Graham M. Cridland

Graham is a shareholder who practices in the Sacramento office.  He has been with the Firm’s Sacramento Office since 2012, having previously practiced in the area of defense litigation in southern California.

Graham's practice focuses on professional liability defense, defense of serious personal injury cases and defense of employment cases, including wage and hour litigation and wrongful termination. In his professional liability practice he has defended lawyers, construction professionals, health care professionals, insurance brokers and agents, and real estate professionals with respect to a wide variety of claims. He practices in both California state court and the U.S. District Courts in California.

Graham obtained judgment for appraiser defendants including Defendant Ward Levy Appraisal Group in the case of Bordessa v. Sonoma county Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, et al., in Sonoma County.  After a court trial lasting more than four weeks, the court granted Graham’s clients’ motion for judgment at the close of the plaintiffs’ case, stating “Plaintiffs failed to prove Fraud. To Quote Gertrude Stein, there is no there there.”  As a result, the Firm’s clients not only avoided an adverse judgment but also a lengthy subsequent trial by jury.

Graham secured a defense verdict for Defendant Josh Heckman Construction, Inc., in the case of Nicholls v. Eskaton, Inc., et al. a Yolo County Superior Court case.  Plaintiff sought $4.5 million in damages at trial for injuries which were alleged to be serious and life-changing by her testimony and that of her expert witnesses.  At trial, Graham argued that the changes made to the plans in installation of the area alleged to be dangerous did not render the area dangerous and did not cause the plaintiff’s injury.  The jury agreed, finding that Josh Heckman Construction’s conduct was not the cause of plaintiff’s injuries.