Criminal Law

• Theft
• Identity Theft
  Nathan Searles focuses his practice on consumer financial services litigation in courts and arbitration brought under a wide variety of federal and state laws throughout the United States. Mr. Searles is experienced in defending against individual and class action claims brought against business and individuals under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), California Rosenthal Act (RFDCPA), California Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies Act (CCCRA), California Identity Theft Act, California Fair Debt Buying Practices Act (CA FDBPA), California’s Unfair Competition Law (UCL 17200) and Florida Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA). He also assists in regulatory, employment and privacy claims. Prior to joining Simmonds & Narita, LLP, Mr. Searles served as Litigation Defense Counsel for a publicly traded receivables management company and as Managing Counsel responsible for legal recovery of California accounts for a national receivables management client.

Business and Corporate Law

• Business Disputes
  Simmonds & Narita, LLC provides focused, expert representation to clients facing a broad array of complex business disputes. Our attorneys are seasoned litigators and trial lawyers with a reputation for excellence.
• Unfair Competition
  Michael Simmonds focused on litigation, including financial services litigation, trust and probate litigation, insurance coverage litigation on behalf of policyholders, and unfair competition (including litigation alleging unfair business practices and false advertising). He had over twenty-six years of experience in successfully prosecuting and defending a wide variety cases on behalf of national banks and other financial institutions, small businesses and individuals. Mr. Simmonds had substantial experience in prosecuting and defending class actions and representative actions in both state and federal courts. He tried jury and bench trials in courts throughout California and in other states, and he handled many arbitrations before the American Arbitration Association and the National Association of Securities Dealers.

Employment Law

• Wrongful Termination
  Defense of national bank in AAA arbitration in Los Angeles arising out of alleged wrongful termination of a co-brand credit card relationship.

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  Recovery of $1.5 million on behalf of developmentally disabled woman on support claims against the estate and trust of her deceased father; case settled during bench trial.
• Trusts
  Mr. Simmonds graduated with honors from Stanford University in 1976 with a Bachelor of the Arts degree in History. He obtained his law degree in 1980 from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where he graduated Order of the Coif. He was elected to the Thurston Society, was as an Associate Editor on the Hastings Law Journal, and was privileged to work for Justice Mathew Tobriner of the California Supreme Court in 1979. He was a member of the Bar of the State of California, including the Trusts and Estates Section, and was admitted to practice before all of the District Courts of California, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
• Probate

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
• Tax Law
  Mr. Searles is a Dean’s Scholar graduate of the University of Southern California, where he received his B.S. in Business Administration from Marshall School Business. He earned his J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law. During law school, he focused on business and tax law, including financial instruments and consumer and commercial bankruptcy. Mr. Searles is a member of The State Bar of California, The Florida Bar, and is admitted to practice before all District Courts of California, Middle District of Florida and Northern District of Florida. Mr. Searles is a Past President of the California Creditors Bar Association and has testified and served as finance industry advocate during legislative meetings. In addition to his practice of law, Mr. Searles serves as Second Vice President of the Rossmoor Community Services District Board, serves on the Orange County (California) Development Processing Review Committee and is regular teacher of financial literacy to students through Junior Achievement of Orange County.
• Debt Collection
  The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1692, et seq. (“FDCPA”) governs debt collectors seeking to collect consumer debt. California’s state law counterpart, the Rosenthal Act, Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1788, et seq. (“Rosenthal Act”) is similar, however, the statute also extends to original creditors. A substantial portion of the firm’s practice is dedicated to defending creditor and collector clients against lawsuits brought under these statutes and advising clients on related compliance issues. Firm attorneys draw on years of experience to help clients navigate the often complex nature of these lawsuits in order to achieve favorable results.