Attorneys

Lauren E. Tate

Lauren Tate is the owner of Tate & Associates founded in 2003.  Ms. Tate has more than 30 years experience representing hospitals, pharmacies and physicians in medical malpractice cases and a variety of clients in personal injury cases with an emphasis on premises liability. Ms. Tate uses the skills developed from working with health care providers and medical experts to focus on damage and causation issues through effective use of treating physician depositions and expert witnesses which gives her client a distinct advantage in defending cases and reducing damages.

Mediation Services

Lauren has mediated all types of civil cases since 2012.  As the majority of her legal practice was defense representation, she speaks with credibility to defense counsel and claims professionals whose jobs are to assess and manage risk.  Lauren’s strength is connecting with the parties and earning their trust so they can listen to opposing positions.  She is particularly skilled at maintaining control of negotiations, managing expectations, and reaching settlements in emotionally charged cases, and makes sure the parties feel empowered and stay committed to resolution. Lauren’s extensive experience with medical malpractice cases enables her to understand and discuss complex medical and causation issues which facilitates resolution in personal injury cases.  With a strong belief in the power of the mediation, Lauren brings to bear her extensive legal experience, emotional intelligence, warmth, and professionalism to create an atmosphere in which all of the necessary legal and non-legal issues are addressed and cases are resolved.  Lauren is a member of the Mediation Society, the mediation panels in Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin Counties, and is a Settlement Conference Officer in San Francisco.  Lauren was honored to be named the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association Distinguished Mediator in 2021.

Education

Mediation Training

Mediation Award

San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association - Distinguished Mediator 2021

Court ADR Program Panelist

Membership

The Mediation Society, Alameda and Contra Costa County Bar Association, Queen's Bench

Rachel H. Leonard

Rachel H. Leonard has over eleven years of litigation experience and specializes in defending clients in all aspects of premises liability and medical malpractice litigation representing retailed businesses, hospitals and other healthcare providers. Ms. Leonard's experience includes representing mechanical contractors, flooring and ship decking contractors, car manufacturers, and product manufacturers in asbestos litigation, as well as handling all aspects of auto accident insurance defense cases. Ms. Leonard formerly served as a prosecutor for the Contra Costa District Attorney's office where she personally tried numerous criminal jury trials to verdict. In addition to her trial experience, Ms. Leonard has considerable experience in law and motion practice, including targeted and successful motions for summary judgment, depositions, discovery, oral argument, settlement conferences, mediations, and arbitrations.  

Ms. Leonard's significant litigation experience enables her to efficiently identify the strengths and weaknesses of each case and realistically evaluate damages. Her considerable trial experience enables her to recognize which cases are appropriate for trial and which should be resolved.

Education and Bar Admissions

Memberships

Contra Costa Bar Association

Awards and Recognitions

2016 Northern California Rising Star

2017 Northern California Rising Star

Maria Zeyrek

Ms. Zeyrek has practiced law in California since January 1997.  She spent many years as a defense attorney with midsize to large law firms before moving in-house with a Fortune 100 company. She has handled litigation matters involving claims of moderate to high levels of complexity.  Her commercial general liability matters have included automobile and heavy truck accident cases, product liability claims, as well as slip/trip and fall matters. Ms. Zeyrek has also defended against high value construction defect and construction site injury lawsuits. Given her interest in science and medicine, she spent her early years defending companies in toxic tort, CERCLA, groundwater contamination, "sick" building, Proposition 65, and other traditional environmental tort matters as well as claimant representation in Social Security Disability matters.

Ms. Zeyrek has developed her skills throughout the years to ensure effective and efficient representation of her clients.  She believes that early case assessment is vital to a strong defense.  She has successfully resolved lawsuits through arbitration, summary judgment/adjudication, and negotiated settlement. 

Education