Attorneys

• Abraham, Michael D.
• Abrahams, Katherine
• Adams, Holly
• Bartko, John J.
• Bunzel, Robert H.
• Butscher, Zaneta
• Cox, Stephen T.
• Daspit, Mark E.
• Duffy, Kerry L.
• Edlund, William I.
• Goodfellow, Simon R.
• Hall, Joel
• Hannan, J. Thomas
• Hart, Darryl A.
• Hee, Carol
• Jerhoff, Ann K.
• Laiprasert, Jayne
• Louskos, Theani C.
• Matthews, David B.
• McLean, John F.
• Miller, Charles G.
• Nashban, Emily A.
• Oberle, Katherine R.
• Riley, Benjamin K.
• Schuck, W. Paul
• Senseney, Hilda A.
• Stafford, Walter V.
• Taghibagi, Parissa
• Tarrant, Richard T.
• Towle, C. Griffith
• Weber, Kimberly A.
• Zankel, Martin I.

Strategic Of Counsel Relationships

• Sommers & Schwartz
• Frank Sommers
• Andrew Schwartz

John J. Bartko

University of California, Boalt Hall School of Law, J.D., 1965
University of California, Los Angeles, 1962

Contact Infomation

Practice Areas

Experience:

John Bartko is a founder of the firm where he represents both plaintiffs and defendants in complex civil, criminal, and regulatory matters.

Mr. Bartko’s recent jury trials include the successful defense of a US executive as lead trial counsel in a criminal antitrust trial where the government had obtained 17 guilty pleas for international price-fixing (2008), see “Defending the Last Man Standing.”

His practice has involved significant international discovery, complex investigations and foreign court appearances, including examinations in Switzerland and Japan through pioneering requests for civil judicial assistance. He has traveled to Europe, Asia and South Africa to obtain evidence for American civil and criminal proceedings, and has represented foreign officials in U.S. legal matters.

In shareholder cases, Mr. Bartko has represented corporations, directors/officers, and shareholders in antitrust, finance, real estate, technology, and other businesses, and in state and federal litigation and governmental investigations. He is broadly experienced in representing injured parties in Ponzi schemes. He has lectured for ALI-ABA and the PLI on the subjects of internal corporate investigations, international discovery and trial practice.

In environmental cases, Mr. Bartko successfully represented the land owners in pioneering environmental regulation matters resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court in Lake County Estates v. Tahoe Reg. Planning Agency, 440 U.S. 391 (1979).

Mr. Bartko has represented clients in malpractice claims, and in other litigation re severance of officers, partners and shareholders. One of his trials was nationally televised.

He has represented many entrepreneurs involved in business and IP disputes.

Professional Affiliations

• Bar Association of San Francisco
• State Bar of California
• ABA, Committee on White Collar Crime
• Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Northern California (ABTL), Board of Directors, President (2003)
• Advisory Board, Berkeley Center for Law, Business and the Economy