Eric J. Rans

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Eric J. Rans

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Partner
Banking & Financial Services
Commercial & Business Litigation

Irvine

Bar & Court Admissions

  • State Bar of California
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern, Central, Eastern and Southern Districts of California

Industry Association

  • Building Industry Association
  • Risk Management Association Building
  • Southern California Contractors Association
  • The Associated General Contractors of America

Professional Affiliations

  • Orange County Bar Association

Community Involvement

  • Share Our Selves
  • Project HOPE

Education

  • Whittier Law School, J.D.
  • University of California at Irvine, B.A.

Eric J. Rans is a highly effective litigator, finding creative and practical solutions to meet his clients’ long-term business objectives.

He specializes in the banking and financial services, real estate and construction industries. Eric assists a wide range of clients with banking, finance, general corporate, and construction issues, and has in-depth industry expertise representing financial institutions, title insurance companies, equipment leasing companies, construction companies, real estate developers and contractors. He also counsels developers in real estate purchases, development contracts and post-construction litigation involving mechanics’ liens, stop notices, performance bonds and delay-related claims. Additionally, he actively pursues and places receiverships on substantial real and personal properties that secure clients’ loans.

Eric has performed extensive work for a number of high profile clients including numerous national and regional banks, regional developers and international motorcycle manufacturers.

Breach of Guaranty: Sought recovery of money owed to one of California’s leading banks for breach of promissory note and breach of guaranty. The opposing side pursued relief from these claims pursuant to various legal theories that would bar the lender’s relief, including a defense that the guaranty was a sham. Successfully represented the lender in overcoming and demonstrating the invalidity of each defense and prevailed on behalf of our client, obtaining an award in the amount of $23 million.
Construction Litigation: Regularly handles construction cases in state and federal courts on issues involving contract disputes, delays, and change order disputes, as well as matters dealing with mechanics liens, stop notices, bond claims and contractors state license board challenges. For multiple clients, defended and managed numerous cases with a total exposure over $40 million.
Debt Recovery: First-chaired two substantial binding arbitrations, resulting in high-dollar judgments. Worked closely with lender clients to develop a litigation plan to best limit exposure and litigation costs, while still proceeding in an aggressive and successful fashion to earn substantial judgments. These respective judgments included a $13 million and $17 million award.
Easement and Property Line Defense: Defended a claim of easement made by an adjacent property owner that would have terminated an approved 400+ home development for an international home developer. Litigating the matter through trial, successfully received a full defense verdict. Also successfully defended an appeal and received over $500,000 in attorneys’ fees for clients (which were collected within three months).
Injunctive Relief: Defeated an ex parte application and subsequent motion for preliminary injunction filed against the largest supplier of forklift batteries and chargers on the West Coast. The moving party unsuccessfully sought to enjoin client from helping its customers apply for credits under California’s Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) Program (providing incentives to fuel supply engine owners to reduce greenhouse emissions).
Purchases, Transfers of Real Property, Loan Workouts: Represented both lenders and private investors in negotiating purchases, transfers of real property and loan workouts on commercial properties that have been seized and sold by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).