About Our Firm
Firm History
Celebrating 20 Years of Success
Recognized nationally as distinguished trial and appellate counsel, Berkes Crane Robinson & Seal was founded in 2001 by Robert Berkes, Steven Crane, Ronald Robinson and James Seal. In January 2022, after celebrating 20 years of success, the firm changed its name to add long-time partners, Carmen Santana and Viiu Spangler as “named partners.” The firm is now Berkes Crane Santana & Spangler LLP (BCS&S).
BCS&S and its attorneys are listed in Chambers USA America’s Leading Business Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America, California Magazine’s Super Lawyers, Pasadena Magazine’s Top Lawyers and California Who’s Who Legal. In its inaugural law issue of firm rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked BCS&S as one of only 24 “Tier 1” national insurance practice law firms in the country and has since consistently continued to rank BCS&S as one of the Best Law Firms nationally and in Los Angeles.
Women-Owned, Women-Led
Since January 2020, Berkes Crane Santana & Spangler has been majority women-owned. The firm’s recent name change reflects the long-time leadership of partners Carmen Santana and Viiu Spangler who have both been with the firm since 2001. Their leadership will take the firm into the future and continue to provide excellent service to all their clients while mentoring attorneys to be the next generation of leaders.
Expertise
Our trial and appellate counsel are unique in their range of experience.
We represent companies and individuals in various areas, including insurance, products liability, business litigation, personal injury, premises liability, intellectual property, environmental litigation, FELA litigation, asbestos, silica, mass torts and toxic torts. We are lead counsel in state and federal trials, complex and multi-jurisdictional litigation and appeals throughout the country, as well as in domestic arbitrations, and in other forms of alternative dispute resolution. In addition, we serve as national counsel for various clients to coordinate strategies for insurance coverage, litigation defense, discovery and trial.
Skilled Attorneys
Our lawyers publish extensively in their areas of practice.
We are well known for our presentations at professional institutes, conferences and seminars sponsored by the American Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute, Executive Enterprises, Mealey’s Publications, the Public Law Institute, and the World Jurist Association.
Our lawyers speak throughout the United States and abroad at professional conferences and seminars sponsored by the American Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute (DRI), Perrin Conferences, HarrisMartin Conferences, the Emerging and Environmental Claims Managers Association (EECMA), Pincus Professional Education, Executive Enterprises, Mealey’s Publications, the Public Law Institute, the Reinsurance Association of America and the World Jurist Association.