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Dale Minami Honored with Japan Foreign Minister’s Commendation

Dale Minami Honored with Japan Foreign Minister’s Commendation

The Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs bestowed a Foreign Minister’s Commendation on Minami Tamaki LLP Senior Counsel Dale Minami, one of only 150 individuals outside of Japan to be honored in 2023.

The Foreign Minister’s Commendations are awarded by the Foreign Minister of Japan to individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in international fields, in order to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries and areas. The Commendations also aim to promote the understanding and support of the Japanese public for the activities of the recipients.

The Commendation was awarded to Dale for his contributions to the status of Japanese Americans, according to a representative of the agency. Among his numerous accomplishments, Dale was part of the legal team that successfully overturned Fred Korematsu’s conviction in Korematsu v. U.S. and was appointed by President Bill Clinton as Chair of the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund in 1996.

Dale joins firm Senior Counsel and former Managing Partner Donald K. Tamaki in being honored with this distinction. In November 2019, the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs awarded Don with a Foreign Minister’s Commendation for his dedication to “preserving and promoting Japanese culture in San Francisco.” Don was also part of the Korematsu legal team and since 2006 has served as President of the San Francisco Japantown Foundation board of directors.

Mark Fong and the Story Behind the Skrillex Case on The Legal MD Podcast

Mark Fong and the Story Behind the Skrillex Case on The Legal MD Podcast

Minami Tamaki LLP Partner Mark Fong and Emergent LLP Partner Seth Rosenberg appeared on the August 22, 2023, episode of The Legal MD Podcast to reveal details behind their successful lawsuit against DJ and producer Skrillex on behalf of their client Jennifer Fraissl.

The Legal MD Podcast host Dr. David Grundy is a renowned medical legal consultant with years of experience in clinical practice and forensic medicine. Together with host Sydney Delaney, Dr. Grundy brings insightful discussions and analysis on the intersection of medicine and law.

A Los Angeles jury on November 20, 2018, awarded Ms. Fraissl $4.5 million in damages against Skrillex (real name Sonny John Moore), his touring company, Lost Boys Touring Company, Inc., and the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. It was the first successful jury award in a case involving injuries resulting from a performer’s crowd dive.

The San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association named Mark and Seth as one of four finalists for the 2019 Trial Lawyer of the Year award for their work in obtaining compensation for Ms. Fraissl.

From the podcast episode’s show notes:

In this episode,  we chat with San Francisco legal giants Seth Rosenberg and Mark Fong, who recently nabbed a colossal $4.5 million victory for Jennifer Fraissl, injured during an EDM concert by the famous artist and Coachella headliner Skrillex (Sonny John Moore). Seth and Mark dissect the intricate details of this five-year legal rollercoaster, shedding light on the complex medical and legal hurdles they navigated. They open up about the defining moments where they pushed back against rival counsel’s claims, expertly neutralized their expert’s testimonies, and painstakingly untangled the knotty threads of this case.

We step into the murky waters of proving medical probability of injury from the defendant with Seth and Mark. They share how they outfoxed the rival expert witnesses, and how their savvy analysis of a crucially relevant Disneyland case tipped the scales in their favor. Unraveling the minute details from video footage, and arguing from the famous 1928 precedent of Palsgraf v. Long Island Railroad, they demolished the argument that since Skrillex had not directly struck Jennifer he was not responsible for her harm. 

As we reach the end of this engrossing journey, Seth and Mark lay bare the specifics of the legal battle involving Skrillex. They scrutinize the strategies that worked, the challenges they faced, and the broader implications of stage diving and safety protocols in the entertainment industry. 

Listen to the podcast here.

Nine Minami Tamaki LLP Attorneys Named to 2024 ‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Lists

Nine Minami Tamaki LLP Attorneys Named to 2024 ‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Lists

The Best Lawyers in America recognized nine Minami Tamaki LLP attorneys in its 2024 edition. Partners Sean Tamura-Sato, B. Mark Fong, Olivia Serene Lee, Suhi Koizumi, Senior Counsel Dale Minami, and Senior Associates La Verne A. Ramsay and Angela Mapa made the Best Lawyers list. Senior Associate Seema Bhatt and Associate Lisa P. Mak were selected for Best Lawyers: Ones To Watch.

Dale, Mark, and Seema are part of the firm’s Personal Injury practice group. Best Lawyers has recognized one or more of the firm’s personal injury attorneys for the past 11 years.

Suhi, Olivia, La Verne, and Angela are part of the firm’s Immigration and Nationality Law practice group. Best Lawyers has recognized one or more of the firm’s immigration attorneys for the past seven years.

Sean and Lisa are part of the firm’s Consumer and Employee Rights practice group. Best Lawyers has recognized one or more of the firm’s consumer and employee rights attorneys for the past three years.

Lawyers on the Best Lawyers list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers based on professional expertise and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing.

The Ones To Watch awards are recognitions given to attorneys who are earlier in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States. Lawyers are not permitted to pay any fee to participate in or be recognized by Best Lawyers.

