Hoge Fenton Elects Daniel W. Ballesteros as New Managing Shareholder

Hoge Fenton Jones & Appel, a leading Northern California business law firm, today announced that Daniel W. Ballesteros has been elected President and Managing Shareholder of the firm, effective January 1, 2013. Ballesteros succeeds Steven D. Siner, who has served in the role for the past four years. Together, Ballesteros, Siner and shareholder Sblend Sblendorio comprise Hoge Fenton’s Executive Committee.

Hoge Fenton has long been committed to promoting diversity in the profession. Having had multiple female managing shareholders, the firm is proud to be headed by one of Silicon Valley’s few Mexican-American presidents.

“Hoge Fenton has a proud 60-year history with deep roots in the communities we serve,” noted Siner. “Dan has been committed to both the community and the firm for his entire legal career. Having served on the firm’s Executive Committee since 2007, he is knowledgeable in firm management issues, has the respect and confidence of his fellow shareholders in taking on this challenging position, and is ready to lead. I am honored to turn the reins over to Dan, and know that we are in very good hands.”

Dan Ballesteros commented, “I am honored to have been elected the managing shareholder of the best law firm in the Bay Area. Hoge Fenton has long been known and respected in the legal community, with trial lawyers and transactional attorneys who are second to none. This year we will focus on expanding that reputation in the business community. Many of our clients already know that we are the smart alternative to ’big law.’ We look forward to spreading that message and continuing to provide the finest legal service and business guidance.”

Ballesteros is a trial lawyer whose practice focuses on disputes arising out of the purchase, sale, secured lending, ownership, and/or use of real property. He has successfully represented brokers, sellers and buyers in cases involving the nondisclosure of defective conditions, mortgage brokers and lenders in wrongful foreclosure actions, owners in cases involving partition, possession and nuisance, neighbors in cases involving prescriptive easements, boundary line disputes and encroachment, individual members of LLCs and partnerships regarding issues of governance and control of profits, and tort claims by and against third parties.

Ballesteros received his B.A. in Public Policy from Stanford University and his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. He has served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Real Property Law Section of the California State Bar, has been an advisor to CEB on real property law publications, and has served three terms as chair of the Santa Clara County Bar Association’s Real Property Law Section. Ballesteros lectures for the Stanford Law School Trial Advocacy program, has taught Real Estate Principles at De Anza College, is a member of the American Inns of Court, and has been selected multiple times as a ’Super Lawyer’ by San Francisco Magazine.

A member of the board of trustees of the Silicon Valley Campaign for Legal Services, a charitable organization which raises funds to provide legal services to local underrepresented populations, Ballesteros also is proud to have served on the board of trustees of the Mexican Heritage Corporation, a nonprofit committed to the celebration and preservation of the art and culture of Mexico and host of the annual San Jose Mexican Heritage and Mariachi Festival. For years he has coached the highly accomplished Mountain View High School Mock Trial Team.