Laura K. Sitar
Partner
A Partner at Pleiss Sitar McGrath Gates & Ajello, Laura Sitar defends individuals and entities against professional negligence, elder abuse, and employment claims and provides invaluable risk management services to help clients avoid litigation. Her years of experience as a defense attorney have provided her with a unique understanding of the many challenges facing long term care providers. And while she specialized in all aspects of long term care defense, she defends a vast array of clients in other fields.
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Ms. Sitar became an attorney in 1998 after a 15-year career in corporate management, where she directed the human resource function of a 2000 employee, $100 million region. She began her second career in law as an associate defending doctors in medical malpractice cases before joining Pleiss Sitar McGrath Gates & Ajello.
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Ms. Sitar graduated cum laude from Tufts University, in Boston Massachusetts in 1979. She attended Western State University, College of Law were she graduated summa cum laude and valedictorian of her class. While at Western State she clerked for Justice William Rylaarsdam on the California Court of Appeal and successfully argued a sexual harassment and retaliation claim before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal. Ms. Sitar was a recipient of the 1998 Fellowship of the American Board of Trial Advocates. She has been a member of the California State Bar since 1998 and is admitted to practice in U.S. District Courts throughout California.
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Ms. Sitar regularly participates in mock elder abuse trials and long term care executive development programs at the University of Southern California (USC) and has presented for the California Assisted Living Association (CALA) and the California Association of Health Facilities (CAHF) as well as other organizations. She is a member of the Defense Research Institute (DRI) and the California Association of Health Facilities (CAHF) where she serves on the legal subcommittee. She has a published opinion, Carehouse Convalescent Hospital v. Superior Court (2006) 143 Cal.App.4th 1558 in the California Court of Appeal.