Practice Overview
Laura Dumas is an associate in the firm’s Real Estate, Litigation, and Dispute Resolution practices. Her work focuses primarily on general business and real estate litigation, advocating for her clients in matters involving breach of contract, negligence, negligent and intentional misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of trust, shareholder derivative claims, professional malpractice, and securities fraud. Laura has represented clients in all phases of litigation, including strategic motion practice, mediation, and arbitration.
Representative Matters
- obtained dismissal of a million dollar personal injury claim against a regional real estate brokerage firm
- negotiated favorable settlement for beneficiary in prosecution of multi-million dollar trust dispute
- obtained substantial judgment against home inspector for non-disclosure of defective conditions
- second-chaired a 12-day binding arbitration involving land use, contract, and business organizational issues; conducted key direct and cross-examinations
- negotiated several favorable settlements in defense of a large concrete supplier in personal injury actions
- defense of real estate brokerage firms against non-disclosure, breach of fiduciary duty, and misrepresentation claims
Speaking Engagements / Professional Activities
Laura is an active member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association, serving on both the Barristers Executive Committee and Real Property Executive Committee. She has lectured frequently at DeAnza College on avoiding real estate disputes, and has presented several seminars on risk management to newly licensed real estate agents for a large, regional real estate brokerage. Laura has also served as a coach for the Mountain View High School mock trial team.
While in law school, Laura worked as an adjunct professor, teaching written and oral advocacy skills to students in the appellate advocacy program. She was also the recipient of a number of academic honors, including best brief in appellate advocacy and several Witkin Awards. She also finished in the top ten oral advocates in the National Moot Court Competition, and received the America Law Institute/American Bar Association Award for Scholarship and Leadership.
- Changing the color of your practice: What lawyers and their clients should know about green buildings, Santa Clara County Bar Association, San Jose, Calif. (November 18, 2008)
- Avoiding Real Estate Disputes, November 2007 - Intero Real Estate
- Avoiding Real Estate Disputes, April 2007 - DeAnza College