These individual awards qualify Minami Tamaki LLP for consideration by the Best Lawyers Best Law Firms list, which is announced in November. The firm has been recognized nine times on the Best Law Firms rankings, which are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys in their field, and review of additional information provided by law firms as part of the formal submission process.

Best Lawyers has published its list for more than three decades, striving to earn the respect of the profession, the media, and the public as a reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals. Its first international list was published in 2006 and since then has grown to provide lists in over 75 countries.

Our hearts go out to the people of Maui

Our hearts go out to the people of Maui

  • By Minami Tamaki LLP
  • August 14, 2023
  • Community
Graphic by Osaki Creative

Minami Tamaki LLP extends its deepest sympathies to those affected by the Maui wildfires, Hawai‘i’s deadliest disaster. The devastation in Lahaina has shaken a community near and dear to us, and our hearts are heavy as the tragedy continues to unfold.

Once the capital of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i, Lahaina is culturally significant to the Native Hawaiian community. The town’s destruction means Hawai‘i has lost a large part of its heritage. 

We extend our sincere gratitude to the first responders, organizations, and volunteers who are working tirelessly to aid and bring comfort to those affected by the fires. The resilience and strength of the community in Hawai‘i during this time of hardship is truly inspiring.

The Maui Strong Fund at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation is providing financial resources that can be deployed quickly, with a focus on rapid response and recovery from the devastating wildfires on Maui. The foundation is waiving donation fees to this fund, so 100 percent of your donation will go to community groups and efforts on the ground in Maui. Donate at hawaiicommunityfoundation.org.

While our focus is on immediate relief efforts in Lahaina, we are also deeply concerned by reports that entities responsible for public safety failed to take appropriate measures to prevent the devastation of Lahaina. Minami Tamaki will remain vigilant in monitoring the aftermath of this tragedy, and we are here to listen and provide support in any way we can.  

Dale Minami on ‘Love thy Lawyer’ Podcast

Dale Minami on ‘Love thy Lawyer’ Podcast

  • By Minami Tamaki LLP
  • July 18, 2023
  • Info

Minami Tamaki LLP co-founder and Senior Counsel Dale Minami appeared on the July 12, 2023, episode of the “Love thy Lawyer” podcast by attorney Louis Goodman.

From the episode teaser (edited): “Dale Minami has had a fascinating career as a lawyer. He is currently one of the top personal injury lawyers in the Bay Area. He was involved in the creation of the Asian American Bar Association and the Asian Law Caucus serving as its first director. Dale was also part of the legal team that successfully overturned Fred Korematsu’s conviction in the famous case of Korematsu versus the United States.

“In this interview, he discusses attending Berkeley during the growth of the civil rights movement and explains how the Asian Law Caucus came to be. Additionally, Dale explains his involvement in the judicial appointments process in the Bay Area and shares behind-the-scenes details of overturning the Fred Korematsu conviction.”

In response to a question about tips for new lawyers, Dale said: “I would advise a new attorney to find a mentor, someone with experience, knowledge, wisdom, and willingness to help you grow. A mentor will shortcut the learning process and accelerate your development of skills. I was too dense and perhaps diffident to ask for help but if I were to do it all over again, I would be more assertive in finding someone and asking for help. I realized later in my career that so many attorneys are willing to help younger attorneys if they were just asked.”

Visit lovethylawyer.com for more episodes.

Minami Tamaki Attorneys Named to 2023 Super Lawyers

Minami Tamaki Attorneys Named to 2023 Super Lawyers

We’re proud to announce that nine Minami Tamaki LLP attorneys were selected as Northern California Super Lawyers and Rising Stars for 2023. A special congratulations to Senior Counsels Dale Minami and Don Tamaki on being named to Super Lawyers for all 20 years! This is a distinction achieved by only 0.4 percent of attorneys in Northern California in 2023.

PERSONAL INJURY
Dale Minami (Top 10, 2013-2018; Top 100, 2007-2023; Super Lawyers, 20 years)
B. Mark Fong (Super Lawyers, 14 years)
Seema Bhatt (Rising Stars)

IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY LAW
Olivia Serene Lee (Super Lawyers, 3 years)
Suhi Koizumi (Super Lawyers, 5 years)
Dian Sohn (Rising Stars)

CONSUMER AND EMPLOYEE RIGHTS
Sean Tamura-Sato (Super Lawyers. 3 years)
Lisa P. Mak (Super Lawyers)

CORPORATE/NONPROFIT
Donald K. Tamaki (Super Lawyers, 20 years)

Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in California are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive Super Lawyer honors and no more than 2.5 percent are selected to receive the Rising Star recognition.

Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area. The result is a credible, comprehensive, and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys.

The Super Lawyers lists are published nationwide in Super Lawyers Magazines and in leading city and regional magazines and newspapers across the country. Super Lawyers Magazines also feature editorial profiles of attorneys who embody excellence in the practice of law. For more information about Super Lawyers, visit SuperLawyers.com.

