Attorneys

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Experienced Real Estate Lawyers You Can Rely On

GARCIA LEGAL, A Professional Corporation, offers a wide range of legal solutions to various clients in California. Led by Steven Ray Garcia, our team is dedicated to assisting individuals with cases related to real property.

Steven Ray Garcia

Steve is the principal in GARCIA LEGAL, A Professional Corporation. With more than 40 years of real estate experience, Steve possesses the knowledge and insight to bringing creative approaches to solve his clients’ problems. Besides being a lawyer, he is a mediator, having received rigorous training at the internationally renowned Straus Institute of Dispute Resolution both at Pepperdine School of Law and in conjunction with the University of Vermont School of Law.

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Steve has tried more than forty cases and handled more than fifty appeals, both in the California Supreme Court and the Courts of Appeal. He also serves as general counsel to a number of independent escrow companies.

As a mediator, Steve has negotiated resolutions in more than 100 cases for parties from California, London, Beijing, Switzerland, Ireland, France, Taiwan, the Middle East, India, and across America.

The Martindale-Hubbell® rating service has given Steve a peer rating of AV for the highest standards of ethics and legal ability, and a 5.0 (Preeminent) client rating.

  • Claremont McKenna College, B.A., Literature, 1979
  • Recipient of Departmental Prizes as Outstanding Graduate, Departments of Literature and of Modern Languages
  • UCLA School of Law, J.D., 1983
  • Straus Institute of Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine School of Law, Mediation Certificate, 2000
  • Straus Institute of Dispute Resolution & University of Vermont School of Law, Certificate in STAR Mediation, 2003
  • Gaines v. Fidelity National Title Insurance Co. (2016) 62 Cal.4th 1081
  • Deutsche Bank National Trust Company v. McGurk (2012) 206 Cal.App.4th 201
  • Boys Club of San Fernando Valley, Inc. v. Fidelity and Deposit Company of Maryland (1992) 6 Cal.App.4th 1266
  • Gardiner Solder Company. v. SupAlloy Corporation, Inc. (1991) 232 Cal.App.3d 1537
  • Orr v. Byers (1988) 198 Cal.App.3d 66
  • Attorney Member, Escrow Law Advisory Committee, California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation [formerly the Department of Business Oversight] (September 2011 to 2015)
  • City of South Pasadena Planning Commission, Commissioner (2000-2005), Chairman (2003-2005)
  • City of South Pasadena Public Works Commission, Founding Commissioner and Chairman (2013-2014)

Among Mr. Garcia’s articles are:

  • Community Property with the Right of Survivorship: Only Your Heir Addresser Knows for Sure” (Published in the California Escrow Association Newsletter)
  • Reflections on Droeger and the (un)Family Code” (Published in the Los Angeles County Bar Journal)
  • Check Mate: A Review of the Law of Checks, Bills, and Notes” (Published in the California Escrow Association Newsletter)
  • New Talk About An Old Subject: Listings” (Published in California Real Estate Magazine)
  • Ownership Transfer” (Chapter in The Real Estate Handbook, 2nd Edition © 1990 Dow Jones Irwin [with Burton Levinson].)

Among Mr. Garcia’s presentations over more than 30 years are:

  • Legal Issues in Doing Business with Millennials – Why It’s Different
  • Rock, Paper, Tablet: Handling Real Escrow Problems in a Virtual Business World
  • Facebook, Twitter, etc.: What Will My Lawyer Say?
  • Forgeries, Faxes, & Felt Tips: Some Reasons Notaries (and Their Bosses) Get Sued
  • Alphabet Soup Meets Escrow Law: Understanding DBAs, LLC’s, L.P.’s, LLP’s, and Cos.
  • Escrow 101 – What Lawyers Need to Know About Escrow Law
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Alexander Levy

Alex is Of Counsel to GARCIA LEGAL, A Professional Corporation. He brings more than 45 years of experience in representing title insurers and their insureds, escrow holders, and many others in real estate-related matters.

Professional Background

Besides extensive litigation experience in private practice, Alex has also served as General Counsel of United Capital Title Insurance Company and as in-house claims counsel for Fidelity National Title, Chicago Title, Land America, and Title Insurance & Trust Company. He brings his wealth of knowledge and experience as well as his wisdom and warm sense of humor to our practice.

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