Thoughtful, Comprehensive, Estate Planning Attorneys

Kirk Pearson, Esq.Partner

Kirk Pearson is a partner at LS Carlson Law. He has spent his entire career as a litigator and trial attorney representing clients in a variety of legal areas including business disputes, contractual disputes, construction defect, premises liability, personal injury, professional liability, product defect, and real estate disputes. He has extensive experience in all aspects of litigation, including pleadings, discovery, mediation, settlement negotiation, arbitration, law and motion, trial, and appeals.

Kirk has spent his entire career litigating throughout California, and has had cases in both state and federal court from Northern California to Southern California. He has successfully represented clients as both plaintiffs and defendants, and has obtained favorable outcomes for hundreds of corporate and individual clients.

Kirk obtained his undergraduate degree in English from Brigham Young University, and his law degree from Pepperdine Caruso School of Law where he was a Literary Citation Editor on Pepperdine's Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship, and the Law. Kirk was also the President of the Sports and Entertainment Law Society when Pepperdine hosted the public arbitration hearing for Floyd Landis following his positive doping test during the 2006 Tour de France. This ignited Kirk's interest in the litigation process, and a particular interest in sport doping violations and the arbitration process. Kirk lives in Orange County with his wife and three kids. With what little free time he has, Kirk enjoys the outdoors, including skiing, mountain biking, camping, hiking, and fishing.

Phong Tran, Esq.Partner

Phong Tran is a partner at LS Carlson Law and practices out of the Firm’s Aliso Viejo office, where he focuses on business and commercial litigation, real estate and homeowner disputes, and other complex litigation matters. Mr. Tran has extensive experience handling high-stakes civil matters at all stages, from pre-litigation investigations, law and motion, discovery, mediation, and through trial and appeals.

Mr. Tran grew up in San Diego and attended the University of San Diego, where he received his undergraduate degree in Business Economics, summa cum laude. After college, Mr. Tran earned his law degree from the UCLA School of Law. During law school, Mr. Tran served as a judicial extern for then- district court Judge Richard A. Paez, who now sits on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Prior to joining LS Carlson Law, Mr. Tran represented shareholders and investors in securities fraud class actions and other complex litigation matters. Mr. Tran also previously served as a prosecutor, first as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, and later as a Deputy City Attorney with the San Diego City Attorney’s Office, where he successfully prosecuted and tried numerous cases.

In his spare time, Mr. Tran enjoys surfing, playing tennis, and reading crime fiction and detective novels.

Jeffrey Kominsky, Esq.Partner

A native of Florida, Jeffrey Kominsky is a Partner in the Florida office of L.S. Carlson Law as well as the office’s Chair of the Litigation Practice Group. Mr. Kominsky’s practice focuses on civil litigation matters, including business litigation and real estate litigation. Mr. Kominsky is experienced in handling commercial disputes and business con- flicts including breach of contract, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and civil theft. Mr. Kominsky recently joined the Firm after working as a Partner at the 7th largest law firm in the United States. He has experience serving as counsel on complex and nationally recognized litigation cases in the State of Florida. He has also advised clients ranging from proactively asserting rights to defending off high-risk exposure. Mr. Kominsky has successfully represented clients in all phases of litigation, including mediations, arbitrations, trials and appeals. Mr. Kominsky’s clients have been featured in local, state and national tv/news- papers such as U.S. News & World Report, CNN, ESPN, the Miami Herald and Tampa Bay Times and the Palm Beach Post.

Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Kominsky honed his legal skills while interning for the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington D.C. and the Civil Rights Section of the Office of the Ohio Attor- ney General. From 2002 through 2005, Mr. Kominsky interned with the Minnesota Vikings, reporting directly to former Vikings owner, Red McCombs. Mr. Kominsky’s interest in sports law/business continued into his studies at law school as the Founder & Chair of the Inaugural Sports Law Sympo- sium at The Ohio State University. He currently serves as South Florida’s Chapter President of the Sports Business & Leadership Association as well as a Regional member for the Sports Lawyers Association’s Outreach Committee.

In 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, Mr. Kominsky was recognized as a “Florida Rising Star” by Super Lawyers (superlawyers.com).

David Lehr, Esq.Partner

A native of Alabama, David Lehr is a partner in the Florida office of LS Carlson Law. Mr. Lehr focuses his practice primarily on Community Association Law, Transactional Law, and Litigation, including Civil, Commercial, Construction, and Securities Litigation. He has experience serving as counsel on complex litigation cases in the State of Florida and other venues around the country. Mr. Lehr has successfully represented clients in all phases of pre-litigation and litigation, including mediations, arbitrations, trials, and appeals.

Mr. Lehr earned his undergraduate degree from Indiana University and earned a joint Juris Doctorate degree and Masters in Taxation Law from the University of Miami School of Law. During law school, Mr. Lehr had the honor and privilege to intern at the Internal Revenue Service, Large Business and International Division. He graduated Cum Laude and was recognized as a member of the Dean's List. He is admitted to practice by the Florida Bar and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Through his practice of law, Mr. Lehr has been recognized as an Up & Comer by the Florida Legal Elite (2016 and 2017) and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers (2018 - 2022).

