Zemanek & Mills holds an A-V rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, the highest rating for both legal skills and ethical standards.
The firm prides itself on being legal and business counselors in the fullest sense. Personal attention from the two members is foremost.
The firm strategizes with its clients to determine the clients’ goals and to devise the best method of achieving those goals.
John D. Zemanek
Mr. Zemanek has practiced in Los Angeles since his admission to the bar in 1977. His practice encompasses a broad range of litigation and business matters. He prides himself on his listening skills, bringing understanding, empathy and creativity to each new client and each new matter. He customizes his approach to fit each client’s business, goals and priorities. Drawing on more than forty years of legal experience, a zest for the art of legal persuasion, and work habits steeped in old-fashioned persistence and hard work, he has crafted an enviable string of successes in the courtroom and at the negotiating table.
Mr. Zemanek has extensive experience handling lawsuits and arbitrations in the fields of real estate, partnership disputes, construction, design professionals’ liability, easement and encroachment issues, leasing disputes, insurance matters, trade secrets, and intellectual property. His background includes numerous jury and court trials in state and federal courts, as well as appellate advocacy before the California court of appeals and the federal Ninth Circuit. On the transactional side, Mr. Zemanek handles planning, financing and development of commercial and residential real estate, including title issues, entitlement and land use questions, financing, acquisitions and dispositions, easements, CC&R’s, hazardous waste problems, construction contracts, construction loans, and operational issues including leasing and common area cost recovery.
Mr. Zemanek has particular expertise in the rapidly changing field of renewable energy, where several lines of legal know-how are converging in new ways, including regulatory law, environmental and administrative law, and zoning and land use regulation.
Mr. Zemanek speaks and writes regularly on issues of importance to his clients and his practice (see the “Blog” section on the menu).
Education
- JD., University of California, Berkeley
Boalt Hall School of Law, 1977 - BA., Pomona College, 1973
Magna Cum Laude
Affiliations
Admitted to practice: State of California, United States District Court, Central, Southern and Eastern Districts of California; Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
Committees and Memberships
- California Lawyers Association (Formerly Calif. State Bar) Litigation Section Member
- California Lawyers Association (Formerly Calif. State Bar) Real Property Law Section Member
- LACBA Litigation Section Member
- LACBA Real Estate Section Member
Stephan A. Mills
Since his admission to the bar in 1980, Mr. Mills has actively practiced law in Los Angeles. He brings a depth of experience to bear in a fairly broad range of practice areas, including sophisticated business and real estate litigation and transactional matters, trust litigation, insurance law (including insurance insolvency) and education law matters. On the litigation side, his practice involves handling trials, arbitrations, mediations and appellate work, having established an important appellate precedent in CD Investment v. CIGA, 84 Cal.App.4th 1410 (2000). On the transactional side, it involves handling the financing, acquisition, sales and development of commercial and residential real estate, as well as leasing.
Mr. Mills prides himself on remaining current on the constantly changing law in his practice areas, and on being able to act as both a seasoned counselor and a strong advocate for the firm’s clients. This involves actively listening to the client, mapping out a well-considered strategy that meets the client’s true goals and objectives and then applying focus, creativity, and drive in making them a reality. He remains dedicated to practicing law as a hands-on craft, cognizant of the fact that the matters being handled have a profound effect on the client’s future.
Mr. Mills has actively participated in federal, state and county planning
processes focused on renewable energy issues, and he has developed a deep
understanding as to how environmental, land use and administrative law can
be effectively brought to bear in those arenas.
Mr. Mills has authored articles on a variety of legal topics (see the “Blog” section of this webpage). He is also an experienced public speaker, and has made presentations about legal topics to a number of conferences and organizations. Most recently, he made a presentation at the Annual 2017 Professional Fiduciaries Association of California Educational Conference in San Francisco, entitled, “A Professional Fiduciary’s Field Guide For Minimizing Potential Legal Liability.”
Education
- JD., University of California Los Angeles School of Law — 1980
- BA., University of California, Irvine — 1977
Cum Laude
Affiliations
Admitted to practice: State of California, United States District Court, Central
Committees and Memberships
- California Lawyers Association (Formerly Calif. State Bar) Litigation Section Member
- Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA)