Attorney Bios
John D. Barrett, Jr.
Partner
Mr. Barrett has been handling litigation at Parker Stanbury LLP since 1979, and he has assisted LegalShield (Pre-Paid Legal) and its members with their litigation problems since 1994.
Born in Ossining, New York, Mr. Barrett moved to California as a teenager and worked at a variety of jobs while attending Loyola University of Los Angeles (B.A., History 1973) and Southwestern University School of Law (J.D., 1976). He was admitted to the California Bar in 1976 and then the Federal Bar (Northern, Central and Southern Districts).
Mr. Barrett was submitted to peer review and admitted to the American Board of Trial Advocates (“ABOTA”) in 1992 and was tested, submitted to peer and judicial review and Certified in Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in 1994. He is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, Association of Southern California Defense Counsel and the American Bar Association.
He has served for many years as an arbitrator for the Los Angeles County Bar Association Fee Dispute Resolution Services, and formerly served as an arbitrator for the Contractor’s State Licensing Board and the American Arbitration Association. He has conducted many mediations and settlement conferences as a Settlement Officer for the Los Angeles Superior Court.
Mr. Barrett focuses on all types of insurance defense, personal injury and civil litigation.
During his time off he enjoys hikes, historical documentaries and family gatherings.
J. Luis Garcia
Partner
Mr. Garcia started with Parker Stanbury LLP upon his being admitted to the California State Bar in 1986. He has been involved with LegalShield (Pre-Paid Legal) since 1994 when Parker Stanbury first became the California provider firm. Luis, who is fluent in Spanish, provided direct assistance to the Spanish-speaking members. Today, he handles civil litigation generated from LegalShield members.
Luis attended the University of Southern California (B.A., cum laude, 1981) and Loyola Law School/ Loyola Marymount University (J.D.,1984). Luis is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), the American Bar Association, the Mexican-American Bar Association, the Consumer Attorneys of California, and the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
In addition to being a member of the State Bar of California, Luis is also admitted to practice before United States District Court, including the Central District of California and the Southern District of California.
Luis donates time to both the courts and his community. He serves the courts as a Judge Pro Tem, arbitrator and mediator. In his hometown of Whittier, he has served as Chairman and a member of the City’s Social Services Commission and Chairman of the City’s Volunteer Recognition Program.
When not working or volunteering, Luis can usually be found at a USC game or out on the golf links trying to find his ball.
Douglas H. Mori
Partner
Mr. Mori is a California native and has been with Parker Stanbury for over 40 years. He has been providing legal assistance to LegalShield members since 1994.
Doug was admitted to the California Bar in 1978, and the U.S. District Court, Southern and Central Districts of California. He attended Pomona College earning a B.A. degree in 1973, and Vanderbilt University where he earned his Juris Doctorate degree in 1976. He has served as an arbitrator and mediator for the Los Angeles County Superior Court, and a settlement officer for the Los Angeles County courts. His practice areas include civil litigation, traffic, Insurance Defense, Trucking Law, Construction Law and General Civil Law.
Doug is a dedicated family man and sports fan. He especially enjoys watching his son participate in sporting activities.
David Cowan
Partner
A partner at Parker Stanbury LLP, David joined the firm as a provider attorney in 2001. His practice areas have included Immigration, Insurance, Consumer Finance and Collections.
When he joined Parker Stanbury LLP, he recognized that he could help more people as a Provider Attorney than he could working in a traditional law firm. Over the years he has assisted countless members on their legal matters, and he takes pride in the fact that the only thing that the member had to do was to pick up the phone and use the membership.
Born in Los Angeles, David was admitted to the Bar in 1995. He attended Boston University (B.A. in Psychology, 1990) and Tulane Law School (J.D., 1993), is a member of the State Bar of California, and is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court (Central District of California) and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
At the age of 17, David performed as a stand-up comedian at the Improv (1 show). He also appeared briefly (1.2 seconds) on the television show Picket Fences as an extra in the episode “This Little Piggy.” If you blink during the opening scene, you will miss him. During law school he was the Vice Chairman for the Tulane chapter of the Partner’s Club International, now known as Best Buddies International, and he coached the Orleans Parish Special Olympics Swimming Team. When he returned to Los Angeles, he continued to coach Special Olympians in basketball. David was a long-time youth sports coach and has served on the Board of the local little league. David can be found spending time with his family, driving all over the state to watch his daughter’s rowing team or in the stands watching his son play soccer and volleyball.
