Law Offices of Robles & Castles
© 2015 by Law Offices of Robles & Castles
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492 Ninth Street, Suite 200
James P. Castles
Mr. Castles specializes in construction matters and has over 35 years of trial, arbitration and mediation experience in both the state and federal courts. He has extensive experience in drafting contracts and advising clients with respect to achieving contract goals by properly managing risk through clear and unambiguous contract terms. Mr. Castles also counsels clients during the performance of construction projects with respect to risk management, project documentation and strategic positioning.
Mr. Castles has successfully tried, arbitrated and negotiated numerous settlements of construction related disputes involving schedule-related claims (delays, disruptions and accelerations), cost overruns, defects (including mold) and earth movements (landslides and subsidence). These disputes have involved both public and private projects. The types of projects include infrastructure type facilities (roads, dams, bridges, etc.), hospitals and related health care facilities, schools and colleges, jails, detention and correctional type facilities, hotels, office buildings, condominiums and homes.
Mr. Castles has a strong reputation for finding creative, cost effective solutions to problems.
J.D., University of San Francisco, 1976
Law Review, Topics Editor
McAuliffe Society
B.A., Political Science/Russian Studies, Colgate University, 1972
Member, American Bar Association
Member, California State Bar
Super Lawyers Distinction in Construction
J. Michael Higginbotham
Mr. Higginbotham has over 38 years of construction dispute resolution experience representing architects, engineers, owners (public and private) and developers. He has successfully resolved (through mediation, arbitration or trial) hundreds of such disputes, which involved claims for cost overruns, change orders, schedule delays, forensic accounting, loss of productivity, property damage, personal injury and wrongful death. The types of projects include power plants, prisons, pumping plants, waste water treatment plants, pipelines, airport expansions, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, schools, colleges and laboratories.
Mr. Higginbotham is known for his imaginative and creative approach to problem solving.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Branch School, 1974
J.D. McGeorge School of Law, 1974
M.S. Structural Engineering U.C. Berkeley, 1971
M.I.T. Structural Engineering (Master's Work Study Program), 1969-1970
B.S. Civil Engineering U.C. Berkeley, 1969
Member, California State Bar, 1974
Super Lawyer Distinction in Construction
Mark J. Divelbiss
Mr. Divelbiss has over 25 years of litigation experience. He has significant experience in construction defect litigation.​
J.D., University of San Franciso School of Law, 1989
​Cum Laude, McAuliffe Honor Society
B.S. Economics, Santa Clara University, 1986
Jana De Ianni
Ms. De Ianni is an associate with the firm. She has over 10 years of experience defending contractors and design professionals in complex construction litigation and arbitration. Ms. De Ianni graduated from Santa Clara University in 2003 with a B.S. in Finance, and cum laude from Gonzaga University School of Law in 2006, where she served as an Associate Editor of the Gonzaga Law Review and was published in its pages. Before joining Robles & Castles, Ms. De Ianni served as associate general counsel for a large roofing company in California, and insurance defense counsel for numerous subcontractors, general contractors, and developers in residential and commercial construction defect cases. Ms. De Ianni is licensed to practice law in California (2006). She joined the firm in 2017.
B.S., Santa Clara University, 2003
J.D., Gonzaga University School of Law, 2006
Member, California State Bar (Admitted Dec. 2006)