Practice Areas: State, Local & Municipal, Personal Injury
Licensed in California since: 1992
Education: University of Southern California Gould School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2012 - 2015 Cole Huber LLP
2855 E Guasti RdSuite 402
Ontario, CA 91761 Phone: 909-230-4209 Email: Karen A. Feld Visit website
Details
Karen Feld has almost 30 years of experience representing public entities including cities, school districts, charter schools, and public transit agencies in municipal, transactional, CEQA, eminent domain, civil rights, and general litigation. She has jury and court trial experience in civil and criminal matters. Ms. Feld is an administrative law judge for the MRCA and the City of Anaheim.
Ms. Feld gives MCLE presentations on Ethics, CEQA, Brown Act, Government Claims Act and Municipal Law.
First Admitted: 1992, California
Professional Webpage: https://colehuber.com/attorneys/karen-a-feld/
Bar/Professional Activity:
- Black belt - Tae Kwon Do
- Represented the United States in the FINA World Masters Championships, South Korea (swimming), 2019
- 2010-2015 President and Board Member of the Inland Empire Legal Association of Women., 2015
- Represented the United States in the FINA World Masters Championships, Hungary (swimming), 2017
- Represented the United States in the FINA World Masters Championships, Montreal (swimming), 2014
- All American Swimmer - USMS All American Swimmer - 1998, 1999, 1996
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):
- Wrongful death case resulting from a man in a wheelchair falling in a bus and hitting his head. Admitted liability.Demand was $5m. Verdict of $1.2m., 2017
- Plaintiffs claimed they were injured when the bus ran them off the road. Defense verdict. , 2015
- Represented City in a CEQA action brought by a resident who opposed an ordinance which prohibited development which obstructed views of ridgelines and significant hillsides, 2010
- Trip and fall on a college campus. Disputed liability, meds were $15,000 with a spinal fusion estimate at $164,000. Demand was $1.5m. Settled for $25,000. , 2017
- Defensed a rear ender case with a $3m demand - involved the use of medical factoring., 2013
- Bus passenger claimed she was injured when the bus braked too hard. Defense verdict. , 2017
- Represented City in a CEQA action brought by another City challenging the incorporation of the City. Defense judgment. , 2011
- Bus turned left in front of an oncoming motorcycle. The motorcyclist sustained serious injuries and the hospital bill was $1.8m. Settled for $385,000. , 2016
- Published appellate case: Curry v. Rialto Unified School District (1993) 20 Cal.App.4th 180: Ms. Feld successfully represented the Rialto USD. The court held that the school district could seek recovery from the tortfeasor's parents., 1993
- Represented plaintiff in a eal estate dispute over the purchase and sale of an investment property. Verdict for plaintiff. , 2017
- Plaintiff fell out of her seat while holding a baby when the bus driver braked hard. Defense verdict. , 2015
- Defended paratransit company who was sued when a disabled men fell out of a wheelchair and broke his hip. Admitted liability. Demand for punitive damages and elder abuse. Demand was $6.3m at binding arbitration. Award was $700,000., 2016
- Received jury verdict below real estate expert's Statement of Valuation in an eminent domain case - San Bernardino Redevelopment Agency v. Infinite State, 2008
Transactions:
- Eminent domain (pre-litigation and litigation) of a group of properties in the City of El Centro for the widening of La Brucherie Avenue. , 2017
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Director of the San Bernardino City Library Foundation, 2011
- Board member - USC Second Decade Society, 2015
- US Olympic Marathon Trials – responsible for elite athletes on the course., 2016
- President and Co-founder of IE LAW, the first women's lawyers group in the Inland Empire, 2009
- Board Member - Operation Safehouse (teen homeless shelter). I host an annual holiday dinner and pass out backpacks for every resident. I also provide 50 backpacks with school supplies and blankets for orphans in Mexico every summer. , 2015
- Special Olympics World Games, responsible for Michael Phelps and other dignitaries., 2016
- Board of Directors, Operation Safehouse, a teen homeless shelter, 2012
- International Weightlifting Foundation Championships, responsible for anti-doping., 2017
Honors/Awards:
- Selected as one of six brief graders in the country to grade the National Black Law Students Association national competition, National Black Law Students Association, 2011
- Administrative Hearing Officer for the City involving TOT ordinances, taxation, hotel regulations, Air BNB's, timeshares. , Administrative Hearing Officer, City of Anaheim, 2018
- Selected as a Woman of Distinction for the 40th Assembly District, California Woman of Distinction, California Assemblymember James Ramos, 2019
- Hearing Officer for the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, Administrative Hearing Officer, 2012