George Hunlock
Partner
George came on board with the firm in early 2002 as an associate practicing Employment Law and Workers Compensation. He was assigned to the LegalShield (then Pre-Paid Legal) division and worked as a front-line attorney for many years, delivering services directly to LegalShield members. George’s experiences gave him an appreciation of how LegalShield can help improve the lives of a large and diverse number of people, many of whom would otherwise have no access to the legal system. George was promoted to Supervising Attorney in 2003 and is now a partner of Parker Stanbury LLP.
A New Englander by birth, George attended Rhode Island College (B.A. English and Film Studies, 1989) before moving to San Diego to attend law school at California Western School of Law (Juris Doctor, 1993) where he graduated summa cum laude. He is a member of the State Bar of California.
Like many attorneys in California, George has been required on occasion to practice Entertainment Law in connection with the state’s extensive movie and music industries. He even dabbled himself, creating a low-budget independent film about law school, which was met with great acclaim by his friends and family.
Ricardo A. Mercado
Partner
Ric Mercado joined the firm in 2007. He has been on the front lines helping members understand their rights and options, and where he can, advocate on their behalf.
Ric has always felt a strong kinship with those who needed legal assistance but did not have the resources to take advantage of it. He immigrated to the United States as a political refugee at the age of 2 with his twin brother and his parents. His family’s connection to the United States was immediate, as both Ric and his brother served in the armed forces. If you ask Ric today, he would tell you that he is still serving his country by serving the members of LegalShield as a provider attorney.
Ric graduated from California State University-Northridge, ’01 (B.A. in Political Science) and earned his J.D. from Southwestern Law School, ‘04.
When not at work, Ric enjoys reading history, travelling, and is a huge supporter of his beloved but long-suffering Tottenham Hotspur Football Club (an English soccer team based in London).
Associates
MARCUS BASTIDA
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar; 1992, California. Education: University of Washington (B.A., 1989); University of Southern California (J.D., 1992). Member: State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Entertainment Law; Contracts; Copyrights; General Civil Law.
MELANIE BUTLER
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar, 2010, California. Education: Trinity University (B.A., 2003), Loyola Law School (J.D., 2006). Member: State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Employment, Landlord/Tenant, and Bankruptcy.
Gabriela Carrillo
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar; 2018, California. Education: Baylor University (B.A., 2013); California Western School of Law (J.D., 2017). Member: State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Employment Law.
HANS W. CHEN
Associate
Position; Associate; admitted to the bar in 2007 in California; Education: University of California, Berkeley (B.A.,2003), University of West Los Angeles School of Law (J.D. 2006), Pepperdine University (MBA); Member: State Bar of California; Practice Areas: Workers’ Compensation, Juvenile Dependency, Family Law, Landlord/Tenant, Consumer Law, General Civil Law
Michael Compton
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar; 1992, California. Education: University of Southern California; Loyola Law School (J.D., 1992). Member: State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Entertainment Law; Contracts; Copyrights; Trademarks, General Civil Law.
MATTHEW W. DAVIS
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar, 1996, California; 1997, U.S. District Court, Central District of California and U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Education: University of Pennsylvania (B.A., 1992); Case Western Reserve University (J.D., 1996). Practice Areas: Corporate Law; Business Law; Landlord/Tenant Law; General Civil Law.
Bridget Esquibias
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar; 1995, California. Education: University of California at Los Angeles (B.A., 1989); University of San Diego School of Law (J.D., 1995). Member: State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Labor and Employment law.
GREGORY T. FONG
Associate
Position; Associate: admitted to the bar in 1987 in California: Education: University of California, Los Angeles (B.A. 1983), Whittier College School of law (J.D. 1986); Member; State Bar of California; Practice Areas: Auto Accident, Employment, Personal Injury, Workers’ Compensation, Consumer Law and General Civil Law.
AARON G. FREEMAN
Associate
Position; Associate; admitted to the bar in 2011 in California; Education: University of Massachusetts, Amherst (B.A. 2002), Golden Gate University School of Law (J.D. 2010); Member: State Bar of California, Federal District Court of California, South District; Practice Areas: Business Law, Corporate Law, Patent/Copyright/Trademark Law, Criminal Law, Consumer Law, General Civil Law.
KRISTOFFER M. GARRISON
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar, 2013, California. Education: UCLA (B.A., 2007), UCLA Law School (J.D., 2012). Member: State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Workers Compensation, Corporate Transactions, Real Estate.
