About Our Practice Ford, Walker, Haggerty & Behar provides clients with legal services in all areas of civil litigation. Building upon our strong tradition in insurance defense, we have expanded into other areas of general casualty defense including representation of self-insured entities, public and closely held corporations, municipalities, professionals and other individuals who value the aggressive pursuit of their legal rights by a team of experienced and innovative attorneys. The backbone of the firm continues to be a general liability defense practice with emphasis on defending claims in the areas of premises liability, professional liability, automobile negligence, construction defects, municipal defense, products liability and environmental law. The best measure of our success is the loyalty of our clients. Five of our largest insurance clients have been with the firm since its inception. Responsive Communication The Firm stresses open and frequent communications with clients to insure that the services provided meet the clients' expectations. Communication is furthered by direct e-mail links and a firm culture that stresses timely reporting at all phases of legal action. Our billing systems are also flexible, to provide the information required in a format and with a frequency that conforms to a client's preferences. Our monthly Law Review briefs our clients on pertinent litigation and significant case law. We offer seminars, in our clients' offices, as a further means of sharing critical legal information. Cost-effective Representation We are dedicated to delivering cost-effective legal services with optimal results. As a mid-sized firm we have a depth of attorney resources to apply when specific fields of expertise are required, but run lean, with no training of younger attorneys at the client's expense. We provide not only case analysis, but also estimates and budgets up front, so that our client can determine an appropriate course of action with full knowledge of the costs involved. When in the best interest of the client, we advocate alternative dispute resolution as a cost-effective alternative to litigation. Experienced Counsel G. Richard Ford, Timothy L. Walker, William C. Haggerty and Jeffrey S. Behar founded our firm 1991. All four were senior partners at Shield & Smith, a large Los Angeles insurance defense law firm. They brought with them a group of talented lawyers with experience in defending general casualty litigation claims. G. Richard Ford retired in 2000. Theodore P. Shield, a founding partner at Shield & Smith, continues in an of counsel capacity. From an original nucleus of eight partners arid sixteen associates, we have steadily grown to more than forty lawyers as our client base and areas of' service have expanded. Convenient Location Long Beach provides a convenient geographic position from which to serve our major clients in both Los Angeles and Orange counties. Our offices are located in the World Trade Center, which is the centerpiece of a revitalized downtown Long Beach. Although the majority of the firm's practice is concentrated in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, Ford, Walker, Haggerty & Behar also engages in all phases of litigation in federal and State courts in San Diego, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and Kern Counties for clients located across the United States and internationally.