Attorneys
Thomas J. Borchard
Born Saginaw, Michigan, December 13, 1954; admitted to bar, 1982, Michigan and California, U.S. District Court, Central and Southern Districts of California, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit and U.S. Tax Court. Education: Michigan State University (B.A., 1977); Thomas M. Cooley Law School (J.D., 1981); University of San Diego. Member: State Bar of Michigan; State Bar of California; Orange County Trial Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Business, Employment, Real Estate and Intellectual Property Litigation.
Maureen E. Callahan
Emeritus
Ms. Callahan attended the University of California, Irvine and graduated with honors from Western State University College of Law in May of 1994, where she received the American Jurisprudence Award in Legal Writing, Civil Procedure and Evidence. She is also admitted to practice before the United States District Court, Northern, Central, and Southern Districts of California and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Ms. Callahan was featured in the 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 , 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 editions of Los Angeles Magazine as one of South County’s “Superlawyers”, an honor bestowed upon less than 1% of the entire state bar and compiled based upon input from judges and attorneys in the community. In 2012, Ms. Callahan was voted as one of Orange County’s top 50 lawyers by Superlawyers. She was additionally included in Best Lawyers of America in 2009, 2010 and 2011, a publication which limits its members to less than 1% of the attorneys in America. Ms. Callahan enjoys a rating of “Superb”, with a 10 out of 10 score on the AVVO website, a consumer website which rates lawyers using a mathematical model that considers elements such as years of experience, board certification, education, disciplinary history, professional achievement, and industry recognition. Ms. Callahan is also a frequent lecturer on business litigation related topics, and conducts seminars for attorneys on behalf of the Orange County Bar Association, the Celtic Bar Association and the Hispanic Bar Association. Ms. Callahan is a partner with Borchard & Callahan where she has worked since 1995.
Janelle M. Dease
Janelle M. Dease is a civil litigation attorney who has been representing clients in state and federal courts in California since 2003. Over the years, Janelle has worked with individual and commercial clients in a variety of legal matters, including business disputes, employment matters, construction/real estate litigation, enforcement of judgment and recovery efforts, appeals, and family law. A focus on detail, hard work and a keen sense of procedure and preparedness contribute to Janelle’s effective representation both in and out of the courtroom.
After earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Kent State University, Janelle attended the University of Akron School of Law to earn her J.D. Janelle was admitted to the State Bar of California bar in 2003, and is authorized to practice before all state courts of California, U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Central and Northern Districts of California, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California.
Austin Borchard
Austin Borchard joined Borchard & Callahan, APC as an Associate Attorney in December 2016. Prior to becoming a licensed attorney at the end of 2016, Austin began working with the firm part-time throughout college and was a full-time Legal Assistant for the firm beginning in 2011. He continued working with this firm as a legal assistant throughout his law school tenure and joined the firm as an Associate Attorney immediately after passing the California Bar exam.
Austin graduated from Western State University College of Law in May, 2016. While attending law school, Austin was selected to represent Western State in the National Sports Law Negotiation Competition at Thomas Jefferson School of Law. During his law school tenure, Austin honed his legal skills in Civil Litigation, Estate Planning, Probate, and Real Estate Law.
After being admitted to practice law in both the California state courts and the United States District Court, Austin has been exposed to a wide variety of legal matters ranging from estate planning, probate (Administration of Decedent’s Estate and Litigation), contract negotiation, business entity formation, trademark and copyright registration, and civil litigation for contract disputes, employment disputes, and ADA claims. He argued two matters before the Court of Appeals and sat second chair in a civil trial, all within 6 months after receiving his license to practice.
Austin focuses his practice on civil litigation, probate and estate planning. Austin prides himself on listening, strategizing and implementing what he believes to be the most logical and cost effective approach to addressing his client’s legal matters. He is a member of The Peter M. Elliot Inn of Court and Orange County Bar Association and serves as a guest lecturer at Western State.
Austin received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business and Management with an emphasis in Finance from Saginaw Valley State University in 2011.
Gary V. Spencer
Of Counsel
Education: University of Southern California (B.A. 1966, Economics); University of California at Berkeley (Boalt Hall) (J.D. 1969); Pepperdine University (Mediation Training; 1994);
Member: State Bar of California (1970); Orange County Bar Association; American Bar Association
General trial practice with emphasis on real estate and contract matters; construction matters, construction defect problems for plaintiffs, developers, and contractors; insurance coverage disputes involving first and third party policies; Negotiation of foreign and domestic trademark licensing agreements in sportswear industry; Professional mediator of complex litigation matters.
Michael G. Dawe
Of Counsel
Mr. Dawe attended the University of New Brunswick, Canada where he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1975. He received his Master of Science Degree, Economics in 1976 from London School of Economics and Political Science. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from California Western School of Law in 1980. Mr. Dawe is admitted to Practice in the California Supreme Court, all California Courts of Appeal and all Federal, State and Bankruptcy Courts in California. He has an expertise in insurance coverage disputes.