GLENN M. HABAS
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar, 1999, California. Education: University of California at Irvine (B.A. 1992); New College of California School of Law (J.D. 1997). Member: State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Criminal Law, Traffic, Family Law, Consumer Law and General Civil Law.
Linda Ireland
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar; 1999, California. Education: American University (B.A., 1994); Northeastern University School of Law (J.D., 1998). Member: State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Family Law, Civil Litigation, Personal Injury.
DAVID C. LANE
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar; 2000, California. Education: California State University at Fullerton (B.A., 1987); Western State University School of Law, Fullerton (J.D., 1997). Member: State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Tax and Estate Planning; General Civil Law.
B. PETER LEE
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar; 1995, California. Education: University of Missouri (B.S.B.A., 1985); Hastings College of Law, University of California (J.D., 1995). Member: Los Angeles County Bar Association; State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Estate Planning; Contracts; General Civil Law.
MATHEW L. MAY
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar, 2000, California, United States District Court, Central District of California. Education: University of Iowa (B.L.S., 1989); University of West Los Angeles School of Law (J.D., 1998). Member: State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Real Estate; Landlord Tenant; Eminent Domain; Bankruptcy; General Civil Law.
ROSEMARIE MERRILL
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar; 1992, California. Education: University of Washington (B.A., 1989); University of Southern California (J.D., 1992). Member: State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Entertainment Law; Contracts; Copyrights; General Civil Law.
Alexis Moore
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar; 2017, California. Education: Northwestern California University (B.A.), Northwestern California University School of Law (J.D., 2016). Member: State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Consumer Finance, Collections, Banking, Billing Disputes, Credit, Vehicle Financing Issues, Contracts.
CLAUDIA M. PALENCIA
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar, 1998, California. Education: Loyola Marymount University (B.A., 1991), Loyola Law School (J.D., 1998). Member: State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Consumer Finance, Collections, Corporate transactions.
ROCCO PAPALIA
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar, 2016, California. Education: Colorado State University (B.A., 2008), Thomas Jefferson School of Law (J.D., 2013). Member: State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Bankruptcy, Landlord/Tenant, and Real Estate.
REYNALDO C. SANTOS
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar, 1997, California, and U.S. District Court, Central District of California. Education: University of California at Irvine (B.S., 1998); Hahnemann University (M.S., 1984); University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law (J.D., 1997). Member: Los Angeles County and American Bar Association. Practice Areas: Family Law; Landlord/Tenant; Patent/Copyright; General Civil Law.
JOSEPH R. SERPICO
Associate
Position; Associate: admitted to the bar in 1977 in California; Education: California State University, Northridge (B.S. 1973), Southwestern University School of Law (J.D. 1976); Member: State Bar of California, Los Angeles County Bar Association, American bar Association; Practice Areas: Civil Litigation, Contract Law, Employment Law, Personal Injury, Consumer Law and General Civil Law.
KELLY A. SHERIDAN
Associate
Position; Associate; admitted to the bar in 2007 in California; Education: Miami University of Ohio (B.A., 1998), Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Cleveland, Ohio (J.D., 2001); Member: State Bar of California, United States District Court, Central District; Practice Areas: Criminal, General Civil law.
ALEX L. SHIA
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar; 1999, California; United States District Court, Northern, Eastern, Central and Southern Districts of California. Education: University of California at Los Angeles (B.A., 1992); Western State University (J.D., 1997). Member: State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Debtor and Creditor; Consumer Finance; Contracts; General Civil Law.
Carl Starrett
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar; 1993, California. Education: University of San Diego (B.A., 1990); University of San Diego Law (J.D., 1993). Member: State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Real Estate, Landlord Tenant.
JAMES L.I. WOLFSEN
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to the bar, 1998, California; Education: University of California, Davis (B.A. 1991), Pepperdine University School of Law (J.D. 1996); Member: State Bar of California, Los Angeles County Bar Association; Practice Areas: Family Law, Adoption, Guardianship, Foster Care, Probate, Estate Planning, Conservatorship.
Sharie Zahab
Associate
Position: Associate; admitted to bar; 2001, California. Education: California State University, Los Angeles (B.S., 1997); University of LaVerne, College of Law (J.D., 2000). Member: State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Landlord Tenant, Family Law, Health Law, Consumer Law.