Michael D. Dempsey
Michael D. Dempsey, a native Los Angeleno, was admitted to the California Bar in 1969. Mr. Dempsey’s 50 years of practice have been a mix of commercial litigation and transactional matters. He has represented public and private companies, partnerships, and individuals in a wide range of litigation matters including contract, securities, fraud, accounting, legal malpractice, legal fee disputes, employment, intellectual property, real estate finance and transactions, and insurance coverage disputes. Mr. Dempsey has obtained favorable final verdicts or arbitration awards for clients in more than 100 disputed matters. Mr. Dempsey has also represented clients in a wide range of transactional matters, including mergers, acquisitions, sales and leases, contracts and warranties, and has served as outside general counsel for several of his corporate clients and has sat on several boards of directors.
Mr. Dempsey has lectured on admiralty, civil procedure, alternative dispute resolution and an attorney’s duties to his or her clients. He has testified as an expert witness in numerous legal malpractice lawsuits and proceedings over legal fees. Mr. Dempsey has served as a director of publicly held SEC reporting companies (including non-executive chairman of the board of one), as a director of private companies, and as trustee of private trusts.
Mr. Dempsey is a member of the California State Bar, admitted to practice before all U.S. District Courts in the State of California, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the United States Supreme Court and all California state courts. Mr. Dempsey has admitted to practice pro hac vicebefore several U.S. District Courts in states other than California, including New York, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, Texas, and Montana and has appeared before the United States Multi-District Panel.
Mr. Dempsey graduated from San Fernando Valley State College (now California State University Northridge) magna cum laude in 1965 and from UCLA School of Law in 1968 where he served on the UCLA Law Review and earned the honor of membership in the Order of the Coif.
Before founding Dempsey Law P.C., Mr. Dempsey was a senior principal in Dempsey & Johnson, P.C., served as partner at Lillick, McHose & Charles (now merged into Pillsbury, Winthrop Shaw Pittman); Rogers & Wells (now merged into Clifford Chance); Finley, Kumble, Wagner, Heine, Underberg, Manley & Casey; Myerson & Kunh; and Shea & Gould; and served as counsel to Hardee, Barovick, Konecky & Braun.
While Mr. Dempsey revels in his love of the law, he finds time to hit a tennis ball around and to risk his life bicycling in Los Angeles.Mr. Dempsey was a star quarterback at Reseda High School.Sadly, he is now an avid UCLA football fan forced to assume a low profile on Mondays and Fridays in the fall.
Rebecca A. Asuan-O’Brien
Rebecca A. Asuan-O’Brien’s practice focuses primarily on commercial litigation matters, including housing and employment discrimination, legal and professional malpractice, fraud, and contract disputes. Ms. Asuan-O’Brien has successfully resolved legal matters for her clients at all stages of litigation, including at mediation and arbitration, at trial, and through interlocutory and final appeal. She also handles transactional matters, including trademark issues, for Dempsey Law’s corporate clients.
Ms. Asuan-O’Brien was admitted to the California Bar in 2005 and the Texas Bar in 2010. She is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and the 9th Circuit.
Ms. Asuan-O’Brien received her Juris Doctor from Loyola of Los Angeles Law School in 2004 and her Bachelor of Arts from Loyola University Chicago, where she graduated Cum Laude. While in law school, Ms. Asuan-O’Brien was selected for the highly competitive Hobbs Trial Advocacy Program and served as a Certified Law Clerk with the Los Angeles District Attorney.
Ms. Asuan-O’Brien divides her time between Austin, Texas and Los Angeles, California.
Arlene M. Turinchak
Arlene M. Turinchak is of counsel to Dempsey Law. Her practice focuses on corporate litigation, contracts, employment, professional negligence, and appeals. In her appellate work she has participated in cases resulting in 40 published decisions.
Ms. Turinchak has also counseled clients on employment issues including avoidance of discrimination and harassment claims, and has conducted investigations for and in defense of employers and property owners faced with such claims.
Ms. Turinchak graduated from Fordham University School of Law and is admitted to practice before the state and federal courts in California, New Jersey, and New York.
Michael A. Cross
Michael A. Cross is of counsel to Dempsey Law. He is the founder and principal of Virtual General Counsel. Mr. Cross advises businesses regarding formation, day-to-day operations, personnel matters, vendor and financial transactions and structures. His areas of practice are 90% business and corporate law and 10% mediation.
Mr. Cross was a partner in the Los Angeles office of two New York-based law firms and was the Managing Partner of his law firm in Los Angeles. He owned and operated a business in the commercial printing industry for 18 years prior to founding Virtual General Counsel.
Mr. Cross is a member of the California and Colorado state bars.
Mr. Cross graduated magna cum laude from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1977 and from Harvard Law School in 1980, where he served on the Civil Rights Civil Liberties Law Review as the Co-Article Editor.