Partner, Jacquelyn D. Ruffin has been named a “Rising Star” in the field of School and Education law by Super Lawyers.com

Join us for the CAI-Channel Islands "All Things Architectural" program where our very own, Mr. Gibson will be speaking. We will be exploring solutions to real-life architectural review issues. Two dates and locations to choose from!

November 7th at 5:45 PM in Pismo Beach at the Ventana Grill
November 12th at 11:30 AM in Santa Barbara at the Hyatt Centric Santa Barbara.

Register at www.cai-channelislands.org
Board Members, Homeowners & Managers:
Fee includes meal • $25 Members | $45 Non-members
Business Partners: $55 Members / $75 Non-members
Registration deadline: November 5 & 8
PLEASE NOTE: If you have a special meal request or food
allergies, please email cai@cai-channelislands.org in advance.
Valet Parking is Hosted

For those affected by the Thomas Fire, please mark your calendar for the upcoming informational sessions!  We will discuss upcoming deadlines, the status of litigation and more.  Feel free to attend 1 or more of the dates listed below.  More details to follow!

​

• Oct. 16 – 6 to 8 pm – Museum of Ventura County

• Nov. 6 – 6 to 8 pm – Ojai Valley Women’s Club

• Nov. 8 – 6 to 8 pm – Museum of Ventura County

The Thomas Fire has affected a great deal of our community.  Many have suffered emotional fear, anxiety and continuing emotional problems.  This is not unusual, when a person is forced out of their home on short notice and have to live with the noise, dust and inconvenience of reconstruction in your neighborhoods.

​

Claims for emotional distress, personal injuries and other non-economic damages are recoverable.  Many have signed up for our services, and their rights are protected from the statute of limitations defeating their claims.  However, these claims will be barred by the statute of limitations unless a case is timely filed on your behalf.  Other property damage claims may be available until 2020, but claims for emotional distress must expire on December 3, 2019. 

Prompt action is required.  Please contact one of our lawyers to receive advice and possible representation.

Our next Wildfire Insurance Workshop is Sunday January 27 at 2 PM at the Oak Park Community Center, 1000 Kanan Road in Oak Park. The event is free. We can help you navigate the insurance claim process. 

Our clients Michael and Sandra, who were displaced in the Thomas Fire, move into their rebuilt home.Ventura city officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Gustafson home on December 19th. (photo by Chuck Kirman - VC Star)

If you were impacted by the Woolsey Fire, please join us for a free community event on December 16th at 2PM at the Oak Park Community Center 1000 Kanan Road in Oak Park. We will be having an insurance workshop and recovery A - Z with a Q&A to follow. 

Our very own Lee Gibson and James Perero had an article they wrote about Community Association Boards published in the most recent copy of CAI CI's "Channel of Communication" magazine. You can read the article by clicking on the "read the article" button below.

Congratulations to our colleagues Dennis Jones, Douglas Bordner and Steven Lee for being selected to the 2018 Pacific Coast Business Times Who's Who in Professional Services. Well deserved!

Our very own Rabiah Rahman was interviewed in a podcast with State Senator Hannah Beth Jackson regarding recent legislation she sponsored related to sexual harassment in the workplace. The full podcast will be available soon.

Our very own Dennis Neil Jones files the first lawsuit in Ventura County for Thomas Fire Victims against Farmers Insurance

Cal Fire firefighter Thomas Kofron (and Myers Widders client) competed in an episode of NBC's "American Ninja Warrior" on June 6th.  Thomas Kofron helped battle the Thomas Fire and saved his neighbor’s home from the blaze with orange juice, was featured on the hit show.

Attorney Dennis Neil Jones made a cameo appearance in the new lip sync video by the Oxnard Police.  The video was filmed at the Collection where Dennis was performing with his band, Sgt. Pepper. 

We are very excited to welcome a new attorney to the Myers Widders family - Attorney Rabiah Rahman. Ms. Rahman joins our Employment Law team where she focuses on labor and employment law. She has experience representing individulas and collective actions in wage and hour cases.  She also specializes in wrongful termination, workplace discrimination and harassment cases.  Ms. Rahman previously worked at the Ventura office of Strauss & Strauss, APC.

We are pleased to announce that Jacquelyn Ruffin and James Perero have been selected to the 2018 California Rising Stars list for the second year in a row.

Ms. Ruffin was selected for her excellence in the area of Education Law as a Top Rated School and Education Attorney.  Mr. Perero was selected for his excellence in Litigation as a Top Rated General Litigation Attorney.

​

Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. Super Lawyer selections are considered the “best of the best.” They are carefully selected using a patented multiphase process that includes a peer nomination, independent research, and peer evaluation. The lawyers with the greatest points at the end of this process are recognized in the California Super Lawyers Top Lists. The end result is a credible, comprehensive, and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys. 

A new California law has defined what an Independent Contractor is. If you have IC's working for you, it might be wise to schedule a meeting with us to make sure you are compliant with the new law. Being wrong could be very expensive. Call today. 

The Ventura Chamber hosted their Spring Business Expo today at the Four Points Sheraton at Ventura Harbor. The theme was "Under the Sea". Our team's home was booth #10, where we answered questions about the Thomas Fire, handed out information on Estate Planning and Employment Law, and gave away Goldfish and Swedish Fish to the folks coming by.

The California Judicial Council has decided Los Angeles County is indeed the best venue for all lawsuits against Southern California Edison stemming from the Thomas Fire and Montecito mudslides.

