It is no surprise that in 2010, Lang, Richert & Patch was once again named “The Firm of Distinction.” With five attorneys earning the title of Super Lawyer and four more earning the title of Rising Star, nearly all of this firm’s practice areas are staffed by attorneys who have been rated by their peers as some of the best in the state.

Lang, Richert & Patch congratulates the following Super Lawyers: personal injury and wrongful death specialist Robert L. Patch II; construction and complex litigation attorney Val W. Saldana; bankruptcy and insolvency advocate Rene Lastreto II; employment and labor law attorney Charles T. Taylor; and construction law specialist Mark L. Creede.

Among Lang, Richert & Patch’s up-and-coming attorneys are Rising Stars: Matthew W. Quall, construction litigation attorney; Craig B. Fry, corporate and business transactions and bankruptcy specialist; Scott J. Ivy, business litigation, attorney; and Ana de Alba, business litigation attorney.

These 9 Super Lawyer and Rising Star honorees come from diverse practice areas and represent nearly half of all attorneys practicing with Lang, Richert, & Patch. Lang, Richert & Patch is proud to have among the largest contingent of Super Lawyer and Rising Star honorees in the Central Valley.

Mr. Lastreto was also a faculty member along with two other practitioners and two prominent Bankruptcy Judges at the California Bankruptcy Forum in Monterey from May 21 through May 23. Mr. Lastreto spoke on evidence issues confronting bankruptcy practitioners in Adversary Proceedings and Contested Matters for the panel discussion entitled “What Do You Mean I Can’t Get That in Evidence!”

On June 25, 2010 Mr. Lastreto will be a faculty member for the Central California Bankruptcy Association Fundamentals of Bankruptcy Law Seminar. Mr. Lastreto will be presenting the attendees with analysis of the Bankruptcy Discharge and Dischargeability of Debts.

On September 24, 2010 at the Radisson Hotel in Fresno Mr. Lastreto along with the Chief Judge of the Central District of California (effective January 1, 2011), Peter Carroll, will be presenting a panel discussion on Exemption Issues in Bankruptcy at the Central California Bankruptcy Association Annual Conference.

Lang, Richert & Patch has a long history of its attorneys participating in peer education further establishing its respected reputation for expertise in the legal community.

“We have learned that going green today can mean saving green” said partner, Robert Patch II.  Lang, Richert and Patch has shown that you can reduce your carbon footprint without installing costly solar roofing shingles and wind turbines. Implementing greener paper management protocols and reducing energy-use are two economical ways to go-green.

Paper Management
Given the paper-intensive nature of practicing law, Lang, Richert & Patch has focused on adopting greener paper management. “Along with recycling over ninety percent of our mixed waste paper, we have adopted a policy to only use paper products that are made with at least 30% recycled content. We also encourage employees to print all internal documents double sided to reduce paper consumption,” said Rene Lastreto, a partner of Lang, Richert and Patch. By embracing green practices, Lang, Richert & Patch is making a commitment to lead the Central Valley as a steward of the environment and hopes that other law firms and other businesses will follow suit.

Reducing Energy Use
Small businesses pay more for energy than big businesses, and adopting green practices can dramatically reduce energy costs. Simple things like replacing traditional light bulbs, regularly servicing heating and air conditioning, or installing motion sensor lights can cut energy bills by 20% to 30%. Replacing office equipment? Make sure to get Energy Star compliant models with “sleep mode” to reduce energy when not in use. Green policies don’t have to be complex or burdensome. To get the attorneys and staff in your office to become more environmentally conscious, start with something simple: turn off the lights when you leave. This includes when you leave for lunch – a novel concept that eliminates hundreds of hours of unnecessary energy consumption every week.

Lang, Richert and Patch has already seen the intangible benefits of going green. For one it breeds loyalty. “Our employees appreciate our efforts – they want to work for companies who are socially responsible,” said Mr. Patch. The firm has also found greenness is a valuable tool for recruiting young, talented attorneys who have made it clear that environmental consciousness is a factor in their decision making. “In order to get the best and brightest recruits, we have to keep pace with the eco-friendly firms in the Bay Area and Los Angeles” said Mr. Patch. Moreover, sophisticated clients and large corporate clients, who already have green policies, expect their outside counsel to adopt environmentally friendly practices. Like their corporate clients, Lang, Richert and Patch is discovering that taking steps that are good for the environment can also be good for the bottom line.

