Three Snell & Wilmer Attorneys Selected as 2024 Orange County Visionaries by the Los Angeles Times

ORANGE COUNTY – Snell & Wilmer is pleased to announce that three of its attorneys have been recognized by the Los Angeles Times as 2024 Orange County Visionaries. Partner, Deborah Gubernick, Affiliate Counsel, Serge Pavluk, and Partner, Eric Pezold, have all been selected for this honor.  

According to the Los Angeles Times, visionaries that are selected provide professional services that “are invaluable to multiple business sectors, offering strategic insights, innovative solutions and expert guidance that drive growth and efficiency. Their ability to anticipate industry trends, optimize operations and foster sustainable success has made them key partners in shaping the future of modern businesses.”

Gubernick is a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property practice group. She helps both small and large clients safeguard and defend their brands and businesses, both in the U.S. and internationally. With experience in litigating cases across state and federal courts, she has handled over 220 matters before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Gubernick routinely provides guidance on brand selection, clearance, and global protection strategies. Her experience extends to resolving various online disputes, handling DMCA takedown requests, and advising clients in the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) arena. Additionally, she addresses UDRP domain name disputes, online infringement issues, and branding challenges, including cease and desist letters. Her litigation practice encompasses trademark, copyright, and trade secret cases, along with matters related to false advertising, breach of contract, unfair competition, and similar claims.

Pavluk serves as affiliate counsel in the firm’s Corporate and Securities practice group. He focuses on a range of corporate and securities transactions representing both public and private companies in such industries as real estate development, television, publishing and broadcasting, banking, construction, financial services, online trading, technology, manufacturing, software, brokerage, storage, and restaurant business. Pavluk has experience in managing, structuring, negotiating and documenting complex mergers, tender offers, stock and asset acquisitions and divestitures, private and public securities offerings, commercial lending and financing transactions, joint ventures, private equity investments, periodic reporting by public companies in connection with the 1934 Act requirements, corporate governance, as well as business entity structuring and formation of limited liability companies, joint ventures, and partnerships.

Pezold is a partner in the firm’s Bankruptcy practice group and managing partner of the firm’s Orange County office. He concentrates his practice primarily in bankruptcy, reorganization, creditor’s rights, foreclosure, unlawful detainer, receivership, Assignments for the Benefit of Creditors (ABCs), and workout law. Pezold has extensive litigation experience including federal and state court commercial and business litigation. He represents financial institutions, including federal and state-chartered banks and credit unions, private investment companies, private investors, public and private companies, special servicers, loan servicers, accounts receivable lenders, commercial and industrial lenders, creditor committees, receivers, trustees, and debtors. Pezold has a license to practice law in Arizona, California, and Texas.