About Me

Ronald Talmo

Attorney Ronald Talmo brings an original and creative perspective to complex legal problems in Santa Ana, California. In addition to more than 35 years of experience practicing administrative law, my background as a former law professor, an ACLU activist, and a criminal defense attorney, provides me the knowledge and experience required to resolve numerous challenging legal issues. My practice areas include a range of administrative law issues such as occupational licensing, and administrative hearings and appeals, as well as criminal defense for licensees.

Education

B.A., University of Delaware, 1974 (Sociology)
J.D., Pepperdine University School of Law, 1977

Law Practice

Practice began in December, 1977 in Orange County. Concentrated on representation of persons accused of crime and persons alleging civil rights violations. Have tried approximately 45 criminal and civil jury trials. These include three first degree murder cases, a civil rights verdict against Disneyland in Orange County Superior Court and a civil fraud verdict against Qualcomm in San Diego County Superior Court. I have also tried cases before military tribunals and administrative agencies including the Department of Real Estate (renamed the Bureau of Real Estate), the California Horse Racing Board, the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Contractors State License Board, The Los Angeles County Civil Service Commission, the United States Merit Systems Protection Board (PATCO strike), the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, The California Acupuncture Board, the Dental Board of California, the Physical Therapy Board of California, the Department of Social Services, the Department of Health Care Services, the Board of Registered Nursing, the Board of Chiropractic Examiners, the Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, the California Department of Insurance, the Orange County Department of Education, United States Department of Defense (DOHA), the National Security Agency (NSA), numerous school boards, planning commissions and city councils.

Have prosecuted many cases at the courts of appeal and state supreme court involving criminal, civil and administrative law issues. Seventeen of those case have been published as legal precedent. (California appellate courts publish only eight per cent of their opinions).

Clients have included Doctors, Nurses, Chiropractors, Acupuncturists, Pharmacists, Physical Therapists, Dentists, Lawyers, Judges, Churches, Priests, Ministers, Rabbis, Indian Tribes, School Teachers, School Principals, Students from grade school to graduate school, Air Traffic Controllers, Military Personnel, Elected Officials, Newspapers, Adult Entertainment Businesses, Adult Entertainers, Sports Bars, Restaurants, Nightclubs, Medical Clinics, Homeless Persons, Political Protestors, College Football Players, College Coaches, Whistleblowers, Mobile Home Park Tenants, Mobile Home Park Owners, Municipalities, The City of Los Angeles Police Union (LAPPL), College Fraternities, Political Parties, Day Care Centers, Homeowners, Non-Profit Organizations and a host of other private individuals and businesses who have found themselves entangled with government regulations.

Served as the Legal Director of the Orange County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. (1978-1982; 1987).
MARTINDALE HUBBELL rating is “A,V” (Very high to preeminent) which is the highest rating attainable.
AVVO Rating is 10, the highest rating possible
FINDLAW rated Super Lawyer
Listed in Who’s Who in American Law

Law Instruction

Primary law school instruction has centered on American Constitutional Law with an emphasis on the litigation/procedural aspects of the cases studied including federal and state civil rights statutes.

American College of Law, Adjunct Professor (Constitutional Law, 1979-1980)
Whittier College of Law, Adjunct Professor (Trial Practice, 2002)
Western State University College of Law, Adjunct Professor (Constitutional Law, Appellate Brief Writing, Legal Research, Administrative Law, Gender Discrimination, Corporations, Conflict of Laws, Professional Responsibility, 1979-1985). Fulltime Professor (Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Appellate Brief Writing, Pretrial Litigation, Law Office Management, California Constitution, Logic, Professional Responsibility, 1985-1997).
Director of the Legal Writing Program, 1988-1990; Acting Dean of the Irvine Campus, 1990-1992; Director of the Civil Externship Program and Visiting Associate Professor teaching Torts and Constitutional Law, 2003-2005. Adjunct Professor (California Administrative Law Practice) Fall 2009

