The Attorneys of Sullivan, Workman & Dee
Charles D. Cummings
Partner
A partner in the firm since 1980, Mr. Cummings is a trial lawyer, whose practice emphasizes real estate, eminent domain and business litigation. He also regularly counsels clients on all types of real estate negotiations and transactions including issues related to purchase and sale, leases, title, deeds of trust, liens, foreclosures, broker commissions, construction disputes and boundary disputes. Mr. Cummings was part of a team responsible for the review and overhaul of all real estate transaction forms used by a major brokerage and property management firm located in Los Angeles. Mr. Cummings has served as a guest speaker for the Appraisal Institute and the International Right of Way Association's Annual Valuation Seminar.
Mr. Cummings obtained his juris doctor, cum laude, from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles in 1974 and was a member of the St. Thomas More Law Honor Society. Mr. Cummings was admitted to the California State Bar in 1974. In addition to the California State Bar, Mr. Cummings is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the U.S. District Court for the Easter District of California, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Cummings is currently a member of both the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the American Bar Associations.
Mr. Cummings is a former member and chair of the Civil Service Commission for the City of San Gabriel. He has also served on a number of educational and charitable boards including the Board of Directors for Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy and the San Gabriel Mission High School and Elementary School Board. Mr. Cummings has had a long term relationship with Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy. He was a member of its Advisory Board for nine years and its Board of Directors for eight years.
Mr. Cummings is rated AV-Preeminent 5.0 out of 5.0 by Martindale-Hubbell.
Gary A. Kovacic
Partner
Mr. Kovacic concentrates his law practice in the areas of eminent domain, land use and zoning litigation. His eminent domain clients range from Fortune 500 companies to family businesses; from owners of shopping centers, golf courses, and large tracts of land to tenants of small commercial parcels.
Mr. Kovacic has been a licensed California attorney since 1976 and a partner in the firm since 1981. In addition to the California State Bar, Mr. Kovacic has been admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the U.S. District Court for the Easter District of California, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Mr. Kovacic obtained his juris doctor, cum laude, from the Southwestern University School of Law, where he was a note and comment editor for the law review. Mr. Kovacic taught real property law as an adjunct professor at the University of La Verne College of Law from 1987-1988, and has continued to serve as a guest lecturer on eminent domain for both the University of Law Verne College of Law and Southwestern University School of Law. From 1990-1992, Mr. Kovacic served as the chair of the Los Angeles County Bar Associations' Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Committee. He has also been a featured speaker for the American Planning Association's Zoning Institute, the American Planning Association's National Planning Conference, CLE International's Regulatory Takings Conference, CLE International's Annual Eminent Domain Conference (Los Angeles), the Appraisal Institute, and the International Right of Way Association's Annual Valuation Seminar. In addition to his speaking engagements, Mr. Kovacic has served as Program Co-Chair for CLE International's Annual Eminent Domain Conference from 2003 to the present and was a contributing author for Nichols on Eminent Domain.
Mr. Kovacic has served as a member of the City Council of the City of Arcadia, California, for over twelve years, including five terms as Mayor, a position he currently holds. He has also chaired the City’s Redevelopment Agency Board and Planning Commission, during which time he addressed numerous development, zoning and land use matters. Mr. Kovacic is also very involved with Arcadia's public school district, having served as a board member of the Arcadia Education Foundation, coaching the Arcadia High School's national championship Constitution Team, and in 2006, chairing the district's successful $218 million school bond campaign.
Mr. Kovacic is rated AV-Preeminent 5.0 out of 5.0 by Martindale-Hubbell and listed in Southern California’s Best Lawyers (2009-2011) and Super Lawyers (2010-2011) for Eminent Domain Law.
Karyn A. McCreary
Partner
Karyn A. McCreary is a partner at the law firm of Sullivan, Workman & Dee, LLP in Los Angeles. Ms. McCreary's practice is primarily dedicated to eminent domain and real estate litigation, and has represented both condemning agencies and private property owners. Ms. McCreary has engaged in lease reviews, drafted purchase and sale agreements for real property transactions, coordinated escrows, reviewed and drafted leases, conducted due diligence regarding title disputes, litigated easement disputes, and litigated both commercial and residential landlord and tenant disputes. Ms. McCreary also represent clients in California employment litigation arising under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act and the California Labor Code.
