Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
  Baker Manock & Jensen attorneys in the White Collar Criminal Defense Practice Group represent businesses, individuals, corporate officers, corporate directors, and employees under investigation by State and Federal law enforcement agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, and the Business Affairs Division of the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office.
• Wrongful Death
  Many of the firm’s attorneys are experienced in handling both the plaintiff and defense sides of various tort actions, including automobile and motorcycle accidents, wrongful death, hazardous substances, and products liability cases. The attorneys of the firm have successfully handled a variety of cases resulting in significant settlements and verdicts. Our approach to handling personal injury matters is to evaluate each claim carefully and to provide clients with advice about pursuing their claims.
• Sex Crimes
  The practice group handles cases involving allegations of fraud, tax evasion, campaign and election law violations, embezzlement, environmental violations, bookmaking, and sexual assault by healthcare professionals. Fraud cases we have defended have included allegations specific to particular industries, such as healthcare, in regard to billing issues, and agricultural packing and processing, in regard to accounting issues.
• White Collar Crimes
  Members of the White Collar Crime Practice Group include Dirk B. Paloutzian and Craig A. Houghton.  Mr. Paloutzian is a former deputy district attorney, former chair of the Fresno County Bar Association’s Criminal Law Section, and has significant criminal trial experience, representing defendants in cases throughout the San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast. Mr. Jaech is a former Special Agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
• Theft
• Embezzlement
• Assault

Business and Corporate Law

• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Business Formation
• Business Disputes
• Business Transactions
• Limited Liability Companies
  Our tax clients are quite varied and include large and family-owned corporations, partnerships, business joint ventures, limited liability companies, and individuals. The firm has developed particular expertise in the taxation issues affecting agribusiness entities, including farmers, food processors, commission merchants, and agricultural cooperatives.
• Construction Contracts
• Trade Secrets
• Intellectual Property
  Additionally, the firm assists clients with the identification, protection and enforcement of trade secrets, confidentiality and unfair competition concerns, and intellectual property litigation, including patent, trademark and copyright infringement and misappropriation of trade secrets.
• Unfair Competition
  We provide legal counsel to clients in matters regarding trade secrets, employer-employee rights, product and software development agreements, and confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements. We are also experienced in state and federal trade secret misappropriation and unfair competition litigation that arises in connection with these matters.

Employment Law

• Wrongful Termination
  Baker Manock & Jensen’s employment law attorneys are experienced in defending against claims of unlawful discrimination, breach of employment contract, harassment claims, wrongful termination, and in matters involving the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Click here for more information on our Employment Law Practice Group.
• Employment Contract
  Our employment lawyers are experienced in defending against claims of wage and hour, unlawful termination, unlawful discrimination, unlawful retaliation, breach of employment contract, and in other employment-related claims. We are skilled in alternative dispute resolution methods such as arbitration and mediation.
• Employment Litigation
  In addition, our lawyers advise nonprofit clients on myriad business issues, including mergers, contemplated dissolutions, real estate purchases, employment disputes, tax planning and audits, and contract negotiations. A number of our lawyers also act as primary outside general counsel to nonprofit organizations.
• Severance Agreement
• Sexual Harassment
  This bill expands the prohibition against using settlement agreements to prevent disclosure of information relating to sexual harassment and sexual assault. Now, the law prohibits such agreements from preventing disclosure of any form (not just sex) of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation. The law prohibits any provision in an employee’s separation or employment agreement that restricts the disclosure of information about unlawful workplace acts, and it requires that any provision that restricts an employee’s ability to disclose information related to conditions in the workplace include specific language about an employee’s right to disclose information about unlawful acts in the workplace. Lastly, the law expands what type of “agreements” are included in this prohibition. Any type of severance/separation agreement, agreement regarding raises or bonuses, and any agreement made as a condition of employment is now included.

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  The firm has represented developers, owners of commercial and agricultural property, and public agencies in a wide variety of matters, including zoning, financing, environmental compliance and real estate leases and sales. Click here for more information on our Real Estate Practice Group.
• Construction Litigation
  The Construction Law attorneys provide legal guidance, counseling, and representation to clients at every stage of a construction project. Our attorneys have litigated construction issues throughout the State of California and take pride in providing their clients personal service, strong and innovative advocacy, and dedication to searching for the best solution to meet their clients’ needs.
• Real Estate Transactions
  Our attorneys also represent and advise clients on the complex legal issues related to the “business” of today’s professional practice, including employment matters, contracts, business entity formation, real estate transactions, and tax.
• Eminent Domain
  Baker Manock & Jensen has experience representing clients on both sides of eminent domain and condemnation proceedings. The firm regularly advises and represents its public agency and private clients in these matters.
• Easement
• Land Use and Zoning
• Property Damage
  Our firm has long specialized in public agency law and provides a full range of experience in all aspects of administrative, transactional and litigation matters, including statutory compliance, real estate, eminent domain, public construction, contracting, environmental issues, personnel and employment, and personal injury/property damage claims.

Health Law

• Personal Injury
  The Firm’s extensive tort litigation experience, as well as the resource of many other specialists in the firm who support that practice, makes Baker Manock & Jensen well qualified to handle virtually any personal injury case.

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  Estate planning is a continuing process that takes place in stages over the lifetime of an individual. The dynamics of estate planning include the acquisition, conservation and ultimate distribution of assets.
• Wills
• Trusts
  Our Trusts & Estates Practice Group has extensive experience in assisting clients with their estate planning needs. They offer the following services...
• Power of Attorney
  We provide estate planning services, including the preparation of wills, living trusts, durable powers of attorney, and advance health care directives.
• Probate

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
  A large portion of the firm’s practice is devoted to the workout and restructure of non-performing loans. We have documented and implemented extensive loan workouts through complex deeds in lieu of foreclosure, trustee’s sales, and judicial foreclosure cases, including receiverships and bankruptcy litigation. The firm has implemented creditors’ remedies in real and personal property in a wide variety of context through negotiation, collection actions, and bankruptcy. We have also negotiated and documented the sales of both real and personal property after title has been obtained through foreclosure.
• Foreclosure
  Our experience includes the workout and restructuring of problem loans, as well as litigation in the state and federal trial courts and appellate courts. More recently our firm has engaged in mediation and arbitration of our clients’ rights through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. We have particular experience in representation of secured and unsecured creditors in bankruptcy reorganizations and liquidations, as well as judicial and nonjudicial foreclosures.
• Tax Law
  Federal and state tax laws are ever changing. With new tax statutes, regulations, court decisions, and administrative determination and pronouncements come new issues of tax planning and compliance. Our tax attorneys are intricately involved in the development of changes in the Federal, State, and local tax laws, and work to keep clients abreast of the changes that affect their professional and personal interests.