Joseph "Jay" Zellmer is our principal attorney and he practices in our modern Grass Valley offices. We associate with other attorneys if and when necessary due to work volume or if further legal specialization is required.
Our practice is regional - Jay still has clients from his times in San Francisco, Chico and Auburn and enjoys referrals from his clients and contacts there. We are seeking to expand generally and in Nevada, Butte and Placer Counties in particular.
Over the course of his career Jay has handled hundreds of matters for clients large and small. He has successfully taken on some of the most prominent law firms in California. He enjoys working with his clients and has formed many lasting relationships, including valued friendships.
Recent Closed Transactions- Zellmer Law Group was local counsel in a $6.65 million purchase and sale/leaseback transaction for a Placer County manufacturing firm. In another transaction, the firm represented the seller in a $1.8 million sale of an Indiana clothing design and manufacturing firm.
Recent Cases- Jay won a complete defense jury verdict after an 11 day Placer County jury trial. The case involved Plaintiffs' claims that the firm's client intentionally defrauded them and breached their contract in connection with the sale of real estate. The Plaintiff's sought over $200,000 in damages, plus attorney's fees of over $100,000, and were awarded nothing.
Jay also recently won a jury trial in Nevada County defending his client against the claim of a neighbor who claimed easement and public road rights over the client's property.
Some of Jay's career highlights include:
• Graduated from University of California's Hastings College of the law in 1983. He was in the top 17% of his class. Hastings is generally recognized as one of nation's top law schools. He was Chief Note and Comment Editor of the Hastings International and Comparative Law Review and published author of "Detecting Collusion in Oligopolistic Industries; A Comparison and Proposal", 6 Hastings International and Comparative Law Review (1983)
• Made partner in 12 lawyer downtown San Francisco law firm in four (4) years; firm was renamed Lerner, Veit & Zellmer
• Founded and owned Zellmer Law Group, Chico, California - 4 lawyers, 10 employees; moved to Nevada County in 1997
• Represented California State University Trustees in construction of minor league baseball stadium in Chico, California
• Plaintiff's counsel in $100,000,000 breach of contract/intellectual property tort claim against major airline
• Lead counsel in $10,000,000 suit against affilate of major telecommunications firm
• Completed successful work out and restructuring of $10,000,000 in loans secured by 55 medical condominium units
• Formed tenant association for San Francisco commercial building, resolved dispute with landlord for $500,000
• Won a $966,000 settlement for offshore manufacturer of medical equipment
• Successful defense of numerous clients, including sellers, real estate professionals, and engineers in claims arising out of purchase and sale, development and construction of real estate projects
• Represented purchaser of $30,000,000 shopping center in Petaluma, California
• Successful prosecution of legal malpractice case against major San Francisco law firm - confidential settlement
• Successful on appeal after month-long real estate fraud trial in Lake County
• Successful defense of national bakery equipment firm in unfair competition case
• Successful defense of regional door manufacturing company against claims of trademark infringement and unfair competition
• Successful defense against sexual harassment claim for regional construction firm
• Represented sellers in transfer of stock in San Francisco airport services company - value approximately $6,000,000
• Successfully completed sale of national chemical manufacturing company
• Completed reorganizations and sale of several advertising agencies
• Won arbitration for property owner in boundary dispute in Ophir area of Placer County
• Won arbitration and defended award in litigation in Butte County commercial landlord-tenant dispute - value of award to client was approximately $600,000
Joseph Zellmer's Community Involvement:
• Yuba River Charter School - a Waldorf Methods Charter School- Steering Committee for New School Site (School has been awarded $8.5 million by State of California); Immediate Past Chair of Charter Council and board member of the Educational Foundation
• Nevada City Little League- Manager- 2008 Farm Dodgers
• Auburn Gold Country Rotary - Paul Harris Fellow; Program Chairman
• Forest Charter School - Charter Council President; Founding Board of Directors
• Auburn Chamber of Commerce - Member
• Leadership Auburn - Co-Founder, Member - Board of Regents
• Other Former Positions: Leadership Chico - Chair, Steering Committee and Chair, Curriculum Committee Chico Economic Planning Corporation - Vice President for Economic Development Chico Economic Foundation - Co-Founder and Chairman; Chico Exchange Club - Member; Alamo Improvement Association – President
Personal --- See also Jay's Story
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Married to wife Tamara Two children- Tasha, born 1989 and Aaron, born 2000
- Avid golfer and racquetball player
- Bicyclist- road and mountain- Survivor of Cycle Oregon for 50th birthday- 7 days, 500 miles, 28,000 of climb
- Initiated in The Mankind Project's New Warrior Training Adventure- 2008.
Zellmer Law Group
360 Sierra College Drive, Suite 220
Grass Valley,CA, 95945
Telephone 530.477.7444
Facsimile 530.477.7773
email: jfz@zellmerlawgroup.com
www.zellmerlawgroup.com
