Geoffrey T. Macbride

Associate

Mr. Macbride is a trial attorney known for his pragmatic approach to litigation. His practice focuses on defending attorneys against malpractice claims and business owners in a variety of contractual and tort disputes.

Prior to joining Murphy Pearson Bradley & Feeney, Mr. Macbride worked as a legal research attorney with the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. He directed ex parte hearings in both the law and motion department and master calendar department. He prepared bench memos on pretrial and post-trial motions as well as appeals. He gained a keen insight into how judges reach decisions. Mr. Macbride uses this insight in his practice to draft briefs and prepare oral arguments that resonate with the court.

Representative Matters

Success in litigation varies from client to client and case to case. While some matters should and must be resolved at trial, many cases can be successfully resolved prior to trial through creative motion practice and shrewd negotiations. Here are a few successful resolution Mr. Macbride has helped achieve:

• Obtained a highly favorable settlement on the eve of trial after successfully opposing plaintiffs' motion to amend their complaint. Not only did plaintiffs settle their multiple-million dollar damage claim for pennies on the dollar, they issued a written admission to defendant that they did no wrong.
• Obtained a highly favorable resolution after jury trial, including a defense verdict for a small business owner, regarding a dispute over a competitive food eating contest. A customer suffered serious injuries after completing a spicy food eating competition. The jury found the owner entirely blameless and the customer substantially at fault for his injuries.
• Obtained a complete defense verdict in favor of attorney and law firm clients after a two week trial. Despite plaintiff's alleged damages of over $30 million, the jury, which deliberated for only a day, determined that defendants' representation always met the standard of care and were not liable for any wrongdoing.
• Successfully enforced arbitration provision in attorney fee agreement despite not having a fully executed copy of the agreement.
• Obtained a mutual release and settlement in favor of attorney and law firm clients on the eve of trial after substantial success on motions in limine. Plaintiffs abandoned their approximately $25 million claimed damages in favor of a cost waiver.
• Convinced California State Bar to drop investigation into alleged misconduct after writing a single letter. A client accused her divorce attorney of abandoning her and refusing to follow her directions. Through a detailed accounting, Mr. Macbride demonstrated that following the client's purported requests would have resulted in a substantially worse result.

Professional and Community Contributions

Mr. Macbride is a member of the State Bar of California and a member of the Bar Association of San Francisco.

Selected Publications