Valentine Hoy Joins Litigation Practice Group in Allen Matkins' San Diego Office

SAN DIEGO - March 16, 2009 - Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP, a leading California business and real estate law firm, announces the expansion of its litigation practice group with the addition of Valentine Hoy in the firm's San Diego office.

Hoy brings extensive experience representing businesses, private investors, real estate developers, licensed professionals and builders before courts, juries and arbitrators throughout California in a broad range of cases, many of them involving business-to-business contract and business tort litigation, co-investor disputes, nondisclosure claims, commercial landlord-tenant and construction disputes, and real estate consumer mass tort, class action and homeowner association lawsuits.

He joins Allen Matkins as a former partner of Luce Forward Hamilton & Scripps, where he practiced for 24 years.

"I look forward to helping Allen Matkins continue to build its litigation presence in San Diego," said Hoy. "Allen Matkins is consistently among the top-ranked law firms in California and my business and developer clients will benefit significantly from the firm's full range of services."

"Allen Matkins has an unparalleled litigation team and building upon our success in San Diego is one of the firm's key objectives," said Tony Oliva, chair of Allen Matkins' litigation practice group. "Val has an excellent reputation as a litigator and as a business partner to his clients."

"Val is a welcome addition to our litigation group," said Joe Davidson, managing partner of the firm's San Diego office. "He is an outstanding trial attorney representing national, regional and local clients and will be an ideal fit within our San Diego office."

Hoy represents national home builder D.R. Horton in real estate contract dispute resolution and litigation throughout California. In addition, he represents HomeFed Corp., which engages in the investment in and development of residential real estate projects in California, and Intergulf Development Group, a leading developer for townhome, condominium, and new home projects.

Hoy joins Allen Matkins' litigation practice group of more than 60 litigators statewide, whose expertise ranges from all aspects of real estate litigation (including construction litigation, land use litigation, landlord tenant litigation and condemnation) to business litigation including corporate and partnership disputes, bankruptcy litigation, consumer class action litigation and securities litigation. The firm's litigators also have extensive experience representing clients in environmental, toxic tort and product litigation.

Since 2000, Hoy is a trustee and past president of the board of the San Diego Museum of Man.

He was recognized by Best Lawyers In America 2009 (Real Estate Law), Southern California Super Lawyers 2008 (Business Litigation), San Diego Super Lawyers - Corporate Counsel 2008 (Business Litigation), San Diego Magazine's "Best Lawyers" in San Diego edition (April 2008) (Real Estate Law) and was named by his peers and clients to the "Top San Diego Attorneys list for 2007" (Real Estate Litigation) published by the San Diego Daily Transcript. He has also been recognized by his peers with a Martindale-Hubbell A-V Rating.

Hoy received his J.D. from UC Davis with Order of the Coif honors, and his A.B. in economics from Occidental.

Hoy's addition follows Dan McIntosh, who joined Allen Matkins in March as chair of the corporate practice group in the firm's Los Angeles and Century City offices. McIntosh advises varied clients and industries throughout California, including West Los Angeles-based entertainment companies, interactive and new media businesses, manufacturers, managers, and investors in a wide range of corporate transactions, including financings, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures. He also represents clients on real estate transactions and financings.

ABOUT ALLEN MATKINS

Allen Matkins, founded in 1977, is a California-based law firm with approximately 220 attorneys in four major metropolitan areas of California: Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco and San Diego. The firm's core specialties include real estate, real estate and commercial finance, bankruptcy and creditors' rights, construction, land use, natural resources, environmental, corporate and securities, intellectual property, joint ventures, taxation, employment and labor law, and dispute resolution and litigation in all these matters. For more than 30 years, Allen Matkins has helped clients turn opportunity and challenge into success by providing practical advice, innovative solutions and valuable business opportunities. When clients' challenges require experienced trial counsel, Allen Matkins has a proven track record of successful litigation before juries, judges and arbitrators.

Allen Matkins is located on the web at www.allenmatkins.com.