Marilyn Sydney Klinger
Office Managing Partner
Marilyn Klinger is the Office Managing Partner of SMTD Law LLP, a construction/surety/real estate/dispute resolution boutique law firm with offices in Irvine, Oakland, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. She is involved in all aspects of construction law on a state and national level, representing the full spectrum of the construction industry, from owners, contractors, subcontractors, design professionals, and sureties in all venues and jurisdictions, including trial, arbitration, mediation, and administrative hearings. Ms. Klinger is now focusing her attention on neutral work as an arbitrator and mediator. Ms. Klinger is a graduate of UC Law San Francisco with a J.D. and Santa Clara University with a BS degree. Before joining SMTD Law, she was at Sedgwick LLP for over three decades, rising to the practice group leader of its Construction Practices Group, and culminating to her leading the Commercial Practices Section of the firm and being on its executive board. Ms. Klinger is a prolific writer and speaker. She was awarded the James Acret Lifetime Achievement Award for construction legal writing by the Los Angeles County Bar Association Construction Committee. More recently, she has moved into the neutral world, conducting mediations and arbitrations. Ms. Klinger completed training under both the arbitration program at the American Arbitration Association's and mediation training at the Pepperdine Strauss Institute for Dispute Resolution.
Jonathan James Dunn
Partner
Jonathan Dunn practices construction law, transactional and litigation, including surety law, related commercial, creditor, and bankruptcy practices. He has obtained top verdicts and awards in jury trials, bench trials, and arbitrations. Mr. Dunn has extensive experience in government contracts, public works, private works, transactions, and litigation related to the built environment, including building and civil works. He represents participants in construction and development industries, including litigation (trials and arbitrations), transactions, and project support. Mr. Dunn is qualified and has testified as expert witness in construction and surety law. He has authored numerous articles, practice books, and other publications. He has earned top verdict awards and top attorney awards. Mr. Dunn started practice as in-house counsel for two national bonding companies, then spent 16 years as an associate and partner in a large trial law firm, and opened his current firm in 2014; SMTD Law is a niche firm focusing on construction, business and surety clients. He earned his BA in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles and his J.D. from the Seattle University School of Law. Mr. Dunn is a former Chair of the Associated General Contractors of California, Legal Advisory Committee; former Vice Chair of ABA's TIPS FSLC; long time member of the ABA's Forum on Construction Law; and has authored numerous articles, chapters in books, and other publications, including a Chapter in the CEB's Practice book "Mechanics Liens and Related Construction Remedies."
