Well-Known Law Firm in Irvine Divides
After 15 years with the law firm Capretz & Kasdan, James T. Capretz has departed and his former partners have established a new firm without him.
Capretz & Kasdan gained national recognition earlier this year when it settled the major portion of a lawsuit against Shiley Inc., an Irvine company accused of manufacturing defective heart valves implanted in 83,000 people worldwide.
The firm also was in the spotlight last year when it settled a multimillion-dollar lawsuit alleging construction defects in homes built by Newport Beach-based William Lyon Co.
With those cases behind them, the partners re-evaluated the firm’s direction and decided that their individual goals were incompatible, both sides said.
Don McIntyre, managing partner and spokesman for the newly formed Kasdan, Simonds, Peterson, McIntyre, Epstein & Martin, said a split had been developing over time. He said that there is no antagonism and that Capretz, in fact, will be working from an office on the same floor as the new firm.
Capretz founded the firm in 1970. It became Capretz & Kasdan in 1978.
Capretz said he will continue to explore negotiation, arbitration and mediation as alternatives to complicated litigation. He speaks publicly on the topic and is co-authoring a book on it.
Of the split, Capretz said, “It did happen from my perspective rather quickly, although I’m sure they thought about it for some time.”
He still serves as special counsel for the settlement of a U.S. District Court class-action lawsuit in Cincinnati against Shiley. That case is under appeal.
McIntyre said his firm wants to remain full-service, and that differs from Capretz’s wish to concentrate his practice in certain areas. McIntyre also said he hopes his firm can capitalize on the celebrity it achieved during the Shiley case. Three members of the litigation team involved in that case are part of the new firm.
Besides McIntyre, the partners are Kenneth Kasdan, senior partner; Vance Simonds Jr.; Dale Peterson; David Epstein and Ronald Martin.