Ms. McCreary received her law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 2003. She has been a member of the firm since July, 2003, and was elevated as a partner of the firm in 2006. Ms. McCreary is currently admitted to the State Bar of California and the United States District Court for the Central District of California. She is a member of the American Bar Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, Chapter 67 of the International Right of Way Association, and is currently serving on the steering committee for the Eminent Domain and Inverse Condemnation Subsection of the Real Property Law Section of the California State Bar Association.
Ms. McCreary has co-authored articles on the role of ethics in eminent domain for the CLE International Conference in Eminent Domain held annually in Los Angeles, California and is a contributing author to the California State Bar Real Property Law Sections' e-Bulletin. Ms. McCreary also served as a contributing author for volumes 8 through 10 of Nichols on Eminent Domain, the leading national treatise in the field of eminent domain. She has also been a guest lecturer at the University of La Verne College of Law and the Real Property Section for the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
D. Daniel Pranata
Partner
Mr. Pranata is a litigator and transactional attorney who focuses his practice on real estate, eminent domain, business, civil litigation, and estate planning. Mr. Pranata obtained his juris doctor from Loyola Law School in 2001 and, in addition to the State Bar of California, is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
Mr. Pranata is a member of the American Bar Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and Chapter 67 of the International Right-of-Way Association. Mr. Pranata has been a member of the firm since 2001 and was elevated as a partner of Sullivan, Workman & Dee, LLP in 2006.
In his real estate practice, Mr. Pranata has advised clients regarding boundary disputes, encroachments, and easement rights and liabilities. He has also conducted due diligence with regard to lease terms on behalf of clients seeking to acquire a chain of supermarkets. In his eminent domain practice, Mr. Pranata advises property owners, business owners and agencies regarding all phases of the acquisition process and relocation benefits.
Mr. Pranata additionally serves on the Montrose Shopping Park Board of Directors, representing the interests of over 200 member merchants.
Theresa M. Pranata
Partner
Theresa M. Pranata joined Sullivan, Workman & Dee, LLP as a partner in 2011. Ms. Pranata chairs the firm's Elder Law and Trust and Estates practice, which includes estate planning, special needs trusts, Medi-Cal planning, conservatorships, trust administration, and probates.
Ms. Pranata graduated from Loyola Law School in 2001. Ms. Pranata is an active member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Trust & and Estates Section, Pasadena Bar Association Probate Trust and Estates Section, and San Gabriel Valley Bar Association. She also serves on the Los Angeles County Superior Court's Probate Volunteer Panel, accepting court appointments to represent elders and developmentally disabled adults in probate court proceedings.
Sherrill Tanibata
Of Counsel
Ms. Tanibata is an experienced trusts, wills, estate planning and probate lawyer. She also negotiates and drafts business agreements and contracts. Sheri is a graduate of UCLA and received her law degree from Loyola Law School.
Roger M. Sullivan
Of Counsel
Mr. Sullivan is an eminent domain and land use trial lawyer. Roger is past chair of the eminent domain committees of the American Bar Association, California State Bar and Los Angeles County Bar Association, and has also published many articles on eminent domain law including a cover article in Los Angeles Lawyer magazine. When California redrafted its comprehensive Eminent Domain Law, Roger testified in support of the legislation on behalf of the California State Bar as chair of its eminent domain committee. He also served on the American Bar Association committee that drafted the Uniform Eminent Domain Code. After service as a naval aviator, Roger obtained his law degree from Loyola Law School where he founded the St. Thomas More Law Society. Roger has served as president of Loyola’s Board of Visitors and received the law school’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1989. Roger has handled several hundred eminent domain trials and is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Henry K. Workman
Of Counsel
Mr. Workman heads the firm’s trusts, wills, estates and probate practice, is one of the firm’s appellate lawyers, and also handles eminent domain and land use trials. He received his undergraduate degree from USC, where he captained the school’s first national championship baseball team, and received his law degree from Loyola Law School. Henry came to the firm after service in the military, six years as a professional baseball player (including a short stint with the New York Yankees) and three years as a deputy in the California Attorney General’s office concentrating on eminent domain litigation.
Thomas E. O'Sullivan
Of Counsel
As a former Revenue Agent for the Internal Revenue Service, Mr. O’Sullivan brings a practical approach and perspective to his sophisticated tax, estate planning and probate practice. After military service in Europe in World War II, Ed received his undergraduate degree from USC and his law degree from Loyola Law School.
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