Seminars and Speaking Engagements

• Orange County Department of Education (Due process rights of students)
• Orange County Bar Association
  • College of Trial Advocacy (jury voir dire demonstration—six times)
  • Paternity Defense Panelist (Constitutional issues)
  • Handling Appeals Effectively from Beginning to End
  • Preparation and Presentation of an Oral Argument
  • Real Estate Law Section (Zoning of adult Oriented Businesses)
  • Criminal Law Section (Review of California Supreme Court Decisions)
  • Bridging the Gap (For New Lawyers)
• Orange County Women Lawyers Bar Association (Civil Rights Litigation Practice)
• Orange County Federal Bar Association (Preview of the Supreme Court’s Term)
• South Orange County Bar Association (Defending Against Municipal Code Violations)
• Orange County Barristers (Civil Rights Practice, Clarence Thomas Confirmation Proceedings)
• Los Angeles Criminal Courts Bar Association (The Future of Civil Liberties)
• West Orange County Bar Association (Update on California Supreme Court Cases)
• Newport Harbor Bar Association (Annual Preview of the Supreme Court’s Docket)
• Riverside County Bar Association (Benefits to Practicing Ethically)
• Federalist Society of Orange County (Debate with Court of Appeal Justice William Rylaarsdam on the Effectiveness of Fourth Amendment Exclusionary Rules)
• Whittier Bar Association (Civil Rights Practice)
• California State Bar, Continuing Education of the Bar (Demonstration of Use of Videotaped Depositions)
• California State Bar, Volunteers in Parole (Basic Law Every Young Adult Should Know)
• California Administrative Law Judges Annual Conference (Child Witnesses at Administrative Hearings)
• California Center for Judicial Education and Research (One week Seminar on Logic and Constitutional Jurisprudence for State Judges—twice)
• Orange County Paralegals Association (Changes in Civil Rights Practice in Orange County)
• Southbay Legal Secretaries Association (Civil Rights Practice)
• City of Fullerton Public Forum Series (Current Role of the Constitution)
• Constitutional Rights Foundation of Orange County (Government Censorship)
• Irvine Law Seminars (Police Liability- One Day Conference for Police Captains)
• University of California at Irvine in-house Training Seminars (Drug Testing, Affirmative Action)
• Mount San Antonio College (Series of Workshops for Students, Professors and Administrators on Constitutional Law)
• Fullerton College (Bill of Rights)
• Chapman College (Debate on “Moral Majority’s” Influence)
• Orange Coast College (Law as a Profession)
• Whittier College of Law (Civil Rights Practice)
• California State University at Fullerton (Lecture Series on the First Amendment)
• California State University at Long Beach (Bill of Rights)
• City of Fullerton Public Forum Series (Current Role of the Constitution)
• Constitutional Rights Foundation of Orange County (Government Censorship)
• Attorney-Therapist Network (Emotional Distress from Discrimination)
• Toastmasters (Effective Public Speaking)
• Mensa of Southern California (First Amendment)
• American Association of University Women, Laguna Beach Chapter (Bill of Rights)
• Zonta International, Newport Beach Chapter (History of the United States Constitution)
• National Convention for Fair Housing, Los Angeles (Featured Luncheon Speaker on 20th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act)
• Chevron Corporation, La Habra Plant, Luncheon Seminar (Bill of Rights)
• Hollywood Park Racing Association, Management Seminar (Documenting Employee Files)
• Laguna Woods (The Future of Civil Liberties)
• Irvine Republican Club (Justice in the Criminal Justice System)
• Italian American lawyers of Orange County (Researching PR and Ethics Issues).
• Numerous television and radio broadcasts primarily as a commentator on constitutional Issues

Legal Ethics

Provided legal ethics opinions re fee rates in southern California, appropriateness of fee contract provisions and standards of practice. Qualified as an expert and testified on ethical duties of trial and appellate attorneys, on the appropriateness of fees billed by trial counsel and on the limits of attorney representation in “extorting” settlements. Advised attorneys on ethical obligations and represented attorneys and applicants in State Bar investigations. Taught Professional Responsibility in law school, lectured to local Bar Associations on the ethical obligations of lawyers and was a Master in the Peter M. Elliott American Inn of Court.

Law Hobby

Visited and photographed 54 sites in the United States that were involved in United States Supreme Court decisions. These included a barbecue restaurant in Alabama, municipal swimming pools in Mississippi, a high school in Arkansas, a nuclear power plant in North Carolina, a movie theater in Georgia, a fraternity house in New York, an abortion clinic in Ohio, a city park in Illinois and a host of other sites throughout the country.