Michael J. Gleason is an AV-rated trial and appellate lawyer with over 20 years of experience handling key areas of business litigation, including consumer class action defense, California’s Proposition 65, product liability, fraud, real estate, escrow, and title insurance. He serves as Partner-in-Charge of Hahn Loeser’s San Diego office, is founder of the firm’s Proposition 65 defense group, and a member of the San Diego Litigation Team, which is ranked among the Top Tier Practices by Chambers USA.

Mike has litigated jury and bench trials to successful outcomes throughout California. He presented oral argument before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, as well as the Second, Fourth, and Fifth Appellate Districts of the State of California and has also briefed matters before the California Supreme Court. He represents businesses in a wide range of industries, including escrow, title insurance, real estate, food, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas, entertainment, and consumer credit. Mike has also represented non-profit trade associations including the California Land Title Association and the American Land Title Association.

Mike volunteers on the Board of Directors of San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program, which provides pro bono legal services to vulnerable San Diego County residents, including the homeless, abused children, domestic violence victims, elder abuse victims, veterans, immigrants and those living with HIV/AIDS. Mike also regularly volunteers at the Feeding America warehouse sorting food with his children and has actively participated in Feeding San Diego’s annual “Food from the Bar” competition between law offices for the past seven years. Mike has volunteered as a coach for his son’s basketball team for the past three seasons.

Accolades

• Held v. LBH National Corporation, California Superior Court, County of Orange, No. BC580791, in which Mike successfully represented a real estate brokerage by defeating a motion seeking certification of a class alleging claims based on breach of fiduciary duty and violations of California’s Unfair Competition Law, Bus. & Prof. Code 17200.
• Pifer v. Pifer, California Court of Appeal, Fourth District, 2018 WL 5833257, in which after Mike obtained the dismissal of all claims asserted against corporate directors and officers, he successfully argued before the appellate court to affirm the judgment.
• Dierenfield v. Commonwealth Land Title Company, California Court of Appeal, Fourth District, 2018 WL 4178510, in which after Mike obtained the dismissal of a putative class action against his escrow company client, he successfully argued before the appellate court to affirm the judgment.
• NNN Parkway Corporate Plaza B v. Hirschler Fleischer, APC, Court of Appeal of California, Fourth Appellate District, 2017 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 1927, in which Mike successfully argued before a California Appellate Court to affirm a dismissal obtained for his escrow client.
• Hutton v. Fidelity National Title Company, Superior Court of California, Kern County, 213 Cal. App. 4th 486, in which Mike successfully argued before a California Appellate Court to affirm a summary judgment obtained for his escrow client in a class action.
• Bergman v. Fidelity National Financial, United States District Court, Central District of California, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 171334, in which Mike obtained summary judgment in proposed RESPA national class action.
• Henson v. Fidelity National Financial, United States District Court, Central District of California, 300 F.R.D. 413, in which Mike successfully opposed class certification in proposed RESPA nation-wide class which was subsequently dismissed.
• Kingsberry v. Chicago Title Insurance Company, United States District Court, Western District of Washington, 258 F.R.D. 668, in which Mike obtained a denial of class certification in a proposed state-wide class against a title insurer.
• Villanueva v. Fidelity National Title Company, Superior Court of California, Santa Clara County, No. 1-10-CV-173356, in which after successfully eliminating claims and certain class allegations via motion practice, Mike was part of a trial team that defeated plaintiff’s claims seeking over $35 million, which was subsequently reviewed by the California Supreme Court given the importance of the case.
• Shiloh Mission Baptist Church, Inc. v. Fantroy, California Superior Court, Los Angeles County, No. 20STCV01460, in which Mike served as lead counsel in a nine-day jury trial and obtained a complete defense verdict on quiet title and tort claims asserted against a nonprofit corporation and its chief executive officer.
• Beasley v. Subco Foods, Inc., California Superior Court, San Mateo County, No. 19CIV03681, in which Mike served as lead counsel in obtaining a dismissal for his client based on food labelling allegations.
• Han Realty Corp. Bank of America, Court of Appeal of California, Second Appellate District, 2019 WL 1594020, in which Mike successfully argued before the appellate court to confirm the dismissal of real estate claims he secured on behalf of a title insurer.
• Overland Direct, Inc. v. Tepper, California Superior Court, Los Angeles County, No. LC105742, in which Mike obtained a dismissal of all quiet title and tort claims alleged against his lender client.
• Overland Direct, Inc. v. LOA Investments, LLC, California Superior Court, Los Angeles County, No. B630343, in which Mike obtained a dismissal of all quiet title and tort claims alleged against his property/business owner client.
• Canyon Vineyard Estates I, LLC v. John Paul DeJoria, et al., California Supreme Court, No. S274548, in which Mike represented the California Land Title Association and American Land Title Association as amicus before the California Supreme Court.

• Michael J. Gleason Named as a Top 50 Influential Leader by San Diego Daily Transcript
  September 05, 2019
• Hahn Loeser’s Partner-In-Charge in San Diego Voted on to Volunteer Lawyer Program’s Board of Directors
  April 25, 2019
• Hahn Loeser Attorneys Selected as Top Lawyers
  March 29, 2017
• Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP Attorneys Listed as “San Diego Rising Stars” in 2016 Super Lawyers
  January 01, 2016
• 3 Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP Attorneys Listed as “San Diego Rising Stars” in 2015 Super Lawyers
  February 16, 2015
• “Hahn Loeser & Parks opens new office in San Diego, seventh one overall”
  March 06, 2012
• Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP Expands to West Coast; Opens Office in San Diego
  March 01, 2012
• Fifteen Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP Attorneys Named Ohio Rising Stars in 2011
  January 25, 2011
• 17 Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP Attorneys Named Ohio Rising Stars in 2010
  January 20, 2010
• Rocco I. Debitetto, Kevin P. Fularczyk and Michael J. Gleason Join Partnership at Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP
  January 05, 2010

• Author

  California’s Proposition 65: Proposed Amendment Would Restrict Use Of Short-Form Warning

  August 23, 2021
• Author

  California’s Proposition 65: New Requirements for Alcoholic Beverages Purchased Over the Internet or Through Mobile Apps Effective April 1, 2021

  February 01, 2021
• Author

  California’s Proposition 65: New Requirements Effective August 2018

  May 18, 2018