Saleem K. Erakat

Saleem K. Erakat

Senior Trial Attorney
Location:
Santa Ana, California
Phone:
714-241-4444
888-284-0809 (Toll Free)
Fax:
714-241-4445
Email:

Saleem K. Erakat is a Senior Attorney with extensive litigation experience on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants.  Mr. Erakat has represented pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, as well as automobile manufacturers in defending catastrophic personal injury cases.  He has also represented individuals in personal injury claims against premises owners, industrial machinery manufacturers and public entities, as well as in employment claims for harassment, discrimination and retaliation.  Mr. Erakat also has experience in complex business litigation matters.   Representative clients include a corporation being sued by former employees for benefits related to sale of the corporation, minority shareholders in a shareholder derivative lawsuit, and an appraisal management company in litigation brought by the FDIC related to the collapse of a national bank.

Saleem K. Erakat has been a civil litigator since passing the California Bar exam in 2004. Mr. Erakat received his undergraduate degree in both History and Economics from U.C. Davis.  He received his J.D. from U.C. Hastings, where he served as the Managing Editor of the Hastings International and Comparative Law Review.  Throughout his career, Mr. Erakat has successfully litigated and resolved cases for his clients, including successfully arguing for and defending against multiple motions for summary judgment, and being an integral part of successful trial teams on multi-million dollar disputes.

Mr. Erakat has also previously been active in his community, serving as a board member of the Youth Employment Services of the Harbor/Mesa Area, helping youth age 16 to 22 to get the skills to find and keep a job, as well as learning money management.  Mr. Erakat is currently a board member of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, working to protect civil rights, promote mutual understanding and preserve the cultural heritage of the Arab American community.

Areas of Practice

  • Catastrophic Personal Injury and Wrongful Death
  • Complex Business Litigation
  • Products Liability
  • Employment
  • Commercial Disputes
  • Fraud and Unfair Competition

Litigation Percentage

  • 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

  • California, 2004
  • U.S. District Court Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of California
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of California
  • Supreme Court of California
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of California

Education

  • University of California, Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco, California
    • J.D. - May, 2004
    • Major: Civil Litigation Concentration
  • University of California at Davis
    • B.A. - 2001

Published Works

  • Reconciling Song-Beverly and Commercial Warranty Provisions, Daily Journal, 2012

Honors and Awards

  • Wiley W. Manuel Certificate for Pro Bono Legal Services, 2011

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • State Bar of California
  • American Bar Association
  • Orange County Bar Association, 2008 - Present

Past Employment Positions

  • K&L Gates, LLP, Litigation Associate, 2012 - 2014
  • Snell & Wilmer, LLP, Litigation Associate, 2008 - 2012
  • Haight, Brown & Bonesteel, LLP, Associate, 2006 - 2008
  • Low, Ball & Lynch, LLP, Associate, 2005 - 2006

Languages

  • Arabic
  • Spanish
  • English (Primary)