots in the early 1980s when they practiced law together at the San Francisco maritime and insurance law firm of Derby, Cook, Quinby & Tweedt.  In 1987, Rupert Hansen moved to the international law firm of Graham & James, LLP where his practice expanded into the areas of environmental law, real estate, ship finance, aviation, banking, construction, commercial law and creditors’ rights. In 1989, Terrence Cox, Richard Wootton & Mitch Griffin formed their own firm, concentrating their practice in maritime, commercial, construction, real estate, insurance and employment law and litigation.

In 1997, Mr. Hansen rejoined Terence Cox, Richard Wootton & Mitch Griffin and together they formed the firm. In 2001, Gregory Poulos joined the firm as a name partner after practicing as a partner with Lillick & Charles LLP. In 2002, the firm moved into its present unique ground-floor offices on the water’s edge of the San Francisco Financial District.

In January 2014, Sands Lerner, P.C., a boutique law firm based in Los Angeles, joined forces with Cox Wootton to become Cox, Wootton, Lerner, Griffin, Hansen & Poulos, LLP.  With the addition of partner Neil Lerner, Of Counsel Don Sands, and other talented associates and staff,Cox Wootton Lerner is better positioned to serve our collective clients’ litigation, transactional, and casualty response needs throughout the Western United States, Hawaii and the Pacific Rim. Our firm’s growth is client-driven to respond to robust demand within our Maritime, Transportation, Trucking, Business Litigation, Banking, Marine Finance, Inland Marine, Environmental, Employment and Real Estate Law practice areas.

About Cox Wootton Lerner Griffin Hansen & Poulos LLP

Founded in 1997

3 Offices

24 people in their team


Practice areas
Business
Intellectual Property
Real Estate

Languages spoken
English

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Practice areas

Business

Architects, Builders, and Handymen of Corporate Infrastructure

From sole member LLCs to successful multi-national corporations—Our San Francisco business lawyers have represented them all by either helping to create and maintain their corporate structures, or by facilitating significant transactions. We have extensive experience forming LLCs and corporations in California, Delaware, and overseas, drafting operating agreements and by-laws, issuing stock shares, drafting employment agreements and other general business contracts. We also handle a wide variety of corporate transactions, including asset purchase and sales, early stage financings, and business joint ventures. Our clients are not only corporations, but also individual corporate shareholders, LLC members, and entrepreneurs turning to us for representation of their financial interests when making investments. Unlike other corporate law firms, our San Francisco corporate attorneys not only facilitate our clients’ corporate transactions, but they are also able to enforce or defend them in court. Contact us today to learn more about how our our San Francisco corporate attorneys and business lawyers can help maintain and protect your business.

Financial Lawyers Who Understand the Industry

CWL’s Banking & Finance practice serves the needs of banks, lenders, and creditors operating throughout California.  We handle all types of transactional and litigation matters relating to secured and unsecured commercial and consumer finance transactions. Our San Francisco financial lawyers are experienced representing and enforcing creditor’s rights in foreclosure of security interests in real and personal property. At CWL, our San Francisco financial lawyers are well suited to address and respond to our clients’ broad based banking and finance legal needs.

The Best Admiralty Lawyers in the Business

Each of the founding partners of CWL has been practicing maritime law for more than 30 years. Our San Francisco maritime attorney firm is known by clients and attorneys alike as one of the preeminent maritime law firms in the country, which may be why even the largest international law firms turn to us for assistance with their maritime law matters. Our San Francisco maritime attorneys are well versed in the nuanced U.S. admiralty laws as well as those applicable abroad. Our transactional practice includes representing clients with regard to vessel financing transactions, lawful avoidance of California use tax, bareboat and standard time charters, crew employment contracts,

Coast Guard safety regulation compliance, Coastwise compliance, environmental compliance, marine construction joint ventures, and many other topics.  You can read about our maritime litigation practice by clicking on our Civil Litigation tab.

Aviation Transactions

Over the years we’ve handled a wide variety of aircraft transactions and litigation. From helicopters to airplanes, we regularly assist private clients and small companies with the purchases and sales of private aircraft both in bulk and on an individual basis. With any breach of an aviation asset purchase agreement, we’re prepared to litigate our clients’ contractual rights.

Trucking and Automobiles

Our extensive marine cargo practice extends into the realm of common carrier trucking. We have represented trucking companies in litigation over Carmack Amendment limitation of liability and bill of lading issues. We have also represented cargo owners and their insurance carriers with respect to liability over cargo loss. Additionally, we have substantial experience litigating driver negligence claims, whether it pertains to truck drivers or private automobiles.

Experts on Environmental and Regulatory Issues

Our San Francisco environmental attorneys counsel clients regarding a wide range of environmental issues, including the legal effect and implications of groundwater and solid contamination, compliance with state and federal environmental statutes, environmental site assessments, and other environmental regulatory matters. We also assist our clients with the purchase, sale, reclamation and development of environmentally impacted real estate. Our San Francisco environmental attorneys have negotiated and drafted agreements for the transportation of environmentally sensitive materials, environmental indemnity agreements, and pollution response agreements. In addition, we have extensive experience counseling businesses and underwriters regarding marine pollution prevention and response under OPA 1990 and California’s Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act. We understand these complex regulatory areas and can provide you the counsel you need in making appropriate and cost-effective business decisions.

Administrative
Admiralty & Maritime
Banking & Finance
Business Registration
Due Diligence
Contract
Environment
Investment
International
Merger & Acquisition
Venture Capital
Aviation

Intellectual Property

Trademark Protection

No matter what industry you’re in, whether it’s technology, transportation, retail or finance, your brand depends upon consumer recognition. If you don’t have a creative logo, catch-phrase, or packaging for your products and services that allows you to be distinguished from your competitors, you’ll lose out on critical market share. That’s why our clients work hard to develop enforceable trademarks and we work hard to protect them from being improperly used by competitors. Our San Francisco trademark attorneys counsel you on how to develop a trademark that is likely to be accepted and registered by the US Patent and Trademark Office so that you don’t waste resources developing trademarks that are not enforceable or that infringe on existing registered marks. We’ll also file your application to have the trademark registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office for protection under federal law. We can also help you seek international protection by taking advantage of international intellectual property treaties. If the need arises, our San Francisco trademark attorneys will prosecute and defend your trademark rights through litigation. When it comes to developing the face of your brand and showcasing it through your products and advertising, our San Francisco trademark attorneys are here to make sure your brand is fully protected.

Trademark

Real Estate

From Due Diligence Through Acquisition and Development

Our San Francisco real estate attorneys provide real estate advice and services to developers, landowners, purchasers, lessors and lessees in both commercial and residential matters. We offer counsel regarding negotiations for the purchase or sale of property, project development and planning, eminent domain issues, and the negotiation and drafting of leases, easements and other property interests. In addition, our San Francisco real estate attorneys are skilled and experienced in handling land use and zoning issues which may arise during development or cause concern during the due diligence phase of a potential transaction. As discussed in more detail elsewhere on our website, we also provide counsel regarding land financing issues and environmentally-impacted real estate.

Commercial Real Estate
Land Use & Zoning
Landlord & Tenant

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