Ryan Davies, Esq.Senior Associate

After graduating from the UC Santa Barbara, Mr. Davies attended the Willamette University School of Law in Salem, Oregon, where he distinguished himself as a legal scholar and writer.

Since obtaining his law degree in 1997, Mr. Davies not only gained vast experience representing some of the automotive industries largest institutional lenders like Ford, Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, and Toyota, but he also spent years honing his skills representing his clients in a variety of complex business and real estate disputes.

When Mr. Davies joined LS Carlson Law as a litigation associate in 2019, he brought with him over two decades of solid business and real estate expertise. At LS Carlson Law, Mr. Davies has distinguished himself as a valuable member of the Firm’s special motions, appeals, and projects team.

Linda Honey, Esq.Senior Associate

Ms. Honey was born in South Korea, grew up in Orange County, and resides in Oregon. She received her undergraduate degree in political science at UCLA and her law degree at Southwestern Law School in 2005. Ms. Honey received her legal master’s in Taxation from Chapman University School of Law in 2010.

After obtaining her law degree, Ms. Honey gained invaluable experience in civil litigation and contract disputes. She handled all phases of litigation including successfully representing clients in trial.

Drawing upon her litigation experience, Ms. Honey now practices exclusively in the area of trusts, wills, estate planning, and succession planning with special expertise in advising high net worth individuals and administering taxable estates, including the preparation and review of estate tax returns. Ms. Honey has drafted, planned, and administered various irrevocable trusts, such as special needs trusts, charitable remainder trusts, intentionally defective grantor trusts, GST trusts, and dynasty trusts.

Applying her experience from business litigation, she tailors every estate plan to maximize inheritance and minimize liabilities and costs for individuals, families, and businesses.

Timothy Mahar, Esq.Senior Associate

Mr. Mahar, raised in the Inland Empire, is an alumni of the University of Connecticut where he graduated as an Honors Scholar with a degree in political science and was a member of the Varsity Swim Team, earning multiple All-Big East Academic Honors and the UConn Captain's Award. He obtained his Juris Doctor from Roger Williams University School of Law, where he completed internships with Corporate Counsel Department of Metlife Auto and Home, Gunning & LaFazia, Inc., and the Roger Williams University School of Law Legal Writing Department. Mr. Mahar also served as Student Editor for the American Bar Association "State-by-State Guide to Construction and Design Law, Second Edition,"​ supervised by the law firm of Little Medeiros Kinder Bulman & Whitney and won a CALI Award in Legal Methods II for authoring the best appellate brief. Mr. Mahar also served as President of the Sports and Entertainment Law Society and as a Graduate Assistant Coach with the Roger Williams University Varsity swim teams.

After obtaining his law degree, Mr. Mahar served as an Associate Attorney at the Law Office of George J. West and Associates in Providence, Rhode Island, where he prepared appellate briefs for indigent criminal defendants and represented clients in a wide range of legal matters in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. He thereafter returned to California and served as a Staff Attorney at the Law Office of Katherine Anderson, gaining valuable extensive trial experience representing parents and guardians in juvenile dependency proceedings.

Prior to joining LS Carlson Law, PC, Mr. Mahar then spent nearly a decade as a Senior Associate Attorney at the Hellenkamp Law Firm representing corporate and individual clients including multi-national corporations, financial institutions, professional athletes, business owners, real estate developers, brokers and shareholders in a wide range of contract disputes, real estate, fraud, business tort and unfair business practices claims, valued upwards of $80 Million. Mr. Mahar is experienced in representing clients in all phases of litigation and in his free time is an elite amateur triathlete, who has competed at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships.

Shelby Daws, Esq.Associate

Ms. Daws grew up in Orange County, and attended Baylor University, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in business administration. After obtaining her undergraduate degree, Ms. Daws attended law school at the Chapman University School of Law, where she earned seven CALI Awards for her superior scholarship and graduated cum laude.

Since joining LS Carlson Law, Ms. Daws has put her intelligence and excellent research and writing skills to work in the firm’s complex motions practice and appeals team.

Taylor Hubbard, Esq.Associate

Taylor E. Hubbard, a transplant from Northern California’s Bay Area, obtained his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and his juris doctorate from Western State College of Law in Southern California. Mr. Hubbard is admitted to the California State Bar and has experience in civil litigation dating back to 2012.

Prior to getting involved in litigation, Mr. Hubbard worked for several years in the real estate lending services industry processing non-judicial foreclosures, supporting property management services, and handling title curative-related issues. Mr. Hubbard regularly practices in the state and federal courts throughout California focusing primarily on real estate and business litigation, including affirmative and defensive Quiet Title litigation, title curative matters, complex title and land disputes, title fraud, mortgage loan fraud, and disputes between homeowners and their HOAs. Mr. Hubbard is also a member of Girls Inc. of Orange County’s Dads for Daughters and the California Mortgage Association.