- 2012-2017 Los Angeles Magazine’s Top Women Attorneys in Southern California 2013-2015 California Super Lawyer 2011 Daily Journal’s California Top Women Lawyers 2012-2015 Los Angeles Magazine’s Top Attorneys in Southern California 2016-2018 Daily Journal author (monthly article on municipal law issues), Top Women Attorneys in Southern California, Los Angeles Magazine's, 2017
Educational Background:
- University of Southern California Law School, 1992
- University of California, Riverside, 1989
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- Presentation on how to investigate claims, what to look for. , Speaker, Investigation and Litigation, Claims Adjusters, TPA's, 2019
- The value of a good investigation after an accident. , Speaker, Accident Reporting - Mass Transit, Omnitrans, Transit Agencies, 2018
- How to avoid sexual harassment claims and how to prevent bullying. , Speaker, Sexual harassment and Bullying Prevention, Monterey Airport Authority, Employers, Public Entities, 2018
- The value of diversity in the legal profession and how to manage the lifestyle. , Speaker, Diversity in the Legal Profession, University of La Verne, Law Students, 2018
- How to investigate slip and fall claims., Speaker, Slip and Falls, Public Entities, 2019
- Discussion of important agreement in redevelopment law including ERNs, DDA, and OPA's., co-author, Important Agreements in Redevelopment Law, Redevelopment, 2006
- A review of the Medicare Secondary Payer Act, how to protect your clients from statutory liens. , Author, Medicare Secondary Payer Act: Personal Liability Cases, Daily Journal, Defense, 2020
- Summary of new laws in 2019, Author, Several New Laws Took Effect on January 1, California Municipal Law Blog, Public Entities, 2019
- The California Supreme Court issued a very favorable ruling in favor of police agencies on August 13, 2018. In an unanimous opinion, the Court ruled that a police department that requires ALL of the officers to certify that they have read and understood the vehicle-pursuit policy can claim immunity even if all its members failed to sign. Ramirez v. City of Gardena (2018) S244549., Author, California Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Police in a Pursuit Accident Case, California Municipal Law Blog, Law Enforcement, Public Entities, 2018
- New legislation (SB 126, Education Code Section 47604.1) will require charter schools to follow the same state guidelines on public records (California Public Records Act), open meetings (Brown Act), conflicts of interest (Political Reform Act of 1974, Government Code 1090) that apply to public schools. Charter board members are also prohibited from voting on contracts where they have a financial stake., Author, New Legislation Holds Charter Schools to Same Standards at Public Schools, Daily Journal, Education, Charter Schools, 2019
- A review of changes to Title IX in light of the new White House directives., Co-Author, Changes to Title IX Enforcement, Daily Journal, Higher Education, Public Entities, 2019
- Lessons to be learned from the OCR Title IX investigation of George Tyndall, gynecologist of USC. How can public entities, specifically Higher Ed protect themselves in the future. , Author, Lessons Learned from the USC Title IX Investigation of George Tyndall, Daily Journal, Higher Education, Public Entities, 2020
- CEQA and Why the Kangaroo Rat Matters - an overview of CEQA laws, CEQA litigation and current trends. , Speaker, CEQA, Inland Empire Association Of Paralegals, 2012
- The dangers of giving references in employment situations., Speaker, References and the Defamation Trap, National Business Institute, Employers, 2003
- Update on the current factoring law., Author, Howell and Uninsured Plaintiffs, California Municipal Law Blog, 2015
- How college campuses have handled controversial speakers., Author, Controversial Campus Speakers, Daily Journal, 2017
- Primer on mass transit funding. , Author, Mass Transit Funding is More Complex than You Think, Daily Journal, 2017
- The effect of case law changing the "date of separation" and how that affects employers. , Author, A Brief Detour into Family Law – Date of Separation, California Municipal Law Blog, 2016
- Overview of factoring in personal injury cases. , Author, Hanif, Howell, and Medical Factoring in Personal Injury Lawsuits, California Municipal Law Blog, 2015
- Update on sex offender city ordinances. , Author, Sexual Offender Ordinances, California Municipal Law Blog, 2014
- Ethics in the Legal Profession , Speaker, Ethics, Western Bar Association / University of La Verne, 2012
- Discussion of CANRA laws., Author, Child Abuse Records and Strict Confidentiality, Daily Journal, 2016
- Overview of the PUC funded electric charging program available to public entities. , Author, PUC Funded Charging Stations are Here, but Not for Long, Daily Journal, 2016
- Update on drone regulations. , Author, Drone Regulations, Daily Journal, 2016
- Overview of a SLAPP Motion. , Author, How to Effectively SLAPP Back, California Municipal Law Blog, 2016
- Discussion of financial incentives that can increase development in local entities., co-author, Economic Development Incentives in California, 2007
Industry Groups:
- Education
- Public Entities
- Schools
- Transit Agencies
Office location for Karen A. Feld
2855 E Guasti Rd
Suite 402
Ontario, CA 91761
Selections
4 Years Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyers: 2012 - 2015