With the new Dynamex Superior Court ruling yesterday that clarifies employees and independent contractors in the workplace, this might be the perfect time to review some of the most common employment law issues. Call today to schedule a seminar.

Jacquelyn Ruffin, a Ventura resident, is now a partner at Myers, Widders, Gibson, Jones & Feingold, LLP.  Ms. Ruffin joined the firm as an associate in 2012 and her practice areas include Education Law, where she represents school districts and serves as general counsel. She also advises nonprofit businesses on business formation, drafting governing documents and providing information about board member responsibilities.  

Ms. Ruffin is President of Black Lawyers of Ventura County and serves on the Boards of the Ventura County Bar Association and Women Lawyers of Ventura County.  Prior to law school, she served with the AmeriCorps National Service Program and the United Nations Development Fund for Women of West Africa.

“Jacquelyn is a great asset to our clients, the community and to Myers Widders” stated Kelton Lee Gibson, Managing Partner at Myers Widders. “Her knowledge and legal practice in education law, nonprofit representation and business matters makes her an integral addition to our firm, which has been serving clients since 1971. We are honored to have Jacquelyn as our partner.”

Check out the latest article by our very own Eric Reed. https://constructiondefectjournal.com/archives/inside-issue/2018/02/how-small-mistakes-can-have-serious-consequences-under-californias-contractor-licensing-laws

Talk Show host Mike Anderson interviews Attorney Lee Gibson and answers questions about insurance and the Thomas Fire, as well as Myers Widders and the California Fire Lawyers role in helping underinsured and uninsured victims of the Thomas Fire and Flood. Click the listen button to hear or to download the podcast.

Beautifully designed Holiday Centerpieces by our very own Deneen Poole for the December Ventura Chamber Connection Breakfast at Poinsettia Pavilion. Myers Widders sponsored the Breakfast which brought together over 140 member and guests for a fun and festive morning

Congratulations to Erik Feingold, Jill Friedman and Jacquelyn Ruffin for being selected 2017 Who's Who in Professional Services by the Pacific Coast Business Times. We are so proud of you all.

We finally caught up with our lucky winner of the Vom Fass sampler from the Ventura Chamber's Small Business Expo. Here is Marianne Houghteling, the Director of Sales and Marketing at Clearwater at Riverpark. Enjoy and thanks for dropping by our booth.

Fun times hanging out with old friends and making new connections at the 2017 Ventura Chamber of Commerce Fall Small Business Expo at the Four Points Sheraton Harbor.

Estate Planning Attorney William Raymond works the booth at the Ventura Chamber Small Business Fall Expo. Thank to all the great people who came by to talk, learn and network.

Congratulations to Glenda Jackson for stopping by our booth at the CAI Channel Islands Community Faire and winning our We Olive Ventura giveaway oil and vinegar sampler. Thank you to all the great folks who dropped by our booth and won money at our Boardwalk Game of Chance.

The "On the Boardwalk" Community Faire and Business Expo was hopping yesterday afternoon. Friends new and old came by to chat, get firm information, enter to win our "We Olive" sampler and play a game of chance. Winners walked away with $500 and a "Get Out Of Jail FREE" card (in Monopoly money that is).

The Myers Widders team will be at the CAI Channel Islands Community Faire on August 29th at the beautiful Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach in Oxnard. Kelton Lee Gibson will doing an educational program for the group, and we will have a booth at the event. Come on over and say "HI".

Thanks to Bill Raymond and his mirrored telescope filter, we all got to see the partial eclipse of the sun today, as well as those cool pinhole images on the concrete courtesy of the trees.

The Myers Widders family got together to celebrate the birthday of one of the founders of the law firm, Monte Widders. (left to right) Cari Ann Potts, Douglas Bordner, James Perero, Michael Martin, Eric Reed, Allison Cerda, Jacquelyn Ruffin, Steven Lee, William Raymond, Erik Feingold, Sandra Puga, Mary Moros, Roger Myers, Monte Widders, Evelyn Martin, Kelton Lee Gibson, Veronica Villarreal and Yvette Aguilar. Missing Jill Friedman, Dennis Jones, Jesse Hancox, Randall George, Jami Knupp, Deneen Poole. photo-hank tovar

Officer J. Roger Myers (USMC) and Officer William D. Raymond Jr (West Point) will be providing free legal services to homeless vets Friday through Sunday. This is an opportunity for veterans to break out of the cycle of homelessness and get services like medical, vision and dental screenings, legal and employment counseling and VA information.

Let them eat cake! Mike Martin, Evelyn Martin and Jesse Hancox were all born in July. HBD from your Myers Widders family.

Congratulations to our very own Eric Reed and Erik Feingold. They were both ran in the 34th Annual Law Day 5K sponsored by the Ventura County Bar Association. Erik finished second in his division and Eric finished third in his. Also pictured is Eric's daughter Emilia and she finished first in the Under 13 Girls division. WAY TO GO!!

Congratulations to our very own Jacquelyn Ruffin and James Perero. They were both selected as "Rising Stars" in the 2017 Super Lawyers list of Top Rated Lawyers. Jacquelyn was named a Top Rated Schools and Education Attorney and James was named a Top Rated General Litigation Attorney. What an incredible accomplishment.

Dennis Jones, a partner with Myers Widders law firm in Ventura, plays Paul McCartney in Sgt. Pepper, a Beatles tribute band. Last night they performed the entire Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band to mark the 50th anniversary of the album release. (Click for the video).