Keith Lehman, Esq.Associate

Keith Lehman is an associate in the Boca Raton, Florida office. While born in New York, Mr. Lehman grew up in Florida. Mr. Lehman graduated with Honors from the University of Florida. While earning his Juris Doctorate from Florida State University, Mr. Lehman worked as a clerk for the Public Defender of the Second Judicial Circuit. During and after law school, Mr. Lehman gained legal experience in several different fields, including commercial litigation, contract disputes, and real estate law. Since joining LS Carlson Law, Mr. Lehman has used his extensive experience as a member of the firm’s pre-litigation and litigation teams, focusing on representing homeowners in HOA and COA disputes.

Irasema Rocha, Esq.Associate

Texas native, Irasema Rocha obtained a degree in political science and a minor in legal reasoning from the University of Texas at El Paso. She moved to San Diego to pursue a law degree where she found her passion for business and tax law. She decided to further her education by graduating with a masters in tax law. While in school, Ms. Rocha received national accolades for her work in business tax planning, in addition to working for the San Diego County Treasury Tax Collector and the California State Board of Equalization.

As a native Spanish speaker and writer, Ms. Rocha went on to represent Spanish speaking clients as a volunteer attorney for the Legal Aid Society of San Diego’s Taxpayer clinic. Ms. Rocha gained over five years of valuable experience as the CFO for a Texas corporation, where she managed accounting records, tax reports, payroll matters, negotiated and drafted federal contracts, and created strategic plans to improve the company’s overall financial growth. Ms. Rocha joined the firm as an associate in February of 2022 and is currently focused on advising business owners on tax matters as a key member of the Firm’s ERC program.

Steven Shack, Esq.Associate

Steven Shack is an associate in the Boca Raton, Florida office. Steven obtained his Bachelor of Arts from Pennsylvania State University in 2011. Steven went on to earn his Juris Doctorate from St. Thomas University School of Law in 2016 earning the CALI Excellence for the Future Award (“Book Award”) in Pre-Trial Practice, Professional Responsibility, and Guardianship.

During and after law school, Steven gained legal experience in several different fields, including estate planning, probate, and property damage claims. He is admitted to practice before the Courts of Florida and the U.S. Southern District of Florida. Steven is a member of the firm’s pre-litigation team, focusing on representing homeowners in HOA disputes.

Nicholas Tomic, Esq.Associate

A Southern California native, Mr. Tomic graduated from the University of California, Riverside with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. Mr. Tomic went on to earn his law degree from the Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law.

During law school, Mr. Tomic served as an academic fellow in constitutional law, earned three CALI Awards for academic excellence, and gained legal experience working as a judicial extern at the United States Bankruptcy Court. As a judicial extern at the United Stated Bankruptcy Court, Mr. Tomic was tasked with preparing advisory opinions for the Court, which included detailed recommendations on how the Court should rule on various legal matters. This experience allowed Mr. Tomic to further hone his legal research and writing skills and provided valuable insight into the judicial decision-making process.

After law school, Mr. Tomic gained legal experience in several different fields, including civil litigation, business transactions, and real estate law. This experience has made Mr. Tomic well versed in all phases of litigation from initial pleadings through trial. Since joining LS Carlson, Mr. Tomic has applied his research and writing skills as a member of the Firm’s litigation team.

In his free time, Mr. Tomic enjoys playing tennis and traveling throughout the Balkans.

Justin Walley, Esq.Associate

Justin Walley graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in communications. Mr. Walley went on to earn his law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law.

During and after law school, Mr. Walley gained legal experience in several different fields, including criminal defense, estate planning, labor/employment law, and real estate law. Mr. Walley also worked for one of the largest telecommunications infrastructure companies in the country, where he learned how to interact with local government to facilitate the acquisition of real property, resolve encroachment disputes, and remedy contractual issues. Mr. Walley joined LS Carlson Law’s litigation team in 2019.

Chris Xouleis, Esq.Associate

Chris Xouleis is a native of Southern California and an accomplished alumnus of UCLA, where he earned his degree in psychology. He continued his education at Roger Williams University School of Law in Rhode Island, where he excelled in public sector law and was recognized for his contributions.

During his time in law school, Mr. Xouleis gained practical experience by externing with the Executive Counsel for the Rhode Island Office of the Governor. This opportunity allowed him to hone his writing and research skills while navigating complex bureaucratic systems, ultimately proving invaluable to his professional development.

After graduating from law school, Mr. Xouleis worked as a corporate attorney representing one of the largest healthcare companies in America, as well as gaining valuable experience in various business related areas of the law. Mr. Xouleis joined the Firm in 2019, and he is currently focused on zealously representing his clients in all facets of business and real estate disputes at both the litigation and pre-litigation levels. 

Mr. Xouleis resides with his wife and son in South Palm Desert, California. As an alumnus of Palm Desert High, Mr. Xouleis has a great affinity for the Desert region and is grateful to be able to live in and assist the Coachella Valley community with their real estate and business law needs. In his free time, Chris enjoys living an active lifestyle, including golfing and enjoying hiking with his family and three dogs.