Professional Summary
Education, Admissions, Affiliations & Distinctions

Philip Burkhardt

Founding Partner

Philip Burkhardt is the founder and managing partner of Burkhardt & Larson. He is chiefly responsible for the firm’s real estate and civil litigation practice. He has successfully brought through trial over 100 cases, including dozens of jury trials. Mr. Burkhardt also has extensive experience in handling real estate transactions, both residential and commercial, many of which were six and seven figure transactions.

PRACTICE AREAS

Civil Trials and Appeals

  • Commercial Litigation
  • Real Estate Litigation
  • Corporate Litigation
  • Trust and Estates Litigation

Real Estate Transactions

  • Commercial Leasing
  • Sales Transactions
  • Landlord-Tenant
  • Common Interests Development
  • Construction Contracts

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

  • Obtained defense verdict in federal court action by Chinese manufacturer seeking $9 million against American medical device startup company.
  • Successfully litigated the worldwide licensing rights to the Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) against a claimed $10 million in damages, and obtained a $600,000 judgment on a cross-complaint which was upheld on appeal.
  • Obtained a favorable jury verdict against Barron Hilton on behalf of a long time friend and former business associate. The complaint alleged that Hilton had breached his obligation under a written agreement to exercise options for the purchase helicopters valued at $25 million.
  • Obtained a $428,700 award on behalf of a real estate agent for the recovery of a commission as the procuring cause of a $10 million residential sale.
  • Obtained a defense judgment in favor of a shopping center against a claim of a former manager for a $1 million incentive bonus.
  • Successfully represented a dry cleaning business in case by the shopping center/landlord alleging unlawful dumping of toxic waste resulting in over $1 million in damages.
  • Successfully represented the co-owner of business against whom a $6 million judgment had been entered. The judgment was eliminated and the client’s ownership in the business was confirmed.
  • Represented the buyer in purchasing a 150 acre vineyard property valued at $7.5 million. The acquisition involved complex financing and land-use issues.
  • Represented the buyer in acquisition of $10 million residential estate.

ADMISSIONS

  • State Bar of California
  • United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California

AFFILIATIONS & DISTINCTIONS

  • San Diego North County Bar Association
    • Past President and Member of Board of Directors
    • Past Director, Lawyer Referral Service
  • San Diego County Bar Association
    • Past Chairperson, State Bar Conference of Delegates
    • Past Chairperson, Civil Procedure and Evidence Committee
    • Arbitration Committee
  • Fiorenzo V. Lopardo American Inns of Court, Founding Member and Master
  • San Diego County Law Public Library, Past Trustee
  • Law Library Justice Foundation, Past Trustee
  • Martindale-Hubbell, “AV” Rated and Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers
  • Top Lawyers in San Diego, San Diego Magazine

EDUCATION

  • University of San Diego School of Law, Juris Doctor 1975
    • Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, finalist and member of regional team
    • Legal Clinic Award, Outstanding Criminal Intern
    • American Jurisprudence Award for Trusts and Estates
    • Board of Directors, Environmental Law Society
    • Contributing writer for The Woolsack.
  • Loyola University of Los Angeles
  • St. John’s College, Bachelor of Arts (Philosophy) 1970

REPORTED CASES

  • Clark v. Rancho Santa Fe Association (1989) 216 Cal.App.3d 606
  • Cresap v. County of San Diego (1981) 121 Cal. App. 3d 591, ordered “not published” by the California Supreme Court
  • Heacock v. Ivorette-Texas, Inc. (1993) 20 Cal. App. 4th 1665
  • Ike v. Doolittle (1998) 61 Cal. App. 4th 51
  • Premier Cruise Lines, Ltd., et al. v. Superior Court, John Doe, Real Party in Interest, 1997 AMC 2797
  • Rancho Santa Fe Pharmacy, Inc. v. Seyfert (1990) 219 Cal. App. 3d 875
  • Swiderski v. Milberg, Weiss, Bershad, Hynes & Lerach (2001) 94 Cal. App. 4th 719, review granted by the California Supreme Court, 2002 Cal. LEXIS 1668 (Cal. Mar. 13, 2002)
  • Taggares v. Superior Court (1998) 62 Cal. App. 4th 94
  • VirtualMagic Asia, Inc. v. Fil-Cartoons, Inc. (2002) 99 Cal. App. 4th 228