Our Attorneys are Diverse and Passionate

Bonifacio Bonny Garcia is the managing partner and a founder of Garcia, Hernández, Sawhney. Although he also heads the firm’s Glendale office, Garcia has extensive experience representing school districts, community college districts, special districts, cities and other governmental entities throughout the state of California.

Mary T. Hernández is a founding partner of Garcia, Hernández, Sawhney, LLP and heads the San Francisco Bay Area office. Hernandez serves as legal counsel to school, county and community college districts as well as nonprofit organizations and charter schools throughout California.

Nitasha Kaur Sawhney practices in the firm’s Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay Area offices in California, advising clients on all aspects of labor and employment matters. Sawhney specializes in labor negotiations, contract grievances, hiring and discipline matters, leaves of absences and health, and retiree benefit matters. Sawhney also frequently advises clients on charter school and nonprofit matters as well as general governance, strategic planning and policy implementation. Sawhney serves as legal counsel to public school districts, community college districts, private universities and charter schools throughout the state.

Gorev Ahuja is an associate in Garcia Hernandez Sawhney, LLP’s San Francisco Bay Area office in the firm's Education Law Practice. Prior to joining GHS, Mr. Ahuja was a Law Clerk at Rediger McHugh and Owensby and a Legal Intern for the Legal Services of Northern California (LSNC).

Erika Anderson is an attorney in Garcia Hernández Sawhney, LLP, San Diego Office, practicing primarily in the areas of education law, litigation, and labor and employment. Anderson has experience in private business litigation matters involving international contract law and foreign jurisdiction. Anderson has also worked closely with numerous school districts across the state to help mitigate ongoing cuts in state funding, including contract negotiations with labor unions, engaging in impasse proceedings and fact finding, and advising school districts on matters of employment law and grievance processing.

Aerobel Banuelos is a partner in the San Diego office of Garcia, Hernández, Sawhney, LLP. Her practice covers most aspects of transactional work relating to public agency and special district representation, including water law issues, public works and purchasing issues, and real property issues. Banuelos frequently represents the Oxnard School District, Garvey School District and other firm clients in finance and transactional matters.

Albert Erkel is an attorney in Garcia, Hernandez, Sawhney, LLP’s San Francisco Bay Area and San Diego offices. His primary area of practice is the litigation of all types of complex business construction and employment disputes. He has significant experience in handling arbitrations, mediations and trials in both federal and state courts.

Peter Janiak, one of the original editors of the California Public Sector Law Labor Relations treatise has joined Garcia Hernández Sawhney, LLP as Of Counsel. Peter received his J.D., with an emphasis in labor law, from UC Davis-King Hall.  His primary practice areas are employment discrimination and public-sector labor relations.

Lawrence S. Joe is an associate in Garcia, Hernandez, Sawhney, LLP’s Los Angeles office and a graduate of UCLA’s School of Law and the School of Public Affairs. He works in the firm’s Education and Public Law practice groups.

Erica Kim is an associate at Garcia Hernández Sawhney, LLP’s Los Angeles area office. She is a member of the commercial litigation group. Erica specializes in complex commercial litigation and privacy matters.

Janet Ly is a Partner in Garcia Hernandez Sawhney, LLP’s Los Angeles office. Ms. Ly’s practice focuses on complex litigation matters and representing the firm’s education and municipal clients. She has extensive experience in handling commercial litigation disputes, including breach of contract, high stakes business tort litigation, employment and professional liability.

Norma Nava Franklin is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Garcia Hernandez Sawhney, LLP. Her practice specializes in complex litigation and representing the firm’s education and municipal clients. Norma has vast experience handling a variety of litigation matters, including unfair business practices, commercial real estate, and contract litigation. She successfully defended a public utility against a $3 million breach of contract action by subcontractor;

April E. Navarro is a member of the Firm’s public law, education law and litigation practice groups. Ms. Navarro has substantial experience defending school districts in litigation matters, including handling tort claims, and participating in discovery matters in relation to employee misconduct, sex abuse, premises liability, and other torts. Ms. Navarro’s other experience includes mortgage-backed securities, cyber infringement, trademark violations, contract claims and other complex litigation matters.

Benjamin Nieberg is a Partner in the firm's San Diego office and specializes in education law, particularly in the area of special education. He has served as general counsel for school districts and has represented other governmental entities in personnel and student issues, contracts, labor negotiations, and governance issues.

Alex Sears is a Senior Counsel in Garcia Hernández Sawhney, LLP’s San Francisco Bay Area office. Mr. Sear's practice focuses on complex litigation matters and representing the firm’s education and municipal clients.

Faatima Seedat is an associate in the Garcia Hernandez Sawhney, LLP’s San Francisco office and a member of the Firm’s education law group. Ms. Seedat graduated law school with the Alternative Dispute Resolution Certificate, focusing her studies on mediation and arbitration. While at USC Law School, Ms. Seedat was a Legal Research Teaching Assistant helping to teach law students the tools and skills needed for effective research.

Leah M. Smith is an associate in Garcia, Hernández, Sawhney, LLP’s San Francisco Bay Area office and a cum laude graduate of William & Mary School of Law. She is a member of the Firm’s education and public law groups.

Geoff Tong is a Partner in Garcia Hernández Sawhney, LLP’s Los Angeles Area office. Mr. Tong leads the firm’s commercial litigation group. He has counseled and represented insurance companies, managed care health plans and employee benefit plans in connection with claims and “bad faith” litigation for over 25 years. He has extensive experience in federal and state courts, at both the trial and appellate levels.