Charles N. Freiberg

Partner | San Francisco

T (415) 655-4326

F (415) 358-5926

Biography
News

Charlie Freiberg’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, and he has deep experience in policyholder insurance recovery, consumer class actions, California Business and Professions Code Section 17200 litigation, real estate and contract disputes, and partnership and financial institution litigation. Charlie has extensive first chair trial experience representing corporate and individual clients on their most significant legal disputes.

Charlie was elected by his peers as a Northern California Super Lawyer in 2006 through 2012 and has been named among The Best Lawyers in America in 2013. Charlie served for eight years as Chairperson of one of the country’s largest policyholder insurance recovery practices. He is a past Chairman of the San Francisco Bar Association Litigation Section Executive Committee, past Chairman of the San Francisco Bar Association Judiciary Committee, past Chairman of the California State Bar Legal Services Trust Fund Commission, and past Chairman of the Head-Royce School Board of Trustees.

Notable Representations

Represented Silicon Valley high technology company in litigation and successful trial against insurers to obtain environmental clean-ups costs for numerous manufacturing sites throughout the country.
Represented the defendant corporation in a successful trial relating to breach of contract allegations concerning its post-acquisition earn-out payment to the shareholders of an acquired corporation.
Represented financial institution to obtain insurance recovery proceeds for defense and indemnity costs of class actions.
Represented real estate investors in partnership dispute related litigation concerning a major Nevada residential development project.
Represented landfill operator in litigation to secure insurance recovery for environmental clean-up costs.
Represented real estate developer to obtain insurance coverage for Hurricane Katrina damages.
Represented the plaintiff in a successful trial to obtain specific performance of a real estate purchase agreement.
Represented a nationwide group of life insurance policyholders in litigation and successful trial challenging industry practice of charging premium for a period of time in which no insurance coverage is provided.
Represented a certified nationwide class of annuity policyholders in litigation recovering the largest per class member General Policy Relief in an insurance market conduct class action.
Represented the defendant lessor in a successful arbitration trial on the fair market rent for a Silicon Valley Golden Triangle corporate lease.
Represented financial institution in litigation and arbitration arising out of a multi-property, agricultural real estate loan portfolio.

Related Information

Practice Areas

Education

University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law (J.D., Order of the Coif, 1976)
University of California at Berkeley (A.B., Phi Beta Kappa, 1973)

Bar Admissions

California, 1976

Court Admissions

U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, 1976
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California, 1982
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1983
U.S. District Court, Central District of California, 1987
U.S. District Court, Southern District of California, 1990
U.S. Supreme Court, 1994