With over 20 years of experience defending Workers' Compensation claims, Vince was known for his keen understanding of the enormous costs involved in litigating such matters. He made it a point to engage in fair and reasonable settlements whenever possible, whether at the outset of a claim, during depositions, or even leading up to trial. Yet, he also recognized the importance of taking certain issues to trial, vigorously defending his clients’ positions when necessary. This balanced approach led to both early resolutions and successful outcomes at trial, including multiple “take-nothing” verdicts.
Vince’s impressive legal career included favorable rulings at both the California Appeals and California Supreme Court levels, and he was a Certified Specialist in Workers' Compensation Law.
His success was a direct result of his deep belief in teamwork. Vince worked closely with claims teams and employers, ensuring that every step of the litigation process was handled with care and collaboration. He prided himself on being available at any time to assist with his clients' needs and emphasized this same commitment to all attorneys and staff at the firm.
Vince’s legacy lives on as the guiding principle of our firm. His unwavering dedication to both his clients and the firm’s core values remains a cornerstone of how we approach our work today. As we continue to serve our clients and pursue excellence in the field of Workers' Compensation law, we honor Vince’s memory by upholding the same standards and commitment he set throughout his distinguished career.
Ms. Wu's emphasis is the defense of workers’ compensation claims, Labor Code Section 132a, and Serious and Willful Misconduct claims. Ms. Wu is a graduate of the University of La Verne where she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Paralegal Studies. Michelle earned her JD degree from the University of La Verne School of Law in 2000 and is a member of the State Bar of California.
Michelle focuses on efficient case management, quickly forcing files forward towards their ultimate resolution. With a caseload geared towards permissibly self-insureds as well as high self-retention policies, Ms. Wu understands that speed, communication, and teamwork are keys to long-term file savings.
Michelle can be reached at mwu@purintonlaw.com or via telephone at (213) 274-0390.
Patrick S. Jimenez received his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in 1999 from California State University, Sacramento. He also participated in the Intercultural Immersion Program, Spanish Language Studies, in Heredia, Costa Rica that same year. Mr. Jimenez received his Juris Doctor in 2003 from University of the Pacific, McGeorge, in Sacramento, California.
Patrick is a Certified Specialist in the field of Workers’ Compensation Law. While in college, he worked as a Community Service Officer for the Sacramento Police Department. During law school, Patrick was a claims examiner for a nationwide insurance company with a focus on claims in California and Arizona. After passing the Bar, Patrick transitioned into a in-house counsel handling California claims.
Mr. Jimenez previously served as Deputy Regional President for the Hispanic National Bar Association, Region XVII. Patrick is a recipient of the HNBA Volunteer of the Year Award. He has also sat on the boards of the Diablo Valley Industrial Claims Association and the San Francisco La Raza Lawyers Association. Mr. Jimenez has provided training to large carriers, employers, and TPAs.
Patrick can be reached at pjimenez@purintonlaw.com or by telephone at (415) 801-0991.
Following her time at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Jessica moved to Los Angeles to earn her Juris Doctor at Southwestern Law School. While studying, Ms. Labo worked as a medical researcher for both the University of Michigan Health Systems and University of California Los Angeles Health Systems.
Being a Worker's Compensation attorney has allowed Jessica to work within the nexus of law and medicine, two of her passions. Ms. Labo utilizes her healthcare research background to evaluate cases, issue spot within investigative materials and patient records, and anticipate patient/client needs. Similarly, her time as an applicant attorney allows insight into patient/attorney interests leading to efficiently litigated and closed files. As a result, Ms. Labo is frequently tasked to defend complex litigation and bulk settlement projects. Ms. Labo is also a Certified Specialist in Workers' Compensation with the California State Bar.
Jessica can be reached at jlabo@purintonlaw.com or via telephone at (213) 274-0385.
Jay Shergill manages the Sacramento office. Mr. Shergill has been practicing exclusively in workers’ compensation since 2002 and has been certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization in Workers’ Compensation since 2011. As the managing attorney of the Sacramento area office of Purinton, Jimenez, Labo & Wu, LLP, Mr. Shergill represents insurance companies, third party administrators, and self-insured employers defending workers’ compensation claims, allegations of Serious & Willful Misconduct, and L.C. § 132a violations before the WCAB and Court of Appeals throughout California.
Mr. Shergill served on the Workers’ Compensation Executive Committee of the California State Bar from 2009 through 2016. He was selected to the Northern California Rising Stars in 2011 and 2012 by Super Lawyers Magazine. He has been asked to speak for insurance companies, self-insureds, employers, the California State Bar, California Applicant's Attorney's Association, California Workers’ Compensation Defense Attorneys Association, and training for Panel Qualified Medical Evaluators.
