ATTORNEYS

Clay grew up in Riverside, California. He attended the University of California, Irvine, where he graduated with a degree in English (cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa).

After working as a Physical Science Technician for the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Clay earned his Juris Doctorate from the Pepperdine University School of Law.

Clay’s entire legal career has been devoted to litigating a wide variety of business disputes representing both plaintiffs and defendants. Clay has extensive experience in construction law, including mechanics’ liens, design professional liens, stop payment notices, bond actions, express defense/indemnity, and contractor/design professional liability. Clay is also experienced in real property disputes, including commercial landlord-tenant disputes, partition actions, boundary and neighbor disputes, and title insurance coverage disputes. Clay is experienced in employment discrimination and wage and hour claims, and has extensive experience in public entity liability and defense.

Clay is a baseball aficionado and youth sports coach, distance swimmer, and some time creative writer. He lives in Glendale with his wife Elizabeth and their four children.

Education:

• 2003:  B.A. in English, U.C. Irvine, cum laude, Humanities Honor Society, Campuswide Honors Society, Phi Beta Kappa. Mathematics:     Statistics, Multivariable Calculus, Vector Calculus, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, Abstract Algebra.
• 2009: J.D., Pepperdine University School of Law, top 40% of class.

Bar Admissions:

• State Bar of California (SBN: 269080; Feb. 2010).
• U.S. District Court, Central District of California
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California.

• 2003-2008: Physical Science Technician, U.S. Salinity Laboratory, USDA Agricultural Research Service.
• Performed a variety of soil chemical and physical tests in aid of a research scientist’s work on salinity assessment and mapping; precision agriculture. Performed soil sampling at various farm sites in California, Arizona, and Colorado, and managed field operations including operating and maintaining salinity assessment instruments,
  GPS, light tractor, and sampling equipment. Supervised student employees.
• 2008-2009: Judicial Extern, Hon. Lawrence Mira (Ret.), Los Angeles Superior Court (Malibu Courthouse).
• Performed legal research and drafted memoranda in aid of judge’s rulings in nonviolent felony cases. Observed criminal court proceedings, including high-profile probation hearings for drug/alcohol offenses.
• 2010-2012: Associate, Collins Collins Muir + Stewart, LLP, South Pasadena.
• Assisted in defense of design professional and public entity liability cases. Handled all phases of discovery, trial preparation, and ADR. Drafted and argued motions for summary judgment/adjudication in state and federal court. Drafted writs of mandate. Conducted investigations in public entity matters. Met with various Los Angeles County Counsel personnel and department representatives to present litigation strategy. Managed caseload of roughly 35 litigated and transactional matters. Published articles on the economic loss doctrine, implied indemnity, and architect’s copyright. Presented professional development seminar on mechanics’ liens.
• 2012-2018: Co-Shareholder, M.K. Hagemann, P.C., Century City.
• Co-owner of general business litigation firm. Handled plaintiff’s-side litigation matters from inception to conclusion. Cases ranged from unlawful detainer, enforcement of mechanics’ liens, business-on-business contract/economic tort disputes, real estate and construction disputes, securities, personal injury, wage and hour, employment discrimination, and disability discrimination. Limited practice in family law (property disputes only). Handled business litigation defense cases, private party defense cases.
• 2018 – 2019: Associate, Bradley & Gmelich LLP, Glendale.
• Assisted in defense of premises liability, auto accident liability, and general business litigation. Responsible for all phases of discovery, trial preparation, ADR, and law and motion.
• 2019 – 2020: Partner, Stone LLP, Woodland Hills.
• Assist in prosecution and defense of business, real estate, and construction disputes. Responsible for all phases of discovery, trial preparation, ADR, law and motion, and trial.