Michelle L. Gearhart

Michelle L. Gearhart

Of Counsel

mgearhart@rbwaterlaw.com
805.543.0297

Michelle L. Gearhart is of counsel to Robins Borghei LLP and is a partner with Adamski Moroski Madden Cumberland & Green LLP. Her current litigation practice focuses on representation of public entities as well as environmental law. Michelle has handled a myriad of complex litigation cases including serious personal injury, wrongful death, police liability, product liability, professional liability, and CEQA litigation, as well as business litigation and wrongful termination claims. Michelle brings significant trial preparation and trial experience to the firm.

One of Michelle’s most significant cases was a highly publicized civil suit involving a police officer who was convicted of bribery and assault involving multiple victims. She represented the City of San Diego, the San Diego Police Department and nine other individual officers. Michelle’s summary judgment motion was granted, leading to the dismissal from the case of all nine of the officer’s former supervisors and the Chief of Police. Michelle authored a motion to bifurcate the trial and several motions in limine, which were granted, and ultimately led to plaintiff’s counsel re-engaging in settlement negotiations on the eve of trial. The parties had prepared for and anticipated a two to three month long trial in Federal court involving hundreds of witnesses, most of whom were former and current police officers.

Michelle also has negotiated numerous settlements on behalf of her clients. Several of note include obtaining payment for Upwind Solutions, Inc. from a German company that refused to pay the $1 million owed on its contract, negotiating a settlement on behalf of a bus company for $700,000 where the plaintiff claimed a traumatic brain injury and sought $8 million in damages, and negotiating a dismissal then obtaining an award of costs for a cross-defendant sued for indemnity by a subcontractor.