It won’t be long before we will all drive to work in an energy efficient car, enter our environmentally-friendly “LEED”certified building, and transact business in a paperless environment. In the meantime, Central Valley law firms and other businesses should follow the leadership of Lang, Richert and Patch and implement environmentally friendly policies that can help business and save money.

FCYLA organizes events throughout the year to provide opportunities for new lawyers to interact in order to continue the tradition of a close-knit association between local practitioners. To achieve this, FCYLA begins by providing organizational support for the swearing in ceremonies for new lawyers. The effort continues with several social gatherings during the year, which allow lawyers to interact in informal settings. FCYLA also sponsors the George A. Hopper Memorial Scholarship Luncheon, which awards a scholarship to a local law student and brings a prominent member of the judiciary to address the local bar. In addition, FCYLA sponsors the Blaine E. Pettitt Memorial Mentor Award, recognizing the contributions of a local attorney toward the development of new lawyers.

FCYLA gives back to the community by providing lawyer volunteers to help coach high school students in a mock trial competition sponsored by the Constitutional Rights Foundation and the California Young Lawyers Association and also provides, on a continuing basis, Career Day speakers and classroom lawyer advisors to local elementary and high schools.

The Super Lawyers process is complex and recognized as a bona fide system of identifying the top lawyers in respective practice areas. The publication ensures quality selection by employing 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement, including verdicts, settlements, transactions, representative clients, experience, honors, awards, etcetera..Once the final selections are made, only 5 percent of lawyers in each state make the published list of Super Lawyers, and no more than 2.5 percent are named as Rising Stars.

Lang, Richert & Patch continues to maintain its reputation as “The Firm of Distinction”, with five attorneys earning the title of Super Lawyer and two others being named as Rising Stars. The Super Lawyers hailing from Lang, Richert & Patch include; personal injury and wrongful death specialist Robert L. Patch II, construction and complex litigation attorney Val W. Saldana, bankruptcy and insolvency advocate Rene Lastreto II, employment and labor law attorney Charles T. Taylor, and construction law specialist Mark L. Creede. LR&P further recognizes Rising Stars, Matthew W. Quall, construction litigation attorney, and Craig B. Fry, corporate and business transactions and bankruptcy specialist.

The selection of Super Lawyers and Rising Stars from Lang, Richert & Patch represents the broad and diverse set of skills and backgrounds the firm brings to litigation matters. The seven Super Lawyer and Rising Star honorees represent two thirds of the lawyers currently practicing with Lang, Richert, & Patch and is by far the largest contingent in the Central Valley. Attorney Val Saldana commented that the title is, “as much an honor for the entire firm, as it is for the individuals involved”. Saldana further noted, “we have always taken a collaborative team approach to our complex litigation matters.” The multiple Super Lawyer and Rising Star distinctions demonstrate Lang, Richert & Patch’s ability to provide aggressive and effective results to a wide range of client demands.

Lang, Richert & Patch has strived for more than 40 years to provide its clients with premier legal services through establishing an open and collaborative environment while maintaining a result driven mentality. The experience and expertise of the firm has earned the respect of both the local and legal communities. The firm also received the prestigious, Martindale-Hubbell AV-rating, which is the highest peer rating for ethics and ability. Looking ahead, Val Saldana notes that, “we have worked hard to achieve preeminent status in the business litigation and bankruptcy departments. And we intend to keep on building.”

The SCDLS is a 20-member advisory committee whose goal is to identify, develop, and support improvement in the delivery of legal services, both civil and criminal, to low and moderate-income Californians. It also serves as a resource to the Board of Governors on legal services issues and on relevant legislation; develops and presents educational programs and materials to improve the delivery of legal services; maintains liaison relationships with other State Bar entities; and works to encourage pro bono participation in California.