711 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 427, Huntington Beach, CA 92648
(714) 465-2079 * Email: dcd7ccc6@westpost.net PROFILE I am an intelligent, well-educated, experienced, and creative legal problem-solv er. I use thoughtful and thorough analysis with careful consideration of cost an d time constraints to produce effective results. Broad-based knowledge of the la w, demonstrated legal abilities, experienced in plaintiff and defense litigation from pleadings through post-trial matters and appeals, significant transactiona l experience. Extensive representation of businesses and non-profit organization s. Member: California and Massachusetts Bars. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Law Offices of David J. Castenholz, Huntington Beach, CA Attorney, 1989-Present Successful general litigation practice in state and federal courts involving bus iness, real estate, banking, bankruptcy, intellectual property, entertainment, i nternational law, personal injury, products liability, estate planning, probate, family law, and criminal matters. General counsel to businesses in real estate lending/development/management/construction, manufacturing, insurance, printing, entertainment, hotel management, restaurant, financial, and accounting industri es. Experience in a wide variety of transactional matters. * Numerous jury and non-jury trials and arbitrations * Extensive mediation experience resulting in favorable settlements for clients * Saved client insurance broker millions of dollars by obtaining coverage, inclu ding defense costs, after being sued by numerous plaintiffs in a series of cases in connection with investments sold by client's sales team. All cases settled w ithout trial on favorable terms * Successfully defended truck manufacturing client in lawsuit based on claims of breach of contract and fraud and obtained defense judgment after 7-day bench tr ial in Los Angeles Superior Court * Obtained defense judgment for client in alleged real estate fraud case * Lead attorney in class action of 150 homeowners resulting in multi-million dol lar settlement * Utilized creative solutions, including request for in chambers interview of mi nor son, resulting in custody judgment for father after trial * Served as general counsel to Pacific Southwest District of the Church of the B rethren, a district of 26 churches in California and Arizona; extensive travel t o member congregations; numerous consultations with church leaders and pastors * Served as corporate broker and general counsel to Residential Property Lenders , a real estate sales and mortgage brokerage firm; oversaw compliance issues wit h the California Department of Real Estate and other regulatory agencies * Served as of counsel to the Law Offices of William R. Lively & Associates, a g eneral law practice * Successful in attracting clients and generating repeat business through honest y, integrity, hard work, and results Christensen, White, Miller, Fink & Jacobs, Los Angeles, CA Associate Attorney, 1 988-1989 Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, Los Angeles, CA Associate Attorney, 1987-19 88 EDUCATION Boston University School of Law/Graduate School of Management, Boston, MA JD/MBA , 1986 * Accepted into prestigious JD/MBA dual-degree program * Thesis: "How the Legal Order Caused Hunger in Ethiopia" Stanford University, Stanford, CA Bachelor of Arts, 1977 * Completed Bachelor of Arts degree in the School of Humanities and Sciences * Study Abroad: Stanford Overseas Studies Program, Vienna, Austria, 1974-1975 University of Austria, Vienna, Austria Coursework, 1975-1976 * Admitted to study at national university * All lectures, classes, and coursework in German AWARDS * Fulbright Scholarship Program, Teaching Assistantship, Vienna, Austria; requir ed fluency in German and superior teaching skills * Research Assistantships, Boston University School of Management and Harvard Bu siness School * Resident Assistantship, Branner Hall, Stanford University * Gordon Kimball Memorial Scholarship, Stanford University HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES Global Partners for Development, a California nonprofit corporation 1979-Present Throughout my life, I have felt the obligation to help those less privileged tha n myself. Since 1979, I have actively and financially supported Global Partners for Development, which is dedicated to helping the poorest communities in East A frica lift themselves permanently out of poverty. Through the creation and fundi ng of projects to build schools and medical clinics; provide water, livestock, a nd medical supplies; and support women's income generation, we have assisted and contributed to substantially improving the lives of hundreds of thousands of Ea st Africans. Since 1979, I have: * Served as volunteer president, director, treasurer, general counsel, and fundr aiser; * Overseen the operation and development of the organization from infancy to fin ancial viability and sustainable long-term growth; * Chaired and served on several key committees, including the finance, audit, in vestment, endowment, fundraising, marketing, projects, strategic plan, annual re port, and travel committees; * Provided visionary leadership to create and implement a strategic plan which i ncreased annual income from $20,000 to over $5 million; * Designed, implemented, and managed a professional fundraising campaign which c ulminated in the hiring of a development professional and the creation of an Adv isory Board, a major gifts program, a foundational grants program, and an annual gift catalog; * Secured donors who have personally given and raised over $10 million to benefi t the organization; * Secured organizational infrastructure grants from the Kellogg Foundation and S econd Harvest; * Overseen the design and implementation of a strategic plan to improve organiza tional effectiveness; * Overseen the creation and design of the organization's first annual report; * Traveled to East Africa five times to meet with community leaders and monitor projects. OTHER INFORMATION Language Skills: Fluent in German; basic Spanish and Italian Personal: Marathon runner with a personal best of 2 hours 22 minutes. Semi-professional ba sketball, Team Tyrolia, National B League, Austria. Charter member, Association of Surfing Lawyers. Private piano studies, golf, travel.