The Firm's Approach

Pollak, Vida and Barer's objective is to be successful and cost-effective. Success means meeting our clients' expectations, not only through litigation victories, but often through settlement. Matters are handled in accordance with our clients' instructions and prior approval is sought for significant projects.

Each matter received is assigned to a partner who has responsibility throughout the case. A discovery plan is developed and the client receives a preliminary analysis that includes an evaluation of the client's exposure. We take the initiative against our opponents and provide as aggressive a defense as the client feels is appropriate.

Pollak, Vida & Barer's insurance company defense practice includes:

    Drafting coverage opinions, prosecuting declaratory relief actions, and defending bad faith litigation;
    Providing practical and readable opinion letters for coverage matters that focus only on issues relevant to the claim; and
    Staying current by reading new published opinions daily.


Pollak, Vida & Barer's public entities work includes:

    Defending litigation and claims made against cities, counties and school districts concerning torts, inverse condemnation, violation of civil rights and contract disputes;
    Handling coverage matters for joint powers associations and other public entities;
    Prosecuting and defending appeals; handling writ petitions in the trial and appellate courts; and
    Working with and advising trial counsel concerning claims procedure and other complex areas of law

Our partners publish articles and lecture frequently. We give presentations to insurance industry associations such as the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriters (CPCU), and the Society of Claim Law Associates (SCLA). We also speak on public entity law to organizations such as the California Association of Joint Powers Authorities (CAJAPA) and the Public Agency Risk Managers Association (PARMA); and contribute to publications concerning governmental law. We participate in amicus projects for the League of California Cities and the California State Association of Counties.

Our Clients

Allstate Insurance Company
California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (CJPIA)
    (through which the firm represents numerous Southern California cities)
City of Chino
City of Rialto
City of Westchester
County of Los Angeles
County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services
County of Los Angeles Department of Mental Health
County of Kern
County of San Bernardino
County of Sonoma
Encompass Insurance Company
Great American Custom Insurance Services, Inc.
Great American Excess and Surplus Insurance Company
Herbalife International of America, Inc.
Infinity Insurance Company
Los Angeles County Fair Association
Self Insured Schools of California (SISC)

Our Partners

With over 30 years of experience serving our clients, our partners are dedicated to helping our clients and our community. 

From Los Angeles, California

Appeals, Ninth Circuit, and U.S. District Court, Central, Southern, and Eastern Districts of California


Education


University of California , Irvine (B.A., 1979); Yeshiva University, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (J.D., 1982).


Member


State Bar of California ; Los Angeles County Bar Association; Association of Southern California Defense Counsel


Mr Vida has an AV Rating by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating available


Trials


Mr. Vida is an expert in the practice area of insurance coverage and has drafted comprehensive general liability policies for insurance industry clients. He also has federal and state court jury trial experience in areas including insurance bad faith, public entity liability, general casualty, and professional liability. He has argued before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and California District Courts of Appeal


Published Appeals


Mr. Vida's published appeals include


Grace v. Mansourian (2015) 240 Cal. App 4th 523


Encompass Ins. Co. v. Coast National Ins. Co. (9th Cir. 2014) 764 F.3d.981


Allstate Insurance Co. v. Mercury Ins. Co. (2007) 154 Cal. App. 4th 1253

 

Degrassi v. Cook (2002) 29 Cal. 4th 333

 

Degrassi v. City of Glendale , 207 F.3d 636 (9th Cir. 2000)

 

Chamberlain v. Allstate, 931 F.2d 1361 (9th cir. 1991)


Potlatch Corp. v. Superior Court (1984) 154 Cal.App.3d 1144


Publication


Mr. Vida is the author of Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Liability Insurance Coverage for Rental Vehicle Accidents But Were Afraid to Ask


Speaker


Mr. Vida frequently speaks to insurance industry groups on claim handling and coverage issues, and has served as an expert witness on claim handling, coverage and attorney standard of care


Scott J. Vida

From Walla Walla, Washington

Admitted to bar, 1990, California. Admitted to the United States Supreme Court; Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals; and U.S. District Courts for the Central, Northern, Southern, and Eastern Districts of California. Mr. Barer has trial experience.


Daniel P. Barer is a partner in Pollak, Vida & Barer. He has been an attorney at the firm since 1992. Ever since his 1990 admission to the California Bar, Mr. Barer has advised and defended public entities, public officials, public employees, and private defendants in the trial and appellate courts. He has handled matters ranging from alleged dangerous conditions of public property to complex constitutional matters. He also advises other attorneys on matters of public entity law and procedure. He has been certified as a specialist in appellate law by the California Board of Specialization of the State Bar of California since 2000. He has briefed and argued appeals before the California Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the lower appellate courts of California.


Mr. Barer's approach to advocacy is to combine legal scholarship with common sense, clear communication, and solid evidentiary support.


Education


University of California, Los Angeles (B.A., 1987); University of California, Hastings College of the Law (J.D., cum laude, 1990).


