Attorney Profile
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- Yvonne A. Ascher
- Timothy J. Baldwin
- Lindsey Berg-James
- Charles Des Roches
- Leslie E. Finnegan
- Christine G. Kemp
- Danny Little
- Michael Masuda (Of Counsel)
- Randy Meyenberg
- Anne Frassetto Olsen
- Sharilyn R. Payne
- Stephen W. Pearson
- Heidi A. Quinn
- Anne K. Secker
- William H. Shearer
- Robert D. Simpson
- Ana C. Toledo
- Geraldine A. Villa
Michael Masuda (Of Counsel) 
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Civil Litigation and Appeals
Labor & Employment
Arbitration & Mediation
Construction
California
U.S. Supreme Court
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, Central and Southern Districts of California
Practice Emphasis
Mr. Masuda specializes in civil litigation, trial and appellate practice, arbitration and mediation and has served as a mediator in over 100 cases. Mr. Masuda holds the highest rating, "AV”, from Martindale-Hubbell. He has been selected as a Northern California Super Lawyer every year from 2014 through 2022. Mr. Masuda was also recently selected as a Top Rated Lawyer in Appellate Law by Martindale-Hubbell. He has been appointed by the Monterey County Superior Court as a mediator in the Superior Court Directed Mediator Program and is also a court appointed Discovery Facilitator.
Services to Clients
Mr. Masuda has tried over 90 cases before juries and judges in both state and federal courts throughout California where he has obtained numerous million dollar plus verdicts and settlements, including a Daily Journal Top 100 Verdicts.
Mr. Masuda has tried over 90 cases before juries and judges in both state and federal courts throughout California where he has obtained numerous million dollar plus verdicts and settlements, including a Daily Journal Top 100 Verdicts.
Published Cases
Citizens for Hatton Canyon v. California Dept. of Transp. (2003) 112 Cal.App.4th 835.
Becerra v. Gonzales (1995) 32 Cal.App.4th 584.
Thorning v. Hollister School Dist. (1992) 11 Cal.App.4th 1598.
Geertz v. Ausonio (1992) 4 Cal.App.4th 1363.
Hair v. State of California (1991) 2 Cal.App.4th 321.
Ewing v. City of Carmel-By-The-Sea (1991) 234 Cal.App.3d 1579.
Leonoff v. Monterey County Bd. of Supervisors (1990) 222 Cal.App.3d 1337.
Evans v. Eckelman (1990) 216 Cal.App.3d 1609.
Cappuccio, Inc. v. Harmon (1989) 208 Cal.App.3d 1496.
Feduniak v. California Coastal Com'n (2007) 148 Cal.App.4th 1346.
Citizens for Hatton Canyon v. California Dept. of Transp. (2003) 112 Cal.App.4th 835.
Becerra v. Gonzales (1995) 32 Cal.App.4th 584.
Thorning v. Hollister School Dist. (1992) 11 Cal.App.4th 1598.
Geertz v. Ausonio (1992) 4 Cal.App.4th 1363.
Hair v. State of California (1991) 2 Cal.App.4th 321.
Ewing v. City of Carmel-By-The-Sea (1991) 234 Cal.App.3d 1579.
Leonoff v. Monterey County Bd. of Supervisors (1990) 222 Cal.App.3d 1337.
Evans v. Eckelman (1990) 216 Cal.App.3d 1609.
Cappuccio, Inc. v. Harmon (1989) 208 Cal.App.3d 1496.
Feduniak v. California Coastal Com'n (2007) 148 Cal.App.4th 1346.
Professional Affiliations
- Monterey County Bar Association (past member, Executive Council)
- State Bar of California
- Member, Litigation Section
- American Bar Association
- Member, Litigation Section
Education
JD, with distinction, University of North Dakota, 1981
MA, University of California at Berkeley, 1984
BA, University of North Dakota, 1978
JD, with distinction, University of North Dakota, 1981
MA, University of California at Berkeley, 1984
BA, University of North Dakota, 1978
Other Experience Highlights
Mr. Masuda is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Monterey College of Law, where he has taught Constitutional Law, Torts, Remedies and Advanced Civil Litigation, and in addition taught law at Chapman University. He has also lectured at the University of California, Santa Cruz, California State University, Monterey Bay, the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, and for numerous bar associations. His publications include articles on probate litigation in the California Trusts and Estates Quarterly (v. 15, #3, 2009) and on trial practice in the Daily Journal. Winner of the 2014 Lewis L. Fenton Award for Excellence for Advocacy by the Monterey County Bar Association. In 2017, Mr. Masuda was recognized as one of the Top Attorneys in Northern California.
Mr. Masuda is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Monterey College of Law, where he has taught Constitutional Law, Torts, Remedies and Advanced Civil Litigation, and in addition taught law at Chapman University. He has also lectured at the University of California, Santa Cruz, California State University, Monterey Bay, the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, and for numerous bar associations. His publications include articles on probate litigation in the California Trusts and Estates Quarterly (v. 15, #3, 2009) and on trial practice in the Daily Journal. Winner of the 2014 Lewis L. Fenton Award for Excellence for Advocacy by the Monterey County Bar Association. In 2017, Mr. Masuda was recognized as one of the Top Attorneys in Northern California.
Community Service Activities
Mr. Masuda has served as a coach to high school students in mock trials and provides pro bono services to the Alliance on Aging, Monterey Jazz Festival, Monterey Film Commission, Habitat for Humanity, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, and other non-profits.
Mr. Masuda has served as a coach to high school students in mock trials and provides pro bono services to the Alliance on Aging, Monterey Jazz Festival, Monterey Film Commission, Habitat for Humanity, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, and other non-profits.
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