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Benedon & Serlin, LLP

United States 2025

General Information

Year founded: 1993
This is the year the firm (or its earliest predecessor entity) was founded.
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Overview

Content is provided by the firm.

Benedon & Serlin, LLP, a premier appellate litigation boutique, represents a wide variety of clients in both federal and state appellate and supreme courts. With decades of combined experience in appellate law and a strategic approach to complex legal challenges, we are experts in conducting appeals and trial consultations in various substantive legal areas. Whether appearing before the United States Supreme Court, the California Supreme Court, or any of the intermediate appellate courts, our team is proficient in handling all types of appeals and writ proceedings. We also conduct trial consultations, and assist trial counsel in preparing post-trial motions. We are strongly committed to providing exceptional legal representation and unwavering dedication to achieving results.

Rankings

Benedon & Serlin, LLP is nationally ranked in 1 practice areas and metro ranked in 1 practice areas. Best Law Firms rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process.

Read how Best Law Firms ranks firms

National Rankings

Tier 1
Tier 1 for Appellate Practice

Metro Rankings

Los Angeles
Tier 1 for Appellate Practice

About Our Clients

We specialize in representing clients in a wide range of substantive areas, such as employment, contracts, insurance, civil rights, torts, arbitration, anti-SLAPP, probate, real estate, bankruptcy, family law, construction law, and constitutional law.

Rankings

National Rankings

Tier 1
Tier 1 for Appellate Practice

Regional Rankings

Los Angeles
Tier 1 for Appellate Practice

Practice Areas

The below are areas of legal specialty volunteered by the firm and do not designate a specialty in which a Best Law Firms ranking is held.
  • Appellate Practice
  • Arbitration
  • Bankruptcy
  • Civil Rights
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Constitutional
  • Construction
  • Contract
  • Employment
  • Estate Planning
  • Family
  • Insurance
  • Probate
  • Professional Malpractice
  • Tort

Individuals Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®

Benedon & Serlin, LLP has 4 lawyers recognized for individual performance in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. By receiving this Best Lawyers recognition from their peers for their professional excellence, these lawyers made Benedon & Serlin, LLP eligible for evaluation for Best Law Firms rankings. For almost two decades, Best Lawyers has awarded these singular accolades, making them the foundation of our Best Law Firms awards. Read more about our Best Lawyers process here.
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Client Comments

All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.
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Awards

Awards are self-reported by firms and are not verified by the Best Law Firms rankings.
  • From 2019 onward, Benedon & Serlin, LLP received a National Tier 1 and a Los Angeles Metropolitan Tier 1 ranking in appellate practice by U.S. News & World Report 
  • Attorneys Gerald Serlin (2016 – 2025), Douglas Benedon (2021 – 2025), Judith Posner (2019 – 2025), Wendy Albers (2021 – 2024), and Melinda Ebelhar (2025) are recognized by Best Lawyers in America in appellate law by U.S. News & World Report 
  • Attorneys Gerald Serlin, Douglas Benedon, Judith Posner, Wendy Albers, Kelly Horwitz, and Melinda Ebelhar were selected as 2025 Southern California Super Lawyers in appellate law, and Kian Tamaddoni was selected to 2025 Rising Stars
  • Benedon & Serlin, LLP, in 2019, received the Best Boutique Appellate Firm in California by the New World Report Legal Elite Awards
  • Benedon & Serlin, LLP, in 2017, was recognized as the Best Appellate Litigation Firm in Los Angeles County by Acquisition International

Office Locations

Management and Personnel

Founding Attorney
Douglas G. Benedon
Founding Attorney (Current Managing Partner)
Gerald M. Serlin
Senior Attorney
Melinda W. Ebelhar
Associate
Drew Musto

Contacts

Founding Attorney (current Managing Partner)
Gerald M. Serlin 818-340-1950

Significant Matters

Below are matters chosen by the firm to highlight.

