Profile
An experienced litigator, shareholder Heather Barnes represents businesses and individuals, covering a variety of disputes from Murphy Pearson’s Sacramento office. Her practice extends to professional liability, general business litigation, real estate, and complex litigation matters.
Heather’s practice focuses on defense of professionals, including attorneys, architects, engineers, insurance brokers/agents, and real estate professionals, as well as certain construction defect defense, HOA defense, banking and fair debt collection defense, products liability, unfair business practices, employment law, and commercial general liability suits with a recent emphasis on defense of sports/entertainment/hospitality organizations and promoters throughout the area.
While attending law school, Heather participated in internships and externships, including with the EEOC – Indianapolis as a Clerk to Administrative Judge Treeter; the Indiana Court of Appeals, as an intern with Judge Terry Crone; the Indiana University – Indianapolis Civil Law Clinic, serving as counsel for indigent clients; and in a corporate externship with Finish Line, Inc.
Experience
- Defend licensed attorneys, accountants, real estate agents, architect and engineers in professional negligence matters.
- Represented employers in PAGA litigation covering large classes of employees.
- Represented various homeowner associations in disputes falling under governing documents and in defending corresponding tort claims.
- Represent employers in wage and hour claims, as well as employment practices claims under FEHA and federal statutes.
- Defend individuals and businesses in director and officer litigation and general business disputes.
- Defend insureds on various litigation matters under sports, arts, entertainment and recreation policies.
Affiliations
- Litigation Counsel of America, a trial lawyer honorary society whose membership is limited to less than one-half of one percent of Northern American lawyers, judges and scholars, Associate Fellow
- Defense Research Institute’s (DRI)
- Professional Liability Committee, Membership chair
- The Voice of the Defense Bar
- Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada
- Associate Editor, Defense Comment Magazine
- Sacramento County Bar Association
- Women Lawyers of Sacramento
- Fred Finch Youth Center of Northern California, former
- Protective Order Pro Bono Project, Indiana, former
Publications
- “The Pitfalls of Private Money Lending,” co-authored with Adam M. Koss, Defense Research Institute (DRI), September 2015
- “Think Again – Making the Most of Defense Attorneys’ Fee Awards,” co-authored with Adam M. Koss, Defense Research Institute (DRI), September 2014
Recognitions
- Selected for inclusion in Northern California Super Lawyers‘ Rising Star List (2017 – 2021)
- Named one of Sacramento Magazine‘s Top Lawyers in Professional Malpractice (2017)
Education
J.D., Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis
M.B.A., Indiana University Kelley School of Business
B.A., Purdue University – Indianapolis, School of Science – Concentration: Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Indiana University Kelley School of Business – Certificate of Business Foundations