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We Were
the first
See What We Are Capable Of
- First law firm to seek through court order disaffiliation of two large multi-billion healthcare systems.
- Steve Velkei is the first lawyer to try through trial a regulatory enforcement action seeking penalties in the billions.
- Steve Velkei is the first lawyer to secure through litigation the renovation and expansion of Southern California’s largest rent-controlled property in an important public-private partnership that included the developer, the community, and the City of Los Angeles.
what we do
we do well
featured
case
Velkei Law Challenges Decade-Long Relationship Between Hospital Systems and Prevails,
Improving Conditions for its Physicians and Expanding Access to Reproductive Care in Orange County
Velkei Law represented Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, consistently rated as the best hospital in Orange County, in a lawsuit seeking to end a 10-year affiliation with Providence St. Joseph Health, one of the largest Catholic health systems in the country. The affiliation restricted the level of care Hoag physicians could deliver to its patients and imposed a number of restrictions with respect to access to comprehensive reproductive health for women. After two years of contested litigation, Mr. Velkei secured an order from a Superior Court judge granting Hoag’s independence and in connection therewith secured the support of the Office of the California Attorney General. As part of the negotiation, Hoag committed to expand access to comprehensive reproductive care at Hoag, as well as create a formal family planning program and recruit specialists in sex and gender-specific health care for LGBTQ patients.
Diversity
an essential component to Velkei Law's
unique formula for success.
Diversity in the workplace is important to Mr. Velkei, not simply because he comes from a diverse background but because he believes it essential to his unique brand of winning. Problem solving, at its core, requires looking at a problem from all angles, and having a diverse team ensures that a problem will be reviewed from a number of perspectives. This is essential where, as here, Velkei Law manages complex disputes that are not subject to easy answers or solutions.
Mr. Velkei frequently lectures on diversity issues and has been a regular presenter at the American Bar Association conferences, as well as made presentations before the Association of Corporate Counsel, the statewide conference of the California Association of Realtors, GOOD (“Guys Overcoming Obstacles to Diversity”) Guys, and others. For three years, Mr. Velkei acted as chair of the US Diversity and Inclusion Committee for the world’s largest law firm. He has also consulted with private companies on best practices for promoting diversity in the workplace and has lectured on regulatory issues and trial advocacy. Mr. Velkei is himself from a diverse background. He is LGBTQ. His mother is Latina, his father is an immigrant from Hungary, and his husband is African American.
POSITIVELY DIFFERENT
uniquely us.
Velkei Law is in the unique position of being a small firm that has the experience, talent, and creativity to litigate and win complex disputes with substantial impact at stake.
we turn the traditional approach on its head
At our very core is the basic tenet that traditional patterns of problem-solving often don’t work in complex legal problems and disputes. Our success is rooted in our willingness to look beyond the traditional approaches and think outside the box. We are also three-dimensional problem-solvers that utilize a combination of strategies outside the courtroom that facilitate a resolution in the courtroom, including media strategies and political and community activism. Outside the box, we find unique solutions for the most complex of problems.
we get ahead of the game by defining the narrative early
At Velkei Law, success turns on properly defining the narrative from the outset. We strive to stay ahead of the game by defining the narrative early and, if necessary re-writing the script when called for. Equities matter. Understanding the facts early and presenting a compelling and consistent story at the outset is an essential element of our representation. Judges and juries want to do the right thing, and the law generally provides them with a lot of discretion in making decisions. No trier of fact looks at the law in isolation, even in complex business disputes. We are also not wedded to any rigid concept or plan but are nimble and ready to pivot when it makes sense to do so.
we are ready to try the case if needed
We recognize that trial is a last resort when all other solutions have failed, but a defining principle of success in litigation is the ability to try the case if needed and to properly evaluate how best to win at trial. We at Velkei Law have tried and won some of the biggest cases in this state and country across a broad range of industries, and our philosophy includes a commitment to be thinking about how to try the case at the outset of the case and sometimes before a case is even filed.
our commitment to diversity helps drive solutions
Countless studies have found that a diverse work environment generates higher levels of productivity and more successful results for clients and organizations. Truly solving a problem requires looking at the situation from various angles and various points of view. Our diverse team delivers creative solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems. This is essential to our practice as Velkei Law manages complex disputes that do not have simple solutions.
proud community change agents
As lawyers, we have a voice and the tools to support and drive progress that changes the lives of people in our community, and it’s a responsibility we take seriously. For three years, Mr. Velkei himself acted as chair of the U.S. Diversity and Inclusion Committee for the world's largest law firm and is a frequent lecturer at the national level on diversity. In addition, he serves on the Steering Committee of GOOD Guys, an advocacy group for greater equality for women in the workplace associated with the National Conference of Women's Bar Associations. He is the first man to serve in this capacity. He is also on the board of the George Hoag Family Foundation which contributes millions annually to worthy causes in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.
Forging the path towards change—our firm provides thoughtful legal solutions and crafts unique strategies that win complex litigation matters.
Finding
success
in the Impossible :
Meet Steven Velkei
Steven Velkei has served as lead trial counsel on matters totaling billions of dollars in potential exposure over the course of his nearly thirty-year legal career. Complex litigation matters and investigations are the core of his practice, and he excels at winning cases where others have failed. Prior to founding Velkei Law, he had years of successful stints with some of the country’s most prestigious major law firms.
LEARN MORE ABOUT STEVEN
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