Wendy Lascher, a State Bar Certified Specialist in Appellate Law and AV-rated attorney, handles civil and criminal appeals in state and federal courts. She also assists trial lawyers with formulating strategy and crafting motions. Before joining FCOP, Wendy spent 37 years with Lascher & Lascher and has argued appeals in the U.S. Supreme Court, the California Supreme Court, the U.S. Seventh and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeals, all six districts of the California Court of Appeal and in U.S. District Courts.
Active in the appellate legal community, Wendy is a member and past president of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers and currently serves as President Elect of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. She has also served as chair of the State Bar's Committee on Appellate Courts, chair of the Appellate Law Advisory Commission of the Board of Legal Specialization and President of the Ventura County Bar Association.
In her spare time, Wendy teaches at the Ventura and Santa Barbara Colleges of Law, is a mentor in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program and enjoys hiking, gardening and working out. Wendy has three sons and two granddaughters.
Noteworthy Matters:
- Proctor v. California (1992) 4 Cal.4th 499; aff'd sub nom. Tuilaepa v. California (1994) 512 U.S. 967, 129 L.Ed.2d 750, 1994 U.S. LEXIS 5084, 114 S. Ct. 2630. Argued death penalty case to the United States Supreme Court.
- Caperton v. A. T. Massey Coal Co. (2009) U.S., 173 L.Ed.2d 1208, 129 S.Ct. 2252. Principal author of amicus curiae brief on behalf of American Academy of Appellate Lawyers.
- Alan v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (2007) 40 Cal.4th 894 (authored amicus brief for California Academy of Appellate Lawyers). Holds that time to appeal does not start to run until trial court serves a single document satisfying rules of court.
- In re Marriage of Pendleton and Fireman (2000) 24 Cal.4th 39; 5 P.3d 839. First California case to hold spouses may waive spousal support in a properly drafted prenuptial agreement.
- Morehart v. County of Santa Barbara (1994) 7 Cal.4th 725; 872 P.2d 143. Clarifies appealability of judgments on separately tried issues; upholds judgment invalidating zoning ordinance on preemption grounds.
- In re Corona (2008) 160 Cal.App.4th 315. Paroled sex offender could not be required to waive the psychotherapist-patient privilege as to his privately retained psychotherapist.
- Department of California Highway Patrol v. Superior Court (2008) 158 Cal.App.4th 726. Establishes that violations of Motorcycle Helmet Law are correctable citations, though not for the specific client before the court.
- Estate of Burden (2007) 146 Cal.App.4th 1021; 53 Cal.Rptr. 3d 390. Holds that father's statements during his lifetime about identity of his son meets test of "openly hold[ing] out" child as one's own for purposes of Probate Code §6453's definition of "natural parent."
- Airport Ranch Co. v. Beserra (2011, unpublished). Affirms injunction requiring removal of illegal rock groin and dirt berm from Santa Clara River.
