Michelle Landis Gearhart
Michelle Landis Gearhart
Michelle Landis Gearhart is an associate with the firm. Ms. Gearhart’s primary practice area is civil litigation. She has successfully defended complex tort claims, including serious personal injury, wrongful death and product liability cases. Ms. Gearhart also represents clients in construction defect claims and breach of contract claims. She counsels clients regarding formation of business contracts and contract interpretation, including alternative and renewable energy contracts.
Ms. Gearhart handles all aspects of litigation, including challenging the merits of a claim at the pleadings stage. She has successfully authored and argued motions resulting in the dismissal of clients from lawsuits. Ms. Gearhart has also obtained numerous favorable settlements for clients. Integral to her case handling skills are excellent legal research and writing skills, successful law and motion practice, taking and defending depositions, preparing written discovery, and attending mediations.
Ms. Gearhart has significant experience preparing cases for trial. In addition to her litigation experience as an attorney, Ms. Gearhart was a litigation paralegal for seven years prior to attending law school. Ms. Gearhart dealt with numerous varied and complex personal injury and construction claims, errors and omission matters, contract disputes, and commercial related cases. She has extensive experience with complex litigation in both State and Federal courts.
Ms. Gearhart also specializes in commercial collections practice for corporate clients. Ms. Gearhart assists clients in collecting large commercial debts, including obtaining judgments and foreclosing on real property to satisfy a judgment. Ms. Gearhart has successfully negotiated settlements for corporate clients prior to initiating litigation, including obtaining promissory notes, establishing payment plans and executing stipulated judgments to be entered in the event of default.
Ms. Gearhart received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Westmont College in Santa Barbara in 1997. She obtained her Juris Doctor from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2008. Ms. Gearhart was consistently on the Dean’s List and graduated with honors in the top 25% of her law school class. She received CALI Excellence Awards for earning the highest grades in her Admiralty and International Civil Litigation & Arbitration classes. She was also the recipient of two merit based scholarships. Ms. Gearhart received a certificate of achievement for French courses completed at the Sorbonne University in Paris, France.
Ms. Gearhart is a member of the California State Bar, the San Diego County Bar Association, and Lawyers Club of San Diego. She is also admitted to practice law in the Central District and Southern District of the United States District Court.
