Stephen M. Caine

Stephen M. Caine is a partner in Freeman Mathis & Gary's Los Angeles - Downtown office. 

For over 30 years, Stephen Caine’s practice has focused on the representation of clients in the appellate and trial courts, primarily in the defense of professional liability claims (primarily architects, engineers, attorneys, accountants, doctors, nurses, and other licensed professionals), commercial and corporate litigation, homeowners’ association liability, civil RICO claims, insurance "bad faith" actions, toxic exposure claims including asbestos litigation and California's "Prop. 65," and general liability tort claims, all in both state and federal courts.

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California

United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

United States District Court, Central, Eastern, Southern, Northern Districts of California

• Cassel v. Superior Court (2013) 51 Cal.4^th 113:  Successfully obtained reversal of adverse rulings by the trial court and Court of Appeal regarding the admissibility of mediation communications offered in professional liability action.  The California Supreme Court rules that California’s mediation confidentiality statutes are to be applied broadly, and that all mediation communications are inadmissible and not subject to discovery.
• Baudino v. SCI California Funeral Services, Inc. (2008) 169 Cal.App.4th 773:  Obtained summary judgment for commercial client against allegations of fraud, unfair business practices, and violation of federal pricing and consumer notice guidelines (16 Code Fed. Reg. §§ 453.1 – 453.9), and obtained affirmance of the summary judgment on appeal.
• Brutocao v. The Hunt Club Community Assoc. (G037266) 2008 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 1717: Defended homeowners’ association against claims of fraud and breach of fiduciary duties established in homeowners’ association CCRs when homeowner alleged he was treated unequally in Board’s decision regarding design of common area amenities.
• Furla v. Jon Douglas Co. (1998) 65 Cal.App.4^th 1069:  Defended real estate agent in dispute over erroneous appraisal and claimed misrepresentations arising from inconsistent standards for measuring the square footage of houses under California law.  Incomplete release language in a form real estate purchase contract creates liability for misrepresentations by real estate professionals during sale negotiations that would normally be barred in a properly drafted contract.

• American Bar Association
• Association of Southern California Defense Counsel, and a member of its Amicus Committee
• Defense Research Institute
• Los Angeles County Bar Association, and its Appellate Courts Committee

• Southern California Super Lawyers (2012-2014)

• Beverly Hills Bar Association Luncheon: Mediation Confidentiality in California – Is Legislative Action Needed? (May. 24, 2012)