FIRM FUNDAMENTALS

Founded in 2000 by litigator Susan Beneville, Firm Fundamentals is a specialized law firm professional development and training resource. Consulting and substantive training is provided by experienced lawyers - experienced both in practicing law and in professional development for law firms.

sUSAN bENEVILLe

• Strategic PD Consultant
• Lead Skills Instructor
• Coach

Firm Fundamentals was created by Susan Beneville, Georgetown University Law Center graduate and former litigation partner at Crosby, Heafey, Roach & May. Ms. Beneville's practical experience comes from years in the trenches of complex civil litigation, including multi-district litigation as well as class actions involving drug and medical device product liability, medical malpractice, employment, commercial, insurance coverage, and intellectual property issues. Ms. Beneville's extensive practice provided numerous opportunities to act as a complex litigation team leader, motions "maven", and trial lawyer. Ms. Beneville has taken over one thousand expert and lay witness depositions. She has also managed the collection, review and production of hundreds of thousands of documents in complex matters.  Ms. Beneville continues the practice of law as a consulting attorney for appellate matters, trial preparation, major dispositive motions, and complex case management.

As co-chair of Crosby's Associate Training and Development Committee, Ms. Beneville was instrumental in building Crosby's well-respected, comprehensive litigation training program. From her active participation in the Associate Recruiting Program, Ms. Beneville recognized that high quality associates do not develop in a vacuum.  In active practice and after, Ms. Beneville has developed a well-deserved reputation as an outstanding mentor and coach. 

For over a decade, Ms. Beneville has honed her unique ability and expertise at designing and implementing effective training programs.  Ms. Beneville believes in the fundamental importance of training in creating and maintaining a firm's reputation for excellence; in building and nourishing associate competence, confidence and loyalty; and in meeting and exceeding client expectations.  Ms. Beneville's approach to professional development stresses common-sense, integrity, creativity and humor in an engaging and dynamic atmosphere. 

Ms. Beneville can be contacted directly at               510.547.4813         510.547.4813 or sbeneville@firmfundamentals.com

JULIANNE PINTER

• Litigation Skills Specialist

After 15 years of civil litigation practice, former Georgetown University Law Center classmate, Julianne Pinter, has teamed up with Ms. Beneville to provide further expertise in trial skills and business transactions. Ms. Pinter has over 20 civil jury trials under her belt, as well as over a hundred mediation/arbitrations, and several hundred depositions. Her trial experience began as a fraud specialist for a multi-billion dollar client and continued when she transferred to a boutique firm in San Francisco specializing in fraud. Ms. Pinter’s practice expanded when she founded her own small firm in San Francisco specializing in both litigation and transactional matters. Ms. Pinter's litigation practice includes business disputes, internet intellectual property issues, anti-trust class actions, employment claims, legal malpractice, and property disputes. Her clients included high tech emerging growth companies, multi-billion dollar enterprises, venture capitalists, and private investors.

Ms. Pinter's recent position as in-house Manager for the Legal and Business Affairs Department of Peer Music, Inc. in Los Angeles, California, provides her with first-hand insight into the needs and perspectives of law firm clients.

At each step in her career, Ms. Pinter has honed her own skills in law practice management and associate training. Throughout her career she has been running associate and legal staff training programs, creating training materials, and developing systems for efficient and effective case management from start to finish.

Ms. Pinter can be contacted directly at 415.359-4800 or jpinter@firmfundamentals.com