Skip to main content

ATTORNEY PROFILES

Menu

Founder/Senior Partner

Patrick McCarthy

Attorney in Santa Barbara Patrick McCarthySanta Barbara law firm founder and senior partner Patrick McCarthy is a prominent civil trial attorney practicing in civil and business litigation, personal injury law, medical malpractice defense, equine-related matters and litigation, products liability, homeowners and nonprofit associations, insurance defense, disabilities, administrative law, and governmental defense.

Attorney McCarthy enjoys spending time with his family and maintains active community involvement as a board member of Embarcadero Municipal Improvement District and a supporter of Bishop Garcia Diego High School baseball.  Mr. McCarthy is a member of the American Quarter Horse Association and a supporter and volunteer with Catholic Charities.

Education:

  • J.D., Southwestern University (1979)
  • B.S., Regis College, Colorado (1973)

Admissions:

Professional Associations/Memberships:

Reported Cases:

Partner

R. Chris Kroes

R. Chris KroesFirm partner Chris Kroes is a prominent civil litigation trial attorney practicing in a wide variety of areas, including business and general civil litigation, construction defect litigation, discrimination defense, employment defense, FEHA, EEOC, and ADA Defense, geo-technical defense, governmental defense, insurance defense, legal counsel to the medical community, medical malpractice defense, products liability, professional negligence, and real estate litigation.

Mr. Kroes is highly active in the community and serves on many local boards, including the Children’s Discovery Museum of Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, and the Santa Barbara Citizens Council on Crime.  Mr. Kroes serves on the Leadership Council of the Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Santa Barbara Athletic Roundtable and the Airline Owners and Pilots Association.

Education:

  • J.D., Santa Barbara College of Law (1987)
  • B.A., University of California at Santa Barbara (1983)

Admissions:

Professional Associations/Memberships:

Senior Associate

Briana McCarthy

Senior Associate Briana E. McCarthy was born and raised in Santa Barbara, and is the eldest daughter of founding partner Patrick McCarthy. She returned to Santa Barbara in early 2015, after practicing at a large litigation firm in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2010. Ms. McCarthy has appeared before judges throughout California and in Washington, and has successfully represented numerous litigation clients. Ms. McCarthy?s practice includes real estate disputes, business litigation, personal injury law, products liability and consumer rights actions.

In 2015, Briana McCarthy and Patrick McCarthy represented the plaintiff in a quiet title action in which the defendant had erected a roadblock to deny plaintiff access to, and use and enjoyment of, his 100 acre parcel of land in Santa Barbara County. At trial, Ms. McCarthy prevailed on the quiet title action, recovering substantial compensatory damages, plus an additional award of almost $100,000.00 in punitive damages.

Prior to joining McCarthy & Kroes, Ms. McCarthy was part of a trial team that successfully sought the imposition of monetary sanctions against a corporate defendant and its counsel for contempt, bad faith, and abuse of the discovery process. The trial judge awarded Ms. McCarthys client $45,000 in monetary sanctions against the counsel of the defendant for misconduct, and held the corporate defendant in contempt, imposing a $10,000 sanction to be paid to the court.

Education:

  • J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law (2010)
    • CALI Award (2008)
    • National Institute for Trial Advocacy, IAP (2009)
    • Appellate Advocacy Teams in Trademark and Patent Law (2008-2010)
  • B.S., California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (2004)

Admissions:

  • State Bar of California, 2010
  • Northern District of California, 2011
  • Central District of California, 2014

Professional Associations/Memberships:

Briana McCarthyMy Badge

Associate Attorney

Linda Elias-Wheelock

Lini WheelockAssociate Attorney Lini was born and raised in New England. She graduated from Phillips Andover Academy and received her B.A. in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. She received her J.D. in 1990 from the Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, Georgia. While at Emory, Lini was awarded for her excellence in International Business and Legal Ethics. She interned with the Chief Counsel of the Immigration & Naturalization Service, Southeast Regional Office as well as the Federal Trade Commission.

