rfeldhake@far-law.com
(949) 705-8559

Areas of Practice:

• Civil Litigation
• Insurance
• Public Agency Representation
• Business Dispute Resolution
• Alternative Dispute Resolution

Admitted to Practice:

United States Supreme Court (1988)
United States Tax Court (1990)
United States Court of Claims (1998)
State of California (1982)
State of Illinois (1979)
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (1984)
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals (1982)
Central District of California (1982)
Northern District of California (1984)
Southern District of California (1987)
Northern District of Illinois (1979)

Bar Admissions:

Illinois, 1979 California, 1982 U.S. District Court Central District of California, 1982 U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 1984 U.S. District Court Southern District of California, 1987 U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 1979 U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1982 U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1984 U.S. Court of Federal Claims, 1998 U.S. Tax Court, 1990 U.S. Supreme Court, 1988

Education:

DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, Illinois, 1979 J.D.
Honors: Bureau of National Affairs & DePaul Univ. Award for Scholastic Achievement
Honors: Phi Alpha Delta
Honors: American Jurisprudence Award – Constitutional Law
Honors: American Jurisprudence Award – Administrative Law
Honors: American Jurisprudence Award – Trade Practices Law
Honors: American Jurisprudence Award – Conflicts of Law
Honors: American Jurisprudence Award – Corporations
Honors: Chairperson, Moot Court Board
Honors: Member, National Moot Court Team
Honors: Class Rank: Upper 5%
Honors: Member, Moot Court Society
Honors: First Place, DePaul Moot Court Competition
Honors: Research Assistant, Antitrust Law
Honors: Research Assistant, Commercial Speech and the First Amendment

Augustana College, Illinois, 1976
B.A.
Honors: Cum Laude
Honors: Phi Beta Kappa
Honors: Who’s Who of American College and University Students
Honors: National Debate Tournament 1974, 1975, 1976
Honors: 1st Place Individual Speaker Honors, 1976
Honors: 3rd Place Team Honors, 1976
Honors: National Debate Tournament 1975, 2nd Place Individual Speaker Honors
Honors: National Debate Tournament, 9th Place Team Honors
Honors: National Debate Tournament 1974, 2nd Place Team Honors
Honors: Dean’s Lists
Honors: AKROS Honor Society
Major:  Political Science
Major:  History
Major:  Communication

Papers Presented/Published Works:

“Association Certification Debate”
Paper presented to the American Society of Trial Consultants National Convention, Memphis, Tennessee, 2004.

“School Law Issues in California”
Lecture – National Business Institute Program
Anaheim, California 1998

“Co-Curricular and Extra-Curricular High School Program Liabilities”
Paper presented to the Speech Communication Association National
Convention, San Diego, California, 1996

“Hindsight Bias in Jury Decision Making”
Paper presented to the American Society of Trial Consultants National Convention,
New Orleans, Louisiana, 1993

“Requisites for Law School and Preparation as a Legal Consultant”
Presented to the Western Communication Association
Sacramento, California, 1990

“A Critique of Communications, Sociology and Psychology Research”
Paper presented to the Speech Communication Association Convention
Denver, Colorado, 1985

“Jury Selection and Communication Variables”
Paper presented to the National Conference on Communication and the Legal Arena, sponsored by the Speech Communication Association, The American Forensic Association and the University of Arizona, 1983: Published in Communication Skills and the Practice of Lawyering, (Crawford and Matlon. Annandale, Virginia, 1984)

“Evaluation of Communication Theory and Applicability to the Practice of Law”
Program sponsored by the Speech Communication Association’s Commission on Communication and the Law, Chicago, Illinois, 1984

“Undergraduate Curriculum and Law School Performance”
Paper presented to the Western Communication Association Convention, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1983

Classes/Seminars Taught:

Lecturer, Pre-Law Society, California State University, Fullerton, 1989 – 1996

Lecturer, “Communication and the Law,” University of Southern California, 1987

Lecturer, “Communication and the Legal Arena,” California State University, Fullerton, 1987 – 1996

Lectures, “School Law Issues in California,” National Business Institute Program, Anaheim, CA, 1998

Presenter, “Hindsight Bias in Jury Decision Making,” American Society of Trial Consultants National Convention, New Orleans, LA, 1993

Presenter, “Requisites for Law School and Preparation as a Legal Consultant,” Western Communication Association, Sacramento, CA, 1990

Presenter, “A Critique of Communications, Sociology and Psychology Research,” Speech Communication Association Convention, Denver, CO, 1985

Presented to the National Conference on Communication & the Legal Arena, “Jury Selection and Communication Variables,” The American Forensic Association and the University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 1985

Presenter, “Evaluation of Communication Theory and Applicability to the Practice of Law,” Speech Communication Association’s Commission on Communication and the Law, Chicago, IL, 1984

Presenter, “Undergraduate Curriculum and Law School Performance,” Western Communication Association Convention, Albuquerque, NM, 1983

Professional Associations and Memberships:

American Bar Association/YLD National Law Explorer Moot Court Competition, 1985, 1986Regional Director

Orange County Bar Association Member

Los Angeles County Bar Association Member

Illinois State Bar Association Member

American Bar Association Member

California Bar Association Member

Business Trial Lawyers AssociationMember

National School Boards AssociationMember

Council of School AttorneysMember

eFunds CorporationMember, Board of Directors. 1995-2001

eFunds CorporationChairperson, Compensation Committee. 1998-1999

eFunds Corporation, 1995 – 1999Member, Audit, Capital Formation and Policies-Procedures Committees

eFunds Corporation, 2000 – 2001General Counsel

The Huntington Company, 2000 – 2003Member, Board of Directors, President

Merchant House, 1989 – 1992Member, Board of Directors

National Debate Tournament Board of Trustees, 1996 – 2000Chairperson, NDT Alumni Committee

Pacific National Bank, 1989 – 1994Member, Board of Directors, Audit Committee and Senior Loan Committee

Pacific National Bank, 1990 – 1993General Counsel

Platt College, 1996 – 1997Member, Advisory Committee for College Paralegal Studies

Talicor, Inc., 1996 – 2003Member, Board of Directors

9 Alarm 1 Security Corporation, 1992 – 2003Member, Board of Directors

Excel Communications, Inc., 2001 – 2003Member, Board of Directors and General Counsel

Plaza Bank, 2005 – 2009Chairperson, Board of Directors; Chairperson, Committee Member

Check Site, Inc., 2000 – March 6, 2014Board of Directors

Business Controls, Inc., 2000 – 2009Board of Directors

President, Board of DirectorsSilver Oaks at Westridge2012 – 2014

Awards

1993-2026 Martindale-Hubbell Award for Highest Possible Rating of AC Preeminent in Legal Ability & Ethical Standards Rated AV Preeminent for 33 Consecutive Years

Past Employment Positions:

William Millard, Santa Ana, CA, Personal Counsel, 1988 – 1990

Musick, Peeler & Garrett, Partner, Litigation Department, 1984 – 1988

Lord, Bissell & Brook, Los Angeles, CA, 1982 – 1984

Hinshaw & Culbertson, Chicago, IL, 1979 – 1982