AYAYO LAW OFFICES

Chris' parents emigrated to America in the 1950s from the Philippines.  They were not familiar with the American legal system, and growing up, he always felt that we were being taken advantage of by others because of this ignorance.  Chris became a lawyer so that he could help hard-working and deserving people navigate through the our legal system.                                                                             

Chris has been an entrepreneur ever since he was kid, when he ran his own snow-shoveling and grass-cutting businesses.  Thus, it was logical that he gratvitated to business law.  Chris started his career as a business litigator, and this experience helped him hone his transactional skills, as he was able to see first hand how businesses and deals went bad.  The Wills and Trusts practice developed organically - as his business clients became increasingly successful, they realized their need to plan for the future.        

I.  Educational Background

Joint B.A. History and Political Science with a Double Minor in Philosophy and Economics, Rutgers College '91 (New Brunswick, NJ)

J.D., Hastings College of Law  '94 (San Francisco)

II.  Prior Work Experience

Business Litigation Associate, Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold (San Francisco), 1994-1996

Business Litigation and Transactional Associate, Nossaman, Guthner, Knox & Elliott, LLP, 1996-1997

Adjust Professor of Law, Whittier Law School, 1998-2001

III. Representative Cases

Breach of Contract – Equipment Lease.  Successfully handled five-day trial involving interpretation of a lease of restaurant equipment (approx. $500,000).  We defeated plaintiff’s claims, and prevailed on our cross-complaint and established that plaintiff had committed fraud in negotiating the transaction.  The Court awarded us approximately $200,000 in attorney’s fees (100% of our fees were awarded, while less than 50% of the prior counsel’s fees were awarded), which we collected in full by levying on plaintiff’s corporate bank account.                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Probate/Trust – Handled administration of multimillion dollar probate and trust estate in Beverly Hills.  Successfully defeated multiple lawsuits filed against the estate in an effort to thwart the decedent’s estate plan.  Ensured that all beneficiaries of the estate received their bequests, including a multi-million dollar gift to the UCLA Foundation.                                                                                                                                                    

Corporate Breakup – Handled Wrongful Termination/Corporate Breakup litigation regarding a multimillion dollar family-owned company.  This included three civil lawsuits and multiple Trust Petitions in Court.  On the day of trial, the Plaintiff requested mediation which ultimately led to a global settlement.  Plaintiff waived his four million dollar claim against the company and its officers and directors and accepted a discounted buyout price for his interest in the Family Trust.