Lini began her legal career at Levinson & Lieberman in Beverly Hills, California – a boutique law firm with an emphasis on Title Insurance Defense and Real Property Litigation. In 1993, she became an associate with McCarthy & Kroes, where she practiced for many years before taking a sabbatical to raise her family. During that time, Lini was actively involved in PTA, chairing philanthropic committees, volunteering at her children’s schools and for their many sports endeavors. She is passionate about elementary school education and supporting the teaching staff. In 2017, Lini was delighted to return full time to McCarthy & Kroes where she is an integral part of the civil litigation team.

Education:

  • J.D., Emory University School of Law, Atlanta, Georgia (1990)
  • National Institute of Trial Advocacy (1989)
  • B.A. (Political Science), University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1982)
  • Phillips Andover Academy, Andover, Massachusetts

Admissions:

  • State Bar of California (1990)

Of Counsel

Ron Zonen

Attorney Ron Zonen joined McCarthy and Kroes in 2018 after a distinguished 39 year career as a prosecutor. Ron was Santa Barbara County’s Chief Deputy District Attorney in charge of the Vulnerable Victim’s Unit, responsible for prosecuting sex crimes, crimes against children, elder abuse and domestic violence. Ron has tried over one hundred jury trials as a prosecutor including the murder trials of Ryan Hoyt (currently on death row for the killing of 15 year old Nicholas Markowitz), Corey Lyons (the murder of his brother and sister in law), Nicholas Holzer (the murder of his parents and two children) and many other high profile cases in Santa Barbara. He has lectured frequently on the subjects of Child Abuse and Rape prosecutions, Insanity as a defense, cross-examining Psychiatrists, and using DNA evidence in criminal prosecutions. Ron was three times selected Attorney of the Year as a prosecutor and is the recipient of the Thomas H. Guerry Award for professionalism. In addition to his responsibilities as a litigator at McCarthy and Kroes he also teaches Trial Advocacy at Santa Barbara College of Law.

Senior Counsel

Jake Stoddard

Senior Counsel Jake StoddardAs a lawyer for Santa Barbara County for over 30 years, Jake spent half of his career representing people accused in criminal cases and the other half representing the County and its employees in civil cases.

His criminal trials included dependency and juvenile cases, felonies and capital murder. His civil trials ranged from wrongful death to employment and civil rights violations, in both State and Federal Courts. He was the Assistant Public Defender in Santa Barbara County, and formerly the Chief Trial Deputy in charge of Litigation at the Santa Barbara County Counsel’s Office. His only plaintiff’s case for the County resulted in a verdict in excess of one million dollars.

For over 20 years Jake taught classes at the Santa Barbara College of Law, including Trial Practice, Criminal Law, Depositions, Civil Rights and Section 1983. He has lectured for the California Public Defender’s Association, the Santa Barbara County Bar Association and a LexisNexis CLE Webinar.

Education:

  • J.D., Loyola University School of Law, Los Angeles (1977)
  • B.A., University of California, Santa Barbara (1973)

Admissions:

  • California State Courts
  • United States District Court for Central and Southern Districts of California
  • United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit

Reported Cases:

  • In re John C. (1978) 80 Cal.App. 3d 814
  • Mowrer v. Superior Court (1990) 226 Ca. App.3d 264

Associate Attorney

William Frusetta

William is passionate about advocating for his clients and brings a wealth of knowledge to every case at all stages of litigation. William has successfully represented numerous clients, navigating complex legal landscapes with finesse and diligence. His dedication and empathetic approach sets him apart as an attorney who truly cares about the well-being of his clients.

William is known for his meticulous attention to detail, strategic thinking, and a track record of securing positive results. Clients value his ability to explain intricate legal matters in accessible terms, ensuring that they are well-informed and empowered to make informed decisions. With a deep understanding of both the legal intricacies and the human aspects of his cases, William is committed to resolving legal challenges and providing much-needed support.

Beyond his legal acumen, William prides himself on fostering open communication and building a strong attorney-client relationship based on trust. He strikes a balance between the seasoned expertise of a veteran lawyer and the innovative perspective of a rising legal professional. William is not only a legal representative, but a reliable partner who will stand by clients’ sides, dedicated to securing the best possible outcome for each individual.

Education:

  • J.D., University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law (2017)
    o Certificate of Business Concentration
  •  B.A., University of California, Santa Barbara (2014)