Biography
William R. Harmsen is a partner in the firm's Los Angeles office. His practice is concentrated in commercial litigation with an emphasis on real estate, finance, banking, and business competition matters. Bill appears regularly in both state and federal courts throughout California and elsewhere. He also appears regularly before administrative agencies in matters involving property taxation, and other administrative matters. Bill has extensive experience representing financial institutions and lenders. Bill’s clients also include various other types of businesses, including real estate borrowers and lenders, investors, property owners, and tenants. He has handled all types of real estate finance issues including foreclosures, loan modifications, restructurings, and workouts and has extensive experience in real estate and other partnership disputes, lender liability claims, borrower bankruptcies, title and property insurance matters, construction and environmental matters, unfair competition and business tort cases, and landlord/tenant matters. Bill also handles eminent domain matters for property owners and lenders in both state and federal court, and has represented both banks and customers in various commercial lending and banking disputes.
He has appeared on many professional panels and has spoken before the California Society of CPA's Litigation Services Conference in both Los Angeles and San Francisco, a joint meeting of the general practice division of the State Bar of California and the Cardozo Society of the Jewish National Fund and BOMA. Bill has done volunteer work with a number of legal aid organizations and currently serves on an advisory board for a non-profit organization specializing in assisting veterans in the Los Angeles area. He also coaches basketball teams sponsored by a non-profit organization that he helped organize.
Bill is an active member of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art. He is an avid lover of music, has an extensive collection of classical and jazz records, and regularly attends live concerts.
Memberships
- Los Angeles County Bar Association, Federal Courts Committee
- American Bar Association, Savings Institution Committee
Education
Bill received his B.A. from Claremont Men's College and his J.D. from University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1971.
Bar Admissions
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Court