Mr. Shergill is a contributing editor to Herlick’s California Workers’ Compensation Handbook, Hanna’s California Law of Employee Injuries and Workers' Compensation, and Workers' Compensation Laws of California for Lexis.
Mr. Shergill is the founder of PDRater.com, an online resource for MPN lists, workers' compensation calculators, and other resources for the workers' compensation professional. His favorite aspect of workers' compensation is anything that involves math. He would be happy to bore you at length regarding the nuances of death benefits or commutation calculations.
Mr. Shergill is a graduate of U.C. Davis with degrees in Philosophy, Rhetoric and Communications. He earned his law degree from King Hall School of Law in Davis, California.
Bridget M. Young has over 25 years experience defending employers and carriers in California Workers’ Compensation claims, including the defense of Labor Code Section 132(a) and Serious and Willful Misconduct claims. Ms. Young obtained her Bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University and her Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1996. She was admitted to the State Bar of California that same year, and became a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation in 2007.
Ms. Young’s experience includes working with self-insureds and high retention employers. She knows the importance of a team approach with the employer, claims professional and defense counsel, all working toward the best claim outcome. Ms. Young’s previous experience included civil litigation and subrogation, which allows her to effectively communicate and provide insight to subrogation counsel on third party claims.
Ms. Young understands the balance of early claim resolution versus cases that need an aggressive defense. She has obtained several take-nothing awards on AOE/COE cases, including post termination and good faith personnel action cases. She has worked closely with the San Diego District Attorney’s office in fraud prosecution, resulting in an injured worker being sentenced to several years in prison and restitution to the employer.
As a lifelong San Diegan, Ms. Young has unique knowledge of the venue. Her relationships with the San Diego bench, bar, and medical community allow her to optimize a successful outcome to her claims. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and has spoken at various Workers’ Compensation events throughout the State, including as an Instructor for the National Business Institute. She has developed training presentations specifically designed to assist the claims professional before defense counsel is assigned. Ms. Young opened the San Diego office of Purinton, Jimenez, Labo & Wu in 2023.
Ms. Young can be reached at byoung@purintonlaw.com or (858) 257-2424.
Following an undergraduate education at the University of Southern California, Phillip Soon attended Southwestern Law School, enjoying extended clerkships with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Preliminary Hearing and Hardcore Gang Investigations Units.
As managing partner of our Orange County office, Mr. Soon approaches each case with a detail-oriented, proactive approach at all levels of litigation. He is a creative and effective negotiator, with a particular talent for securing near-term, cost-justified settlements when the facts and law dictate.
These qualities are invaluable in securing advantageous outcomes for our clients by coordinating complex litigation and discovery, and putting forth the strongest position possible in trial and appellate level proceedings.
Years of experience have provided Mr. Soon with an innate understanding of the unique challenges and fact patterns each case presents, and the best strategies to confront them. He remains mindful of each client’s specific goals and preferred outcomes, tailoring his approach and tactics accordingly to effectuate the same.
Mr. Soon takes pride in community service, having served the disadvantaged through his participation in the Los Angeles Public Counsel’s Homeless Court Program, volunteer work, and other local initiatives.
Outside of work, Mr. Soon enjoys spending quality time with his wife and children, who share his passion for learning and exploring new cultures, cuisines and experiences. He has had the privilege of traveling extensively both domestically and abroad, and always looks forward to adding new stamps to his passport.
Mr. Soon can be contacted at psoon@purintonlaw.com, or (714) 723-6594.
Leslie A. Gutierrez graduated from the University of California, Irvine, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in both Criminology, Psychology, and Social Behavior. She went on to earn her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. While at UC Hastings, Leslie served as Staff Editor for the Hastings Business Law Journal and took part in the Criminal Law Clinic at the San Francisco Public Defender’s office. She also wrote an article that was published in the Hastings Business Law Journal.
After passing the bar, Ms. Gutierrez worked as a Legal Fellow for a non-profit legal aid organization where she handled a wide array of civil matters. Since then, Leslie has dedicated herself to the practice of workers’ compensation defense. Ms. Gutierrez has experience in all aspects of workers’ compensation litigation, developing strategies to bring claims to quick and cost-effective resolution.
Leslie can be contacted at lgutierrez@purintonlaw.com.
A trained investigator, Jason Kenneth Dugas began his career serving as a peace officer for the State of New Mexico from 1999 to 2002. He received his Bachelor of Arts in 2001 from the University of New Mexico. Mr. Dugas transitioned from law enforcement to the practice of law, where he earned his Juris Doctor in 2005 from the New England School of Law.
Since he passed the California Bar in 2007, Jason has practiced Worker’s Compensation Law. He is admitted to practice throughout California and the Federal courts. This experienced litigator aggressively defends carriers, permissibly self-insured, high self-retention employers, and homeowners. He brings his diverse experience and training to look at each claim carefully, with an eye towards resolving issues quickly. Although there is a time and place for settlement, sometimes justice requires trial, something Jason is well-versed in. Jason practices throughout southern California.
