Noemi Nuñez Esparza, Partner – Dreyer, Babich Buccola, Wood, Campora, LLP

MEMBER HIGHLIGHT

Noemi Nuñez Esparza,

Partner – Dreyer, Babich, Buccola, Wood, Campora, LLP

Where did you grow up and what did you like best about your childhood?

Noemi: I grew up in the East Bay after emigrating from Mexico when I was six. My childhood was not one I would wish on any child. But I guess what came of it and part of what led me to where I am today is that I watched a lot of Perry Mason. That and the injustices that I experienced also led me to believe that becoming a lawyer would empower me with the knowledge to fight injustices.

When did you know you wanted to become a lawyer?

Noemi: In eighth grade, under our yearbook picture, it states what each of us wanted to be when we grew up. Mine said “Lawyer”. So, by age 12, I had my mind made up.

What do you like best about practicing personal injury law?

Noemi: Working for the underdog. My boss, Roger Dreyer, is the ultimate champion of protecting the underdog and that fit with my goals of helping the voiceless. My job is rewarding because we make a difference