McGlinchey Welcomes 3 New Attorneys, Expands California Presence

IRVINE and SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., -- McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce the addition of three litigation attorneys in California. Leslie Fales and Summer Smith join the Enterprise Litigation and Investigations practice group as Of Counsel, and Zeeshan “Zee” Iqbal has joined the Financial Services Litigation practice group as an Associate. Affiliated with McGlinchey’s Irvine office, the attorneys work from various locations in California.

“We are excited for Zee, Leslie, and Summer to add their skills to our litigation capabilities here in California,” said Brian Paino, Managing Member of the Irvine office. “All three will be invaluable assets to our firm and our clients as we continue growing in California and nationwide.”

These three litigators join Michelle McCliman and Kere Tickner, who joined McGlinchey as Members (Partners) in Irvine in early May. Summer and Leslie followed Michelle and Kere from the same previous firm. Elsewhere on the west coast in May, McGlinchey also brought on a group of three attorneys from the former Green Light Law Group based out of Seattle. McGlinchey hired 13 new attorneys firmwide in May alone.

“We are thrilled to welcome Summer and Leslie to the Enterprise Litigation and Investigations group,” said Dan Plunkett, Chair of the firm’s Enterprise Litigation and Investigations Group. “Summer and Leslie have particular experience representing clients in a variety of real estate and insurance-related matters that  will serve our nationwide clients well.”

Leslie Ann Fales will work for McGlinchey remotely in San Francisco. She has more than a decade of experience representing clients in litigation. She resolves complex, high-exposure lawsuits involving wrongful death and catastrophic injuries arising from trucking accidents, motor vehicle collisions, product defects, construction site accidents, and premises liability issues. Leslie has a particular experience defending against claims involving traumatic brain injuries (TBI). She earned her J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law and is admitted to practice in California.

Summer M. Smith will also work remotely for McGlinchey in San Francisco. A seasoned attorney with more than 20 years of practice, Summer helps professional and individual clients fulfill their obligations to their clients and members, with a particular focus on representing boards of directors of homeowners associations (HOAs). She also advises in breach of contract and property damage disputes, real property matters, construction defect actions, habitability claims, or common interest development cases. Summer earned her J.D. from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law and is licensed to practice in California.

“We are glad to welcome Zee to our team representing financial institutions nationwide,” said Shaun Ramey, Co-Chair of the firm’s nationwide Financial Services Litigation Group. “His commitment to excellent client service will support our team in implementing strategic legal solutions on behalf of our clients.”

Zeeshan "Zee" Iqbal represents financial services companies in a variety of complex litigation matters. A dedicated litigator with experience managing all aspects of cases from inception to completion, Zee focuses his practice on mortgage lending, automobile finance, insurance defense, and creditors’ rights issues. Zee received his J.D. from Baylor Law School in 2020 and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from California State Polytechnic University in 2013. He is licensed to practice in California.

About McGlinchey

McGlinchey Stafford is a premier midsized business law firm offering services in nearly 30 practice areas through a highly integrated national platform. McGlinchey attorneys leverage bold innovation, diverse talent, and leading-edge technology across our powerful network to serve clients at the local, regional, and national level. With 160 attorneys licensed in 33 states, McGlinchey operates from 17 offices nationwide. The firm currently has 18 attorneys and 9 practice areas recognized in Chambers U.S.A. 2023 and Chambers FinTech 2023, and 53 attorneys recognized by Best Lawyers, 40 attorneys recognized in various Super Lawyers rankings, 49 practice areas recognized by Best Law Firms, and was named a “Top Performer” by the Leadership Council for Legal Diversity (LCLD) since 2018. To learn more, visit www.mcglinchey.com.