Appellate and Civil Procedure

Mechammil v. City of San Jacinto (9th Cir. 2016) 2016 WL 3619398

Wade v. Ports America Management (2013) 218 Cal.App.4th 648

Association For Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs v. Baca (Nov. 13, 2013, B238141) 2013 WL 6000970

8451 Melrose Property, LLC v. Akhtarzad (July 30, 2013, B237052) 2013 WL 3947144

Blue Water Sunset, LLC v. Markowitz (2011) 192 Cal.App.4th 477

Manco Contracting Co. v. Bezdikian (2008) 45 Cal.4th 192

Mendiondo v. Centinela Hospital Medical Center, et al. (9th Cir. 2008) 521 F.3d 1097

Baxter v. Peterson (2007) 150 Cal.App.4th 673

Davcon v. Roberts & Morgan (2003) 110 Cal.App.4th 1355

Reed v. Superior Court (2001) 92 Cal.App.4th 448

Great Western Casinos, Inc. v. Morongo Band of Mission Indians (1999) 74 Cal.App.4th 1407

Kolani v. Gluska (1998) 64 Cal.App.4th 402

Arbitration

Epsilon Electronics, Inc. v. L.A. Closeout (March 29, 2018, B278358) 2018 WL 1582482

Oshita v. Chazanas (March 7, 2018) 2018 WL 1179826

Racza v. J.K. Residential Services, Inc. (Jan. 12, 2017, B261079, B262807) 2017 WL 120901

Gastelum v. Remax International, Inc. (2016) 244 Cal.App.4th 1016

Ahdout v. Hekmatjah (2013) 213 Cal.App.4th 21

Currency Corporation v. Wertheim, LLC (May 20, 2011, B222851) 2011 WL 1902580

Bankruptcy

In re Flashcom, Inc. (9th Cir. BAP 2014) 2014 WL 4923073

In re Telluride Income Growth LP (10th Cir. BAP 2007) 364 B.R. 407

Constitutional Law

People v. Hajjaj (2010) 50 Cal.4th 1184

Tillison v. City of San Diego (9th Cir. 2005) 406 F.3d 1126

Construction Law

McMillin Albany LLC v. Superior Court (2018) 4 Cal.5th 241

Ahdout v. Hekmatjah (2013) 213 Cal.App.4th 21

Pacific Caisson & Shoring, Inc. v. Bernards Bros. Inc. (2011) 198 Cal.App.4th 681

Titan Electric Corp. v. Los Angeles Unified School Dist., et al. (2008) 160 Cal.App.4th 188

Glieberman v. Superior Court (Nov. 15, 2004, F045422) 2004 WL 2601205

Contract

Personal Court Reporters, Inc. v. Rand-Lewis (Aug. 1, 2017, B269507) 2017 WL 326173

Racza v. J.K. Residential Services, Inc. (Jan. 12, 2017, B261079, B262807) 2017 WL 120901

Santiago, Rodnunsky & Jones v. Spahl (Jan. 14, 2015, B254488) 2015 WL 176235

Employment and Agency

Riske v. Superior Court (2018) 22 Cal.App.5th 295

California Correctional Peace Officers Association v. Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (2017) 15 Cal.App.5th 647

Figueroa-Manjang v. Behroozan (Sept. 1, 2017) 2017 WL 3822005

Riske v. Superior Court (2016) 6 Cal.App.5th 647

Frawley v. Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Apr. 19, 2016, B254562) 2016 WL 1601801

Gordon v. City of Los Angeles (Feb. 11, 2016, B256995) 2016 WL 542397

Lafleur v. Woodbridge Structured Funding, LLC (Oct. 9, 2015, B258832) 2015 WL 5918199

Creswell v. Superior Court (Jun. 8, 2015, B264522)

Camarillo v. County of Los Angeles (Jan. 13, 2015, B252161) 2015 WL 154412

Kelly v. Ports America Management Corp. (Jan. 28, 2014, B242004) 2014 WL 176235

Miller v. City of Los Angeles (Oct. 14, 2014, B2455514) 2014 WL 5141656

Torres v. City of Los Angeles (Aug. 27, 2014, B248114) 2014 WL 4235967

Taylor v. City of Burbank (May 22, 2014, B242502) 2014 WL 2153762

Bakotich v. City of Los Angeles (Dec. 16, 2013, B239418) 2013 WL 6630910

Blackstone v. City of Los Angeles (Apr. 29, 2013, B 234664) 2013 WL 1790676

Burton v. City of Los Angeles (Feb. 18, 2010, B208451) 2010 WL 550157

Lima v. City of Los Angeles (Mar. 26, 2009, B202209) 2009 WL 782991

McDonald v. Antelope Valley Comm. College (2008) 45 Cal.4th 88

McGinest v. GTE Service Corp. (9th Cir. 2004) 360 F.3d 1103

Meyer v. Holley (2003) 537 U.S. 280 [123 S. Ct. 824, 154 L. Ed. 2d 753]