Member


Mr. Barer has been a member of the State Bar of California since 1990. He has been certified as a Specialist in Appellate Law by the California Board of Specialization of the State Bar of California since 2000. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and all of the federal district courts of California . He is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, Appellate Courts Section; and Scribes, The American Society of Legal Writers.


Mr. Barer often writes and speaks about public entity law and other aspects of California and federal law. His writings have been cited in court opinions.


For 10 years, Mr. Barer has been designated a Super Lawyer by SuperLawyers.com.


Published Appellate and Other Decisions


Mr. Barer's primary practice is appellate law in the defense of public entities, public employees, public officials, and private defendants. He also handles appeals concerning insurance coverage and other aspects of insurance law. Published decisions in cases he has handled include:


Jessop v. City of Fresno (9th Cir. 2019) 918 F.3d 1031.


Vos v. City of Newport Beach (9th Cir. 2018) 892 F.3d 1024


Cook v. Harding (9th Cir. 2018) 879 F.3d 1035


Christ v. Schwartz (2016) 2 Cal.App.5 th 440;


Hampton v. County of San Diego (2015) 62 Cal. 4th 340 (amici curiae)


Grace v. Mansourian (2015) 240 Cal.App. 4th 523


Horath v. Hess (2014) 225 Cal.App.4th 456


Sanchez v. Brooke (2012) 204 Cal.App.4th 126

 

Sprint PCS Assets, L.L.C. v. City of Palos Verdes Estates (9th Cir. 2009) 583 F.3d 716


Roberts v. County of Los Angeles (2009) 175 Cal. App 4th 474


Silverbrand v. County of Los Angeles (2009) 46 Cal.4th 106

 

Luna v. Vela (2008) 169 Cal.App.4th 102

 

Olsen v. Reid (2008) 164 Cal.App.4th 200

 

Ovando v. County of Los Angeles (2008) 159 Cal.App.4th 42

 

Lockhart v. County of Los Angeles (2007) 155 Cal.App.4th 289

 

Paniagua v. Orange County Fire Authority (2007) 149 Cal.App. 4th 83

 

Gillan v. City of San Marino (2007) 147 Cal.App. 4th 1033

 

Authority for Calif. Cities Excess Liability v. City of Los Altos (2006) 136 Cal.App.4th 1207

 

Morgan v. City of Chino (2004) 115 Cal.App.4th 1152

 

Eastburn v. Regional Fire Protection Authority (2003) 31 Cal.4th 1175 (amici curae)

 

Quintana v. Gibson (2003) 113 Cal.App.4th 89

 

Mercado v. Allstate Ins. Co. (2003) 340 F.3d 824

 

Degrassi v. Cook (2002) 29 Cal.4th 333

 

Zelig v. County of Los Angeles (2002) 27 Cal.4th 1112 (amici curiae)

 

Truck Ins. Exchange v. County of Los Angeles (2002) 95 Cal.App.4th 13

 

Galland v. City of Clovis (2001) 24 Cal.4th 1003 (amicus curiae)

 

LeVine v. Weis (Levine II) (2001) 90 Cal.App.4th 201

 

DeGrassi v. City of Glendora (9th Cir. 2000) 207 F.3d 636

 

Kobzoff v. Harbor/UCLA Medical Center (1998) 19 Cal.4th 851

 

Martin v. County of Los Angeles (1996) 52 Cal.App.4th 274

 

Garcia v. Superior Court (County of Los Angeles ) (1996) 42 Cal.App. 4th 177


Publications:


Mr. Barer is co-author with Girard Fisher of California Government Tort Liability Practice (C.E.B. 2018).


His published articles include:


"Write Your Papers Like You Try Your Cases," California Litigation, Vol. 29, No. 1 (2016)


"Leading the Dance: Drafting the Appellees' Brief," Certworthy , Volume 13, Issue 2, October 20, 2011


"Appellate Tips for Trial Lawyers: Summary of Facts," Los Angeles County Bar Association, Vol. II, No. 14, November 2010


Mr. Barer was a Practitioner Contributor to the Ninth Edition of Black's Law Dictionary (West 2009)


"Consequences of Wireless Case Are Not So Dire" (letter to the editor), Los Angeles Daily Journal , November 17, 2009


"The Collateral Conundrum: Olsen v. Reid Frames the Hanif/Nishihama Controversy - and Suggests How It Will Turn Out," California Litigation , Vol. 21, No. 3 (2008)


"Say it With Feeling: Aim for the Heart, or Go for the Gut,"Certworthy , Winter 2006


"California Courts Differ on Liability for Negligent Handling of Emergency Calls," Los Angeles Daily Journal , September 11, 2002


"Contractual Indemnification Claims Against Public Entities: When Are They Time-Barred?"Public Law Journal , Vol. 21, No. 5 (Winter 1998)


"Handle With Care: Preserving the Public Entity's Right to Challenge a Late Claim," Claims People , Vol. 8, No. 2 (1998)


Distinction


Since 2005, Mr. Barer has been listed as a "Super Lawyer" in appellate law by Southern California Super Lawyers Magazine.


Email


Daniel@PollakVida.com

Daniel P. Barer