PHOTO – Top Row (L-R): B. Mark Fong, Suhi Koizumi, Sean Tamura-Sato, Olivia Serene Lee, La Verne A. Ramsay; Middle Row (L-R): David Palmer, Dale Minami* Top 100, Donald K.Tamaki, Seema Bhatt; Bottom Row: (L-R): Lisa P. Mak, Ember Oparowski, Angela C. Mapa, Dian Sohn, Julia Pilkington. – *Chosen to 2023 Super Lawyers **Chosen to 2023 Rising Stars

Chambers Lists Minami Tamaki LLP and Olivia Lee as Among Best in California

Chambers Lists Minami Tamaki LLP and Olivia Lee as Among Best in California

Chambers & Partners ranked Minami Tamaki LLP and Partner Olivia Serene Lee in the immigration section of its new 2023 USA guide.

“Olivia Serene Lee is well regarded for her ability to act on a diverse range of employment-based immigration matters,” writes Chambers. The guide also quotes a peer reviewer who said “Olivia is an impressive driving force at the firm. She is impressive.”

Chambers and Partners is a global leader in legal rankings and insights intelligence. For over 30 years, Chambers has differentiated the very best legal talent by identifying and ranking law firm departments and lawyers globally. Chambers in-depth research teams assess lawyers and law firms across more than 200 jurisdictions around the world, providing independent and impartial intelligence and market insight.

Minami Tamaki LLP’s Immigration and Nationality Law practice is nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers on its “Best Law Firms” list. The practice received a National Tier 2 ranking, the fourth year of being nationally ranked.

Olivia has also been recognized by Super Lawyers in 2021 and 2023 and in the Rising Star category from 2014-2020. Olivia is also listed in the 2018-2022 Best Lawyers in America® for Immigration Law and Who’s Who Legal – Corporate Immigration from 2019-2021.

Dale Minami Named to Forbes ‘Best’ Personal Injury Attorneys List

Dale Minami Named to Forbes ‘Best’ Personal Injury Attorneys List

Forbes Advisor ranked Senior Counsel Dale Minami first on its list of ten Best Personal Injury Attorneys in San Francisco for 2023.

“For decades, Dale has been recognized by his fellow attorneys for his competence and ethics in personal injury law,” said the Forbe Advisor profile. “Although he has transitioned to the role of Senior Counsel in the firm he founded, he still represents clients and has won notable victories both in personal injury litigation as well as in civil rights cases.”

Forbes Advisor collects public data from a variety of sources and uses a model to calculate a specific rating and reviews these results to find the best attorneys in a given practice area. Within the model, Forbes Advisor takes into account factors that legal professionals and consumers value in an attorney’s qualifications. After assigning weighted scores to hundreds of data points, we narrowed the field down to our top choices based on seven criteria.

Dale has received numerous other honors. In 2019, Mr. Minami was honored with the ABA Medal, the American Bar Association’s highest honor. He is the first Asian American to receive the award in its 90-year history.

Dale was selected as a Super Lawyer for each year from 2004 through 2023 in the Personal Injury category, one of the Top 100 Super Lawyers for Northern California in 2005 and from 2007 to 2023, and in the Top Ten Super Lawyers in the Personal Injury Category from 2013 through 2018.

He was also named to the Best Lawyers of America list for nine straight years from 2014-2022 by Best Lawyers, recognized four times as one of the 500 Best Lawyers in America by Lawdragon Magazine (2005, 2014, 2015, 2018), one of Top 100 Litigation lawyers in the State of California by the American Society of Legal Advocates in 2014, and the top three percent of attorneys in the nation by The Legal News.

<strong>Minami Tamaki Investigating BetterHelp Over Data Protection Practices</strong>

Minami Tamaki Investigating BetterHelp Over Data Protection Practices

  • By Minami Tamaki LLP
  • March 29, 2023
  • CERG

Minami Tamaki LLP is investigating allegations that telehealth counseling network BetterHelp, Inc. mismanaged sensitive health information.

Based in Mountain View, California, BetterHelp offers online counseling services under several names, including: BetterHelp, Compile, MyTherapist, iCounseling, Terappeuta, Teen Counseling, Pride Counseling, Faithful Counseling, and ReGain.

In 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued a proposed order banning BetterHelp from sharing consumers’ health data for advertising. The proposed order also required BetterHelp to pay $7.8 million to settle charges that it revealed sensitive customer data after promising to keep such data private.

The FTC alleged that BetterHelp used consumers’ e-mail addresses and the fact that they had previously been in therapy to instruct Facebook to identify similar consumers and target them with advertisements for BetterHelp’s counseling services.

The allegations against BetterHelp are particularly concerning given the sensitive nature of the information managed by the platform with which the platform deals. Many individuals turn to online therapy services like BetterHelp for assistance with mental health issues that they may be reluctant to discuss in person.

If you used BetterHelp counseling services and wish to discuss this matter, you may contact Minami Tamaki at (415) 788-9000 or through our online form. We look forward to the opportunity to speak with you.