Rosenman v. Christensen, Miller, Fink, Jacobs, Glaser, Weil, & Shapiro (2001) 91 Cal.App.4th 859

Family Law

Slotkin v. Slotkin (Aug. 17, 2016, B262045) 2016 WL 4385069

Marriage of Csupo (March 27, 2013, B227959) 2013 WL 1021716

Marriage of Equils (Jun. 23, 2008, B198750) 2008 WL 248668

Marriage of Maytag (1994) 26 Cal.App.4th 1711

Insurance

Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. v. Brookfield Crystal Cove (2013) 219 Cal.App.4th 98

General Casualty Insurance v. W.C.A.B. (2005) 131 Cal.App.4th 345 (Depub. after denial of review)

Woodliff v. California Insurance Guarantee Association (2003) 110 Cal.App.4th 1690

Professional Negligence

Place v. Bernstein (Jul. 18, 2013, B236424) 2013 WL 3777256

Hanson v. Grode (1999) 76 Cal.App.4th 601

Pleasant v. Celli (1993) 18 Cal.App.4th 841

Anti-SLAPP Litigation

Daniel v. Wayans (2017) 8 Cal.App.5th 367, review granted May 10, 2017, S240704

Association For Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs v. County of Los Angeles (Oct. 10, 2016, B260584) 2016 WL 6072336

Roth v. Finestone (Feb. 16, 2016, B258822) 2016 WL 638657

Hebert v. Getty Images (US), Inc. (Feb. 8, 2016, B255762) 2016 WL 473280

Association For Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs v. Los Angeles Times Communications (2015) 239 Cal.App.4th 808

U.S. Bancorp Equipment Finances, Inc. v. McFetters (Nov. 3, 2010, G041929) 2010 WL 4337185

Torts and Civil Rights

Riske v. Superior Court (2018) 22 Cal.App.5th 295

Santos v. Los Angeles Unified School District (2017) 17 Cal.App.5th 1065

Riske v. Superior Court (2016) 6 Cal.App.5th 647

Fetters v. County of Los Angeles (2016) 243 Cal.App.4th 825

Moradzadeh v. Casiano-Bel Air Homeowners Ass’n (June 18, 2015, B252067) 2015 WL 3814357

Kim v. Pacifica Chemical, Inc. (Feb. 6, 2014, B244692) 2014 WL 470334

Bender v. County of Los Angeles (2013) 217 Cal.App.4th 968

Avila v. Continental (2008) 165 Cal.App.4th 1237

McNairy v. C.K. Realty (2007) 150 Cal.App.4th 1500

Huff v. Wilkins (2006) 138 Cal.App.4th 732

Espino v. White Consolidated Industries (Jan. 12, 2005, B164479) 2005 WL 2152343

Claxton v. Atlantic Richfield Co. (2003) 108 Cal.App.4th 327

Farnham v. City of Los Angeles (1998) 68 Cal.App.4th 1097

Probate and Estate Law

County Line Holdings, LLC v. McClanahan (2018) 22 Cal.App.5th 1067

Nifong v. Nozzi (July 17, 2017, B266982) 2017 WL 2729820

Gorlick v. Arouty (Sept. 6, 2016, B266867) 2016 WL 4613351

Estate of Greer (Feb. 9, 2016, E060888) 2016 WL 520275

Estate of Duke (2015) 61 Cal.4th 871

In re Papaz Family Trust (2010) 189 Cal.App.4th 1200

Estate of Odian (2006) 145 Cal.App.4th 152

Assistance at Trial Court Level

Meraz v. Candelario Valle (2017) (San Bernardino Superior Court Case No. CIVDS1507800)

Nehorayan v. Nehorayan (2016) (LASC Case No. BC584273)

Missaghi v. Coast Royale, LLC (2015) (LASC Case No. BC459839)

Silva v. DBI Sala, Inc. (2013) (Riverside Superior Case No. INC078101)

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