Owen J. Rescher, J.D.
Strategist, Business Builder, and Finance Expert

Career Experience

Principal Attorney & Owner | Rescher Law, P.C., San Francisco, CA (2012—present)

Launched an independent practice in the San Francisco Bay Area to provide business, legal, and financial counsel to corporate clients across a variety of industries. Identify and manage relationships with affiliates and potential business partners to ensure superior quality and service.

• Secured new business with a global leader in solar power, leading the multijurisdictional compliance, contracting, and licensing requirements for multimillion-dollar operations in ~25 states.
• Advised serial entrepreneur regarding business investments and negotiation of long-term commercial leases.
• Prosecuted and defended breach of contract and fraud claims on behalf of a minority owned small business.
• Addressed issues of jurisdiction related to client company and its officers in a $4.5M contract dispute, advising representing attorney on issues related to whether directors and passive investors were properly targeted in lawsuit.

Counsel | Landau Gottfried & Berger LLP, San Francisco, CA (2010—2012)

Selected as the number-two attorney in the new San Francisco office to lead business development efforts and prepare and manage new and referred business from Los Angeles practice. Recruited, selected, and managed a paralegal.

• Secured a new business opportunity to handle multimillion-dollar dispute over a movie deal.
• Developed a legal analysis, complemented by a comprehensive financial valuation that increased the client’s claims by $20M+ against directors and officers of a real-estate development company involved in self-dealing transactions.
• Led negotiations and final sales of corporate assets—residential and commercial land—in a bankruptcy case, identifying qualified realtors to locate interested parties, preparing buyers for court approval, and managing auction process.

Associate | Krieg, Keller, Sloan, Reilley & Roman LLP, San Francisco, CA (2007—2010)

Provided effective legal and strategic advice to partners of the firm and clients. Prepared and managed cases for trial—arguing motions to the court, developing facts to establish favorable legal arguments, and preparing witnesses for deposition and trial. Negotiated employment, shareholder, and stock control agreements and prepared client contracts including merger and acquisition documents. Directed and managed work assignments of junior attorneys, paralegals, and administrative staff.

• Played a key role in preparing a high-stakes litigation for trial, in which plaintiffs sought more than $100M in damages against client—who hired firm as its replacement counsel with the trial less than 3 months away—opposing a sanctions motion and preparing and defending the client’s sole expert witness at deposition.
• Led and managed contract negotiations for the purchase of shareholder position in out-of-state medical practice, acting as legal counsel for a doctor at UCSF Medical Center.
• Litigated a multimillion-dollar case against a party represented by a less-than-ethical opposing counsel, managing obstructionistic behavior with honesty and integrity throughout the proceedings.
• Defended multimillion-dollar contractual interference and theft-of-trade secrets claims against domestic and foreign clients, briefing motions that obtained complete dismissals of all claims against them at the pleadings stage—without the need for any oral argument.
• Provided strategic advice to a client regarding a company acquisition that negated a key argument against the client in a patent lawsuit.

Associate | Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, San Francisco, CA (2002—2007)

Member of several attorney teams acting as national counsel for large, globally recognized pharmaceutical companies in mass tort actions that involved thousands of plaintiffs. Prepared and filed motions seeking dismissal and/or summary judgment of the plaintiff’s claims. Led responses to legal complaints, document requests, and other written discovery requests. Directed and supervised local counsel across the country.

• Drafted a successful opposition to a motion to compel under tight deadline and spearheaded efforts to implement a winning strategy, persuading senior-level attorneys to adopt the approach within weeks of joining defense team. Recognized and complimented—by Senior Partner who argued the motion—for displaying leadership.
• Obtained immediate stay of proceedings of a fast-track case within weeks of joining defense team, allowing client to meet its annual litigation budget.
• Prepared response to breach of data security for international company within days of breach.
• Identified a crucial opportunity to obtain a defense-favorable judge to handle all federal cases involving a pharmaceutical product, determining that hundreds of lawsuits were not served, and concluding that a single multidistrict litigation could be established.

Previous Career Experience

• Judicial Law Clerk | Minnesota Court of Appeals, St. Paul, MN (2000—2001)
• Law Clerk | Law Offices of Becky Toevs Rooney, Minneapolis, MN (1999—2000)
• Judicial Extern | U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (Summer 1998)
• Instructor & Teaching Assistant | University of Rochester, Rochester, NY (1994—1997)

Education & Honors

• CFA Program, Passed Level I of the CFA Examination | CFA Institute (2012)
• Outstanding Volunteer in Public Service Award | San Francisco Bar Association (2006)
• Juris Doctor cum laude | University of Minnesota Law School (2000)
• Coursework for Ph.D., Philosophy | University of Rochester (1997)
• M.A., Philosophy | University of Guelph (1994)
• B.A., Philosophy | Haverford College (1992)

License & Bar Admission

Admitted to the State Bar of California (2001), License No. 214678

Professional Affiliations

• Member | American Bar Association
• Member | Bar Association of San Francisco
• Member | California State Bar