A patron of the arts, he enjoys the dynamic museums and galleries of greater Los Angeles in his free time. He can be reached at jdugas@purintonlaw.com or by telephone at (213) 999-2496.
Kevin C. Chau, Esq. received both his Bachelor of Science in Managerial Economics (2005) and Juris Doctor (2009) from University of California at Davis.
Since 2010, Kevin has handled both the civil as well as administrative law aspects of Workers’ Compensation. Kevin’s attention to detail, writing, and oratory skills allow for efficient case management. Kevin handles all levels of litigation on behalf of employers, carriers, and TPAs.
Kevin can be reached at kchau@purintonlaw.com or by telephone at (415) 801-0991.
With decades of experience in Workers’ Compensation, Mr. Plotkins has seen it at all. Mr. Plotkins is a Certified Specialist and works hand-in-hand with high-retention employers, insurance companies, and excess carriers. Mr. Plotkins is a graduate of the University of California - Los Angeles and earned his Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School.
Al can be reached at aplotkins@purintonlaw.com.
A native of the Pacific Northwest, Evan McKinney earned his bachelor’s degree from Eastern Washington University, with a major in Criminal Justice and minors in Sociology and Psychology. He went on to earn his Juris Doctorate from the University of Idaho College of Law, where he placed into the Top 16 of the 2013 Annual McNichols Moot Court Competition.
Mr. McKinney spent his first several years of practice in employment and labor law at a large firm in the Los Angeles area where he represented plaintiffs in various contexts including wage and hour violations, discrimination and harassment, and wrongful termination. More recently in the last three years before joining Purinton Law, he practiced workers’ compensation litigation on the Applicant side at one of the State’s top Applicant firms. Evan now leverages his experience to represent employers and carriers and achieve efficient resolution of claims.
Mr. McKinney can be reached at emckinney@purintonlaw.com.
Hielam Chan was born and raised in the Bay Area. He is proficient in both Cantonese and Mandarin. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Davis and continued his education to obtain his Juris Doctorate at the UC Davis School of Law, King Hall.
During law school, he won the Irving L. Neumiller Memorial Moot Court Competition and Best Oral Argument at the Roger J. Traynor California Appellate Moot Court Competition. He was on the Trial Practice Honors Board and the Moot Court Board.
Mr. Chan began his legal career as a defense attorney and practiced at an Am Law 100 firm and a top tech company prior to starting his own firm. He has represented clients in a variety of practice areas, including complex litigation, insurance coverage, and business law.
Mr. Chan has specialized in defense Workers’ Compensation exclusively since 2016. He represents employers, self-insured entities, insurance carriers and third-party administrators in all areas of Workers’ Compensation defense.
Mr. Chan can be reached at H.Chan@PurintonLaw.com or at 415.801.0991.
Cari Massaad graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Political Theory. She went on to earn her Juris Doctor at Southwestern University School of Law in 1996.
Ms. Massaad has been successfully fighting for justice ever since, litigating civil and criminal matters in court for 25 years. She is admitted to practice law in California and in Federal Court.
In addition to her unwavering dedication to her clients, Ms. Massaad is very involved in the community. She was born and raised in San Diego and currently sits on the La Jolla Historical Society Board, Albion Soccer Club Board, La Jolla Library Arts Committee, and is a Las Patronas Advisory Member.
Cari can be reached at (858) 257-2424 or via email at cmassaad@purintonlaw.com.
Jessica is a native Texan who was raised in Northern California. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of California in Davis, where she earned Highest Honors. Jessica attended Lincoln Law School of Sacramento, where she was enrolled in the evening program. This allowed Jessica to work throughout law school and gain experience in both civil litigation and Workers' Compensation.
While in law school, Jessica worked as a Hearing Representative for an applicant attorney's office gaining early experience at all WCAB’s in Northern California. Her relationships with opposing counsel and familiarity with the venues, judges, and doctors have made Jessica an invaluable asset.
Not afraid to litigate, Jessica has a favorable decision published on the appellate level. On another case, Ms. Vidaurri prevailed at trial on a post-termination defense with 104 weeks of temporary disability on the line and substantial permanent disability, thus avoiding huge exposure for her client.
Ms. Vidaurri’s countless rewarding outcomes and admiration from clients have led her to be appointed as a panel defense attorney for multiple Fortune 500 companies including some of the nation’s leading retail, restaurant, and automotive employers.
Jessica is bilingual in Spanish and enjoys traveling and watching football.
Jessica can be reached at JVidaurri@Purintonlaw.com or (415) 801-0991.