Practice Areas Overview
The attorneys at Petrie, Dorfmeier & Morris, LLP provide quality legal advice and representation for clients in Fresno and throughout California's Central Valley. Our areas of expertise include:
- Civil Litigation
- Insurance Defense
- Environmental Litigation
- Business Litigation
- Employment Litigation
- Agricultural Law
- Products Liability
- Professional Malpractice
- Personal Injury & Toxic Torts
Civil Litigation
Petrie, Dorfmeier & Morris assists clients in a range of civil litigation matters, including insurance defense, environmental litigation, business law, employment disputes, agricultural law, products liability, professional malpractice, personal injury, and toxic torts. As a team of attorneys, we have over 100 years of collective experience practicing law, including extensive experience trying cases before courts and administrative agencies. To discuss your case with an experienced trial lawyer, contact Petrie, Dorfmeier & Morris, LLP today.
Insurance Defense
At Petrie, Dorfmeier & Morris, we practice extensively in insurance defense. The firm represents insurance companies in auto accidents, medical malpractice, and products liability cases, and assists insurers in an array of environmental litigation matters, including construction defects, mold litigation, and cases involving structural damage caused by overwatering. Firm partner John Wilbert Morris, Jr. has been practicing law for more than 30 years, trying over 100 cases to juries or the bench in the process. Mr. Morris focuses his practice primarily on insurance defense, including in cases of legal malpractice, hospital and medical malpractice, hospital and general products liability, construction defect, premises liability, employment cases, school districts, public entities, and consumer fraud cases. His case St. Paul Insurance v. Industrial Underwriters set legal precedent in the area of primary excess insurance coverage.
Business Litigation
As a primarily litigation-oriented firm, our attorneys have significant experience assisting clients in a range of business disputes, from breach of contract to debt collections matters. The firm also handles collections for companies when customers or debtors default on payments. Our representation in these matters includes management of the full collections process, from preparing demand letters to litigation when necessary. Â Our attorneys also routinely represent clients in contract litigation, typically in bringing claims against a breaching party.
Employment Litigation
The attorneys of Petrie, Dorfmeier & Morris are skilled in all aspects of employment litigation, and have significant experience representing plaintiff employees in claims against their current or former employers. For instance, we represented an investigator for the District Attorney who sued Fresno County, and have handled numerous wrongful termination cases, such as a case against the College of Sequoia for unlawfully discharging an employee. These cases require extensive trial preparation, including investigation, preservation of evidence, legal analysis, strategic negotiating, and effective courtroom advocacy.
Agricultural Law
At Petrie, Dorfmeier & Morris, our attorneys have developed a reputation for their expertise in the area of agricultural law. The majority of our practice is defense-oriented, including representation of crop sprayers and fertilizer companies in cases involving significant crop damage. Firm partner Dale Martin Dorfmeier has extensive expertise in agricultural pesticides and litigation, including pesticide uses, crop damages, toxic torts, property damage, bodily injury, and environmental defense matters.
Products Liability
Our attorneys have significant experience in the area of products liability litigation, and have developed a reputation for zealously defending manufacturers in claims of defective consumer goods, from contaminated food and livestock feed to defective machinery. Our wide range of work in this area includes a recent case where a door fell off a bus, causing injury. Our products liability practice is largely defense-oriented
Professional Malpractice
Petrie, Dorfmeier & Morris has represented numerous clients in professional malpractice cases. In particular, our attorneys have considerable expertise in successfully handling attorney malpractice lawsuits. Firm partner J. David Petrie also handles professional liability claims involving architects and engineers.
Personal Injury & Toxic Torts
Our attorneys have extensive experience successfully handling a broad array of personal injury and toxic tort cases. The firm's personal injury practice focuses primarily on cases involving automobile accidents, including for example cars that were rear-ended and pedestrians who were struck while changing a tire on the side of the road. In the area of toxic torts, our practice focuses on mold litigation and other environmental litigation matters. We offer free initial consultations and contingency fee arrangements on personal injury matters.
Seek Experienced Legal Counsel
Many disputes have the potential to rise to the level of litigation. To protect your rights and interests, seek advice from an experienced attorney. At Petrie, Dorfmeier & Morris, LLP, our seasoned trial attorneys provide trusted advice and strategic representation in an array of legal disputes. For further information, contact us today.
