Attorney Mark S. Lester

Mark S. Lester

Managing Partner

Mark Lester has been a professional liability and general civil trial lawyer for over 30 years. He has jury trial verdicts in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Inyo Counties as well as Clark County, Nevada. With over 20 years of big law firm experience before starting Lester & Cantrell, he has handled cases for clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to local small business and professional service firms. Mark is AV-Preeminent rated and an experienced trial lawyer with membership in American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). He is also one of the very few attorneys in California who has been certified as a specialist in Legal Malpractice Law by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. 

Representation of Professionals

Mark devotes a substantial portion of his practice to the representation of attorneys, law firms and other professionals in claims based upon theories of malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud and misrepresentation, breach of contract, unfair business practices and others. He has tried both jury and non-jury matters for sole practitioners and large law firms and other professional service firms. Additionally, he has conducted binding contractual arbitrations of such disputes and participated in countless mediations and other negotiations of such claims both before and after commencement of litigation. From time to time, Mark also provides consultation and expert testimony with respect to professional responsibility, standard of care and reasonable fee issues pertaining to attorneys. He has testified at numerous arbitrations and trial proceedings.

General Civil Practice

Mark also handles matters involving private business, industry and individuals in commercial, corporate and real estate matters; property and casualty claims; landowners and operators; product liability matters; and construction related claims in both public and private works of improvement. He has tried cases in many California counties as well as outside the state.

Bar Admissions

  • U.S. District Court Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of California

 

Certified Legal Specialties

  • Legal Malpractice Law, California Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of CA, 2011

 

Honors and Awards

  • AV-Preeminent Rated
  • Certified specialist in Legal Malpractice Law by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization

 

Education

  • University of San Diego School of Law, San Diego, California J.D.
  • Law Review: Member, 1984 – 1985
  • University of California, San Diego, California (B.A. – 1982)
    Major: English/American Literature

Classes & Seminars

  • Risk Management, Liability Avoidance and Mitigation for Lawyers and Law Firms- presentations to clients and prospective clients
  • Adjunct Professor, Cal State University San Bernardino
  • Top Ten Legal Malpractice Mistakes, Provisors, 2014
  • Twenty Quick Tips to Avoid E&O Claims, Ahern Insurance Brokers, 2013

Professional Associations

  • American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Associate member, 2005 – Present
  • ABOTA Foundation Member – (2014 – present)
  • ABA Lawyers Professional Liability Consortium , Member, 2011 – Present
  • State Bar of California, Committee on Professional Liability Insurance – Member – 2004 to 2011
  • Association of Southern California Defense Counsel – Member 1988 – 2006; Board Member 2003 – 2005
  • Riverside County Bar Association – Member – 1994 – Present
  • San Bernardino County Bar Association – Member – 2010 – Present
  • Pro Bono Public Counsel, 1988 – 1993

Call: 951-300-2690

1770 Iowa Avenue, Suite 110, Riverside, CA 92507

2700 Newport Blvd., Suite 184, Newport Beach, CA 92663.

Office Hours

Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.

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