Meet the TVA Team

TVA attorneys come to the law from vastly different backgrounds but share a passionate commitment to excellence and professionalism in everything we do for our clients and the legal community.
Thomas A. Vogele
Principal
BAR ADMISSIONS
Supreme Court of California
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Central District of California
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Eastern District of California
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Northern District of California
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Southern District of California
U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals Federal Circuit
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Delaware
U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
U.S. District Court District of Nevada
ASSOCIATIONS
Orange County Bar Association
Los Angeles County Bar Association
Orange County Federal Bar Association
Monterey County Bar Association
International Trademark Association
EDUCATION
Chapman University School of Law
Kellogg Graduate School of Management
Northwestern University
Supr Lawyers Badge - Thomas A Vogele Selected in 2017 Thomson Reuters (opens in new window)

Mr. Vogele is the founder and President of Thomas Vogele & Associates, APC. He attended law school at the age of 51 after a successful 30-year business career, including stints in the banking, manufacturing, and consulting industries. He attended Northwestern University and the Kellogg Graduate School of Management before moving to California in 1980.

He began his legal career as a litigation and appellate associate with the Enterprise Counsel Group, ALC. At ECG, he successfully represented clients in a variety of litigation and appellate matters, including all aspects of pre-trial practice (written and electronic discovery, depositions, and law and motion practice) as well as serving as first- and second-chair on civil trials and alternative dispute resolution. Because of his extensive business background and expertise, Mr. Vogele was selected to work on several important business cases for the firm.

In 2010, Mr. Vogele left ECG and formed a partnership focusing on complex civil litigation and appellate work for a limited number of sophisticated individual and business clients in Southern California. The firm grew rapidly and expanded its reach to include client matters in state and federal courts throughout California, Texas, Washington State, and Alaska. The firm became TVA in 2012 and continues to focus on complex civil and bankruptcy litigation, appellate and transactional matters for individual and business clients.

Mr. Vogele has successfully tried cases in state and federal courts as well as state and federal appellate courts. His successful client outcomes include a seven-figure non-dischargeable judgment against a Ponzi scheme operator; an eight-figure settlement of a four-year partnership dispute; a defense judgment and affirmance on appeal in a complex civil case against 34 defendants; a defense judgment in a Nevada quiet title action; and a seven-figure judgment in an elder abuse and conversion case in Monterey County.

Mr. Vogele graduated from Chapman University School of Law with numerous honors and awards. Mr. Vogele was a member of both the Moot Court Honors and Executive Boards, and the Mock Trial Board while at Chapman. He served as judicial extern to the Hon. Vincent P. Zurzolo, former Chief Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California, from 2005 to 2006. While working in chambers, Mr. Vogele helped draft the 2006 revisions to the Court’s official form disclosure statement and plan of reorganization.

NOTABLE CASES

Timothy M. Kowal

Shareholder
California Bar of Legal Specialization
Certified Appellate Specialist
Certified by the State Bar of California
PRACTICE AREAS
BAR ADMISSIONS
Supreme Court of California
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Central District of California
U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals Federal Circuit
ASSOCIATIONS

OCBA Appellate Law Section
Member, 2018 - Present
The California Appellate Law Podcast 
Co-host, 2020 - Present
Fowler School of Law at Chapman University
Adjunct Professor, 2015 - 2017

Orange County Human Relations Commission
Commissioner, 2012 - 2014
Orange County Federalist Society 
President, 2021 - Present
Orange County Federalist Society 
Board Member, 2007 - Present
Huntington Beach Tomorrow
Board Member, 2013 - 2017
EDUCATION
Fowler School of Law, Chapman University University of California, Irvine
10.0Timothy Michael Kowal
Tim Kowal
Rated by Super Lawyers


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Tim's practice focuses on both trials and appeals. In his litigation practice, Tim represents clients in cases involving lender disputes, real estate development disputes, trespass and easement disputes, fraud and fraudulent transfers, breaches of fiduciary duty, promissory notes, trade secrets and unfair business practices, conversion, and most types of business and financial disputes.

In his appellate practice, Tim works directly with trial attorneys throughout litigation, including dispositive motions, evidentiary hearings, trial, and posttrial motions, writs, and appeals, in state and federal courts. Tim has substantial experience in obtaining stays of judgment enforcement during appeal.

Using both trial and appellate court remedies, Tim specializes in developing unique legal strategies for his clients. Tim's trial and appellate victories total over $60 million.

Tim is co-host of the California Appellate Law Podcast, providing legal updates and practice tips to trial and appellate attorneys.

Tim taught civil procedure as an adjunct professor of law at the Fowler School of Law from 2015 to 2017.

