Mr. Vanderpool is known as an “attorney’s trial attorney.” Often hired by his peers and former adversaries, Mr. Vanderpool develops novel theories and creative solutions to his client’s legal needs. Opposing counsel learn quickly that Mr. Vanderpool is also happy to try cases and why clients hire him for his unique hands-on approach and extensive experience as a trial lawyer and strategist. One long-time client has said “hiring him was the best decision I ever made for the company.”
Mr. Vanderpool has been voted by his peers as a “Top Gun” Trial Attorney. Mr. Vanderpool was awarded the prestigious “Trial Attorney of the Year” in 2012 by the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association.
Prior to practicing law, Mr. Vanderpool served four years in the U.S. Army as a Voice Language Intelligence Interception Specialist, receiving an honorable discharge in 1982. Mr. Vanderpool was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone, with special assignments in Cuba and throughout Central America. Mr. Vanderpool is fluent in Spanish and has traveled extensively.
Mr. Vanderpool graduated cum laude from the University of California, Irvine, in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, and was chosen as the commencement speaker. In 1992 Mr. Vanderpool graduated from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, as a member of the Thurston Society, which recognizes academic excellence. Mr. Vanderpool also received the William Clark Sanford Scholarship, and the American Jurisprudence Award in Evidence.
While still in law school, Mr. Vanderpool worked full time in the litigation department of San Francisco’s Broad, Schulz, Larson & Wineberg, a firm specializing in antitrust and complex business litigation. During his third year of law school, Mr. Vanderpool worked full time for the in-house litigation department of Fidelity National Title Insurance Company, and as a certified law clerk successfully tried (and defensed) his first case.
After graduating from law school, Mr. Vanderpool became a litigation associate at the law firm of Rutan & Tucker in Costa Mesa, California, where he specialized in complex business, real estate, and employment litigation. Mr. Vanderpool also taught real estate law for the University of California, Irvine Extension program, and has written articles on developing issues in real property anti-deficiency legislation and case law.
Mr. Vanderpool is active in the local legal community, and is a member of the Orange County Bar Association, Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, and serves as an Arbitrator under the OCBA Mandatory Fee Arbitration program. Mr. Vanderpool was elected to the Board of Directors of the OCTLA in 2012, and was elected by his peers to the Executive Committee in 2016. Mr. Vanderpool served as the President of the OCTLA in 2023, and is now the Immediate Past President.
In 1996 Mr. Vanderpool opened his own office, allowing him to offer superior and efficient legal services at a very reasonable and competitive rate.
Contact Mr. Vanderpool by phone at 562-431-6900 or by email at doug@vanderpool-law.com
Michael J. Fairchild concentrates his practice in all aspects of civil litigation, representing clients in both the prosecution and defense of complex contractual, commercial, and real estate disputes.
Mr. Fairchild has substantial experience in construction litigation. Notably, he has extensive experience defending some of the largest home builders, general contractors, and developers in California and the Western United States in a broad range of construction claims, disputes, and work site accidents.
Mr. Fairchild also represents individuals and businesses in matters involving personal injuries, employment disputes, insurance, trade secrets, and unfair competition issues. His experience ranges from the initiation of disputes through trial, and he regularly practices in both state and federal courts at both the trial and appellate levels. Mr. Fairchild was defense counsel in the published decision of McElroy v. Chase Manhattan Mortg. Corp. (2005) 134 Cal.App.4th 388.
In addition, Mr. Fairchild is a former federal Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Jane Dickson McKeag, Bankruptcy Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California.
Education
- J.D., 2002, Chapman University School of Law, Cum Laude
- Chapman Law Review, Articles Editor and Executive Director
- B.A., 1996, Behavioral Science, Concordia University
Admissions
- State Bar of California
- United States Supreme Court
Honors
- Named to Rising Stars list, Southern California Super Lawyers Magazine,
- Law Politics Media, Inc., Los Angeles Magazine, Awarded 2008 – 2012
Testimonials
- Doug,
Kyle and I are very appreciative of the support and advice we received from Mike during our issue with State Farm. I had contacted over 17 lawyers in 3 years and not one ever said, "I can help you" until I met with Mike. I know our claim was small but it was more about getting assistance in an area that was, quite frankly, too emotional for me to handle myself. The trauma suffered during that fire and having to wait over 3 years to get this resolved, I knew I needed legal help and Mike understood our plight. He was empathetic to our journey in this and was extremely fair and forthright on how he could assist and what we might expect for an outcome. He was professional in all our conversations and showed a compassion for us that I will never forget.
He made a big difference in getting us closure on this distressing event and I even received a hand-written note from the Honorary Jacqueline Connor, the mediator, who said: " You were lucky to have Mike".
No truer words have been spoken! And Vanderpool Law is lucky to have him, too!
Thank you for your support and services!
Most Sincerely,
Joanie and Kyle
Born and raised in small-town Wyoming, Brooke Bove joined the Army right out of high school in 1996 and worked as an intelligence analyst and Arabic translator. (Fun fact: Ms. Bove and Mr. Vanderpool had the same job in the Army.) Ms. Bove earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, with a business minor, followed by a paralegal certificate and when she couldn’t hold out any longer, a law degree magna cum laude, in 2011.
Ms. Bove's legal experience involves an ongoing fight for justice. As a paralegal, she worked on personal injury cases in Oregon and California. She continued that work during and after law school, clerking for and working with personal injury attorneys. Her extensive litigation and appellate experience has given her the perspective and legal knowledge to continue that fight for our clients. Ms. Bove focuses on legal writing and appellate work.
During law school, Ms. Bove was a member and Lead Articles Editor of the Whittier Law Review, where she began her legal writing career by authoring and publishing a scholarly article related to copyright law. Beyond the courtroom, she works hard to remain current on case law and trends that shape the legal landscape. She keeps abreast of legal technology and how it can improve the practice of law for the benefit of our clients. She has authored multiple articles for local, state-wide and national publications, and she is regularly invited to give presentations on legal writing and appellate practice throughout the country. She is a Board member of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association (OCTLA), and is and active member of Orange County Bar Association (OCBA), Orange County Women Lawyers Association (OCWLA), California Women Lawyers (CWL) and the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC).
Contact Ms. Bove by phone at 562-431-6900 or by email at brooke@vanderpool-law.com
Personal Injury Coordinator/Paralegal
Contact Ms. Gomez by phone at 562-431-6900 or by email at lissette@vanderpool-law.com
Office Manager
Contact Ms. Torres by phone at 562-431-6900 or by email at lizette@vanderpool-law.com