Litigation
Jun. 15, 2002
On Her Own
Top 30 Women Litigators - Michelle Reinglass - Laguna Hills-based Michelle Reinglass knew when she went to Western State University College of Law that she was too independent to work in a large firm.
Michelle Reinglass
Laguna Hills-based Michelle Reinglass knew when she went to Western State University College of Law that she was too independent to work in a large firm.
"I didn't see myself going to a Rutan & Tucker environment," Reinglass says.
Her only stint in a partnership was one that she formed in 1983 with two other lawyers. That endeavor lasted only a year.
Early in her career, she focused on business, civil and employment litigation. In the mid-1980s, Reinglass found herself "getting tired of squabbling shareholders," so she gave up business to focus on employment litigation.
One of Reinglass' proudest moments as a litigator was a case she settled for an Orange County woman who was being chased by creditors. The woman's husband moved to Pennsylvania and filed for divorce. He ran up all the credit cards, and the creditors came after Reinglass' client, who was supporting three children on $620 a month. The woman sent letters to all the creditors explaining her situation and sent $5 to each one every month. But one of the creditors, Arco, would not accept the explanation, and they sued her.
"I was furious," Reinglass says.
Reinglass filed a cross-complaint for the woman. The judge recommended settlement, but Arco refused. In the end, the woman received three-to-four times the amount that she owed.
Reinglass appears to have a soft side for representing women. She learned early in her career that women must work harder to gain the respect of men.
While attending college and law school, Reinglass worked at a bank for five years. She had been working as an assistant loan officer when she was promoted to law clerk. The day before she was to begin her new position, the head of personnel paid her a visit. He told her that they had never had a female law clerk and weren't ready for one. Then he offered Reinglass a job as a secretary. She quit immediately.
That was 1978. While Reinglass admits that some things have changed over the course of her career, including treatment of female attorneys by male opposing counsel, she admits, "We have a long way to go."
Stefanie Knapp
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