Outside of his legal practice, Tim is active in his community in Huntington Beach. Tim and his wife, Andi, worked with councilmembers in 2017 toward making HB the third Orange County city to stop using glyphosate and toxic herbicides in city parks.

While in law school, Tim served as Editor-in-Chief of the Chapman Law Review. Before practicing law, Tim helped run a successful IT sales and consulting firm in Orange County that continues to serve small businesses and individual customers in the region. He graduated from UC Irvine with a B.A. in philosophy, and is an alumnus of St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower.


NOTABLE CASES

C&C Properties, et al. v. Shell Pipeline Co., et al. (E.D.Cal. 2019) (pipeline easement dispute resulting in $40 million judgment upon jury verdict in favor of client real estate developers)
#1 Verdict in California for Trespass and Top 20 Verdict for All Categories

Domingo Villas, Inc., et al. v. Tarnutzer (Cal.Ct.App. 2019) ($1.9 million judgment upon jury verdict reversed in favor of client real estate developer)

Yang v. Sui, et al. (San Bernardino Sup.Ct. 2018) ($10 million jury verdict in favor of client online retail business owner)
#1 Verdict in California for Fraud, Breach of Fiduciary Duty, and Conversion

Dohr v. Lintz (Cal.Ct.App. 2019) (complete defense of $25 million in claims against more than 20 defendants based on alleged breaches of fiduciary duty and fraud, including three appeals)

Shapiro v. Dohr (Cal.Ct.App. 2017) ($5.1 million judgment in promissory note dispute reversed in favor of client real estate developer)

Casey v. Ferrante et al. (C.D.Bkr. 2015) (invalidated QPRT trust in first-of-its-kind ruling in favor of client Chapter 7 trustee)

Peterson v. Rubio (Cal.Ct.App. 2015) (rescission ordered by Court of Appeal in favor of elderly client borrower)

Citizens for a Fair Trash Contract v. City of Los Alamitos (O.C.Sup.Ct. 2011) (invalidating city trash contract on behalf of client citizen group)

Choi v. Orange County Great Park Corp. (2009) 175 Cal.App.4th 524 (awarding attorneys' fees to client citizen group in suit enforcing public disclosure concerning the Irvine Great Park)

PUBLICATIONS AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Tim Kowal, “When It Comes to Writs of Administrative Mandamus, the Appealability Rules Are Confused,” CEB (Jun. 1, 2023)

Tim Kowal, “What Happens to a Fee Award After the Judgment Is Reversed? Try a Stipulated Reversal,” CEB (Apr. 26, 2023).

Tim Kowal, “Can You Read It Back? Tackling Court Reporter Scarcity in California,” CEB (March 17, 2023),

Tim Kowal, “Appeal Filed One Minute Late—Literally One Minute—Dismissed As Untimely,” CEB (Mar. 6, 2023),

Tim Kowal, “Ten Trial Tips from an Appellate Specialist,” CLE presentation, San Francisco Lawyers Network (Feb. 16, 2023).

Tim Kowal, “There Is No Such Thing As a “Corporate Representative” or “Person Most Qualified” Witness,” CEB (Feb. 3, 2023),

Tim Kowal, “SLAPP Fee Award Held Not Appealable If SLAPP Order Itself Is Not Appealed,” CEB (Dec. 22, 2022),

Tim Kowal, “Personal Jurisdiction Unnecessary to Issue Judgment on an Out-of-State Judgment, New Published CA Case Holds,” CEB (Dec. 6, 2022)

Tim Kowal, “Settlement Offer Under Section 998 Automatically Expires If Judge Grants Summary Judgment,” CEB (Nov. 15, 2022)

Tim Kowal, “MSJ Evidence Rulings Are Discretionary, California Appellate Court Holds in Split of Authority,” CEB (Nov. 10, 2022)

Tim Kowal, “Don’t Seek Default Without Notifying Opposing Counsel,” CEB (Oct. 26, 2022).

Tim Kowal, “Preparing the Appendix in Federal Appeals,” NALA, Q3 2022 Facts & Findings (Aug. 2022)

Tim Kowal, “Supreme Court Affirms the Use of Powerful Civil-Theft Remedies Under Penal Code 496 in Business-Tort Cases," CEB (Aug. 3, 2022)

Tim Kowal, Are anti-SLAPP Fee Awards Automatically Stayed Pending Appeal? The Better Side of a Split of Authority Says Yes, 35 Cal. Litig. No. 1 (Spring 2022)

Tim Kowal, "Excluding Expert's Rebuttal Opinion Can Be Grounds to Reverse Jury Verdict," CEB (Jun. 3, 2022)

Tim Kowal, “Draft Your RFAs With Costs of Proof and Settlement in Mind,” CEB (May 13, 2022) 

Tim Kowal, “'Gamesmanship' Throughout Litigation May Raise Risk of Sanctions on Appeal,” CEB (Apr. 1, 2022)

Tim Kowal (Presenter), “Preparing the Excerpts of Record for Federal Appeals,” NALA (Mar. 24, 2022)

Tim Kowal, “A Trap for the Unwary: Order on a Post-Settlement Fee Motion May Be Nonappealable,” CEB (Jan. 28, 2022)

Tim Kowal, “The Risks of Serving Too Many Interrogatories,” CEB (Sep. 24, 2021)

Tim Kowal, “Don't Fall Into the "No Statement of Decision" Trap,” CEB (Dec. 17, 2021)

Tim Kowal, “Making Sense of the California Supreme Court's Publication Rules,” CEB (May 21, 2021)

Tim Kowal, “Something You Didn't Know About 998 Offers,” CEB (Apr. 30, 2021)

Timothy M. Kowal and Brendan M. Loper, A Defense Lawyer’s Complaint: Some Judges Don’t Get It About Judicial Admissions, Verdict (2018 vol. 2)


Don't Be an Activist, Be a Neighbor: How to Persuade Your City Council, presented at the 12th Annual Golden West College Peace Conference: Peace and the Global Economy: Emerging Issues & Practical Solutions (Apr. 2018)

Timothy M. Kowal, Dirty Work: Disgorging the Profits of Trespassing Pipelines, Orange County Lawyer (Oct. 2017)

Who Will Redevelop Redevelopment?: Power and Pragmatism in California Redevelopment Law, 12 ALB. L. ENVTL. OUTLOOK J. 93 (2007)

Rethinking Eminent Domain: The Restitutionary Approach to Just Compensation, 9 CHAP. L. REV. 463 (2006) (Winner, First Prize, Pacific Legal Foundation, Seventh Annual Judicial Awareness Writing Competition, 2006)

Teddy T. Davis

Associate
PRACTICE AREAS
BAR ADMISSIONS
California
Supreme Court of California
U.S. Court Central District of California
ASSOCIATIONS

Orange County Bar Association

PAST POSITIONS
Helton Law Group
Enterprise Counsel Group, Irvine, Senior Litigation Associate

Teddy T. Davis has practiced law in California since 2003. His practice focuses primarily on complex business litigation from pre-filing investigation through appeal. Mr. Davis has consistently achieved success representing clients in actions involving disputes concerning complex business matters, contracts, homeowners associations, product liability, and real estate.

In the course of representing his clients, Mr. Davis has acquired a broad range of legal experience, including significant trial and arbitration experience, where he has handled all aspects of litigation from the preparation of pleadings through settlement and judgment. Additionally, Mr. Davis has authored multiple briefs and motions and argued before the Court of Appeal. As a result of his efforts, the Court of Appeal have rendered decisions preserving Mr. Davis’s clients’ trial court victories and overturning judgments against them.

Immediately before joining Thomas Vogele & Associates, Mr. Davis headed a litigation team at Helton Law Group that represented medical care providers in reimbursement disputes with health care insurance companies. Before that, Mr. Davis was a senior litigation associate at Enterprise Counsel Group in Irvine.

NOTABLE CASES

Brendan M. Loper

Associate
PRACTICE AREAS
BAR ADMISSIONS
Supreme Court of California
U.S. Bankruptcy Court of California
California, 2011 
ASSOCIATIONS
Orange County Bar Association
Los Angeles County Bar Association
Orange County Federal Bar Association
EDUCATION
University of Virginia School of Law, Charlottesville, Virginia
Claremont McKenna College
  B.A. cum laude - 2008
  Honors: With Honors
  Major: Literature and Philosophy

Brendan Loper joined TVA after graduating from the prestigious University of Virginia School of Law and worked as a law clerk before taking and passing the California Bar Exam in July 2011. Mr. Loper’s practice focuses on civil litigation with an emphasis on bankruptcy litigation, including trustee and creditor representation.

Mr. Loper has served as second chair trial counsel in state court and been given significant responsibility for managing a large bankruptcy adversary matter in which TVA serves as Special Counsel to the Chapter 7 Trustee. He has also represented individual debtors in bankruptcy court.

Prior to attending the University Of Virginia School Of Law, Mr. Loper graduated cum laude from Claremont McKenna College with a dual BA in Literature and Philosophy, both with honors.

NOTABLE CASES

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