Jeffrey L. Marcus, Esq.
jeff@marcuslawgroup.com
Mr. Marcus founded the firm and has been a licensed attorney for over
22 years. His practice focuses on real estate and business law.
Mr. Marcus’ transactional practice areas include: commercial leases, purchase and sale agreements for real estate and business transactions, easements,
acquisition and development of real property, advising common interest communities, advising real estate professionals, public agency representation, and structuring business entities.
Mr. Marcus represents some of the largest commercial real estate developers, landlords and real property owners in Southern California. He also serves as outside counsel to several commercial and residential brokerage offices in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.
Mr. Marcus’ litigation practice areas include: all real estate related matters, leases, purchase and sale agreements, landlord/tenant, land use and environmental issues, lot line disputes, homeowner association disputes, groundwater, professional liability, business disputes, contract disputes,
and asbestos. He has tried and arbitrated more than 50 cases involving complex litigation and has advised clients in sophisticated real estate and business matters.
His recent litigation highlights:
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The
owners of two large parcels with ocean views disputed over access rights
and trespass damages. The firm's client was successful at trial in
connection with quieting title to his property and trespass damages just below $1,000,000.
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A
group of ten luxury large homes set up as a sub-association within a
master-association were issued an 800% assessment increase for maintenance of
common areas within the sub-association. In
gross, the assessments tallied well in excess of seven figures. The sub-association successfully argued that the
master-association’s governing documents (Covenants, Conditions &
Restrictions) did not allow for the assessment and judgment was entered in favor
of the firm’s clients and against the master-association, resulting in no
assessment.
Mr. Marcus’ legal and business experience is wide and varied, having worked in private practice and served as Assistant Vice President, corporate counsel, to CB Richard Ellis, Inc., a publicly-traded full service real estate company. In his role as corporate counsel, he managed company legal activities and advised management on legal matters. As such, Mr. Marcus is cognizant of the business influences which affect his clients and shape their deal-making.
In 1990, Mr. Marcus started his legal career at Spray, Gould & Bowers, a midsize litigation firm in Los Angeles, CA. In 1995, Mr. Marcus became corporate counsel for CB Richard Ellis, Inc. in Los Angeles, CA handling the company’s complex real estate and business litigation and transactions. In 2002, Mr. Marcus returned to the law firm environment and on January 1, 2004, opened this firm.
Mr. Marcus attended University of Hartford, Hartford, CT and achieved a B.S.B.A. degree in 1982. He attended Whittier Law School, Los Angeles, California and received his J.D. in 1989. In law school he was member and coach of Moot Court Honors Board.
Mr. Marcus is a member of the State Bar of California, American Bar Association, Los Angeles County Bar Association, and Ventura County Bar Association (Real Property Section). He is on Los Angeles County Superior Court Arbitration/Mediation Panel. He is a member and chairs the Real Estate section of the Conejo Valley Bar Association.
He is on the Board of Governors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Conejo &
Las Virgenes. And, he is AV rated with Martindale-Hubbell.
Barbara Higgins, Esq.
barbara@marcuslawgroup.com
Ms. Higgins is licensed to practice law in the state of California and has actively practiced law for over 27 years. Ms. Higgins was formerly employed as Vice-President/Senior Counsel for CB Richard Ellis, Inc. While at CB Richard Ellis, Ms. Higgins successfully represented the corporation and its employees in litigation and transactional matters involving contracts, real estate, and employment law issues from claim inception through trial. Prior to joining CB Richard Ellis, Ms. Higgins worked as a Senior Associate at the Santa Monica law firm of Haight, Brown & Bonesteel where she maintained a multifaceted business litigation practice in state and federal courts, and was appointed to co-chair the firm's hiring and education committees.
Ms. Higgins graduated Cum Laude from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a B.S. degree in 1979. She, thereafter, took courses towards an MBA degree at the University of Lowell before earning her J.D. degree from Southwestern University School of Law, Los Angeles, CA. with a J.D. degree in 1984.
Cynthia
R. Hodes, Esq. has recently become of counsel to the firm. Ms. Hodes has been
practicing law in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties for over 26 years.
Early in her career, she worked for the Los Angeles office of Perkins Coie.
Litigation is her primary area of practice involving commercial lease
disputes, construction defects, easements, and disputes over common area
maintenance charges and covenants conditions and restrictions. She has
also handled cases involving the rights and obligations of shareholders,
partners, and limited liability company members. After receiving the
degree of Master of Public Health in Health Information Systems from UCLA, she
earned her Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1984.
She completed the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Trial Attorney Program
and has experience with court and jury trials.
Niki Frank Stokols, Esq.
niki@marcuslawgroup.com
Ms. Stokols is admitted to practice law in California and Texas.
Ms. Stokols was an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Dallas and represented the city on a variety of complex federal
and state court lawsuits involving real property construction delay-claims, zoning violations, anti-trust litigation in the cable television and taxicab industries, civil rights, and miscellaneous business torts. Her case load also included
claims involving eminent domain, property damages, personal injuries, subrogation (worker’s compensation), and collections.
After moving to California, Ms Stokols became an associate with Kane, Ballmer, & Berkman. Her experience included representing the Community Redevelopment Agencies of the Cities of Whittier and Hawthorne.
Ms. Stokols took time off to raise a family. During this time she graduated from the first class of the Hadassah Leadership Academy, a three-year program. She has since held numerous portfolios for Hadassah on the ARC level and recently finished her second term as Education and IZAIA Chair on the Hadassah Southern California Cabinet.
Ms. Stokols graduated from the University of Texas, Austin, Texas, with a B.A. degree in 1980. She earned her J.D. degree from Southern Methodist University Dedman Law School, Dallas, Texas, in 1984.
Toni Kiser
toni@marcuslawgroup.com
Toni Kiser is the firm's legal assistant and office manager. Her responsibilities include secretarial and administrative support to the attorneys. Ms. Kiser has worked in an administrative capacity for six years. She relocated from North Carolina in 2005 and currently resides with her husband in Oak Park.
Deepak Devabose
deepak@marcuslawgroup.com
Mr. Devabose
is a law clerk with the firm and is responsible for assisting in litigation,
legal research and writing. Currently, he is a law student at Pepperdine
University School of Law. He graduated from Emory University in 2010 with
a Bachelors in Arts degree, double majoring in Political Science and
Economics. Mr. Devabose is a member of the Pepperdine Shepherd Chapter of
Phi Alpha Delta, Law Fraternity International and is currently focusing his
studies on Real Property and Intellectual Property law. He currently
resides in Malibu.
Susan A. Marcus
susan@marcuslawgroup.com
Ms. Marcus is the firm’s
administrator. Her responsibilities include account’s receivable and payable and secretarial services. Before joining the firm, she was office manager for Maude Stewart Millenary, a clothing and apparel company. Ms. Marcus graduated UCLA in 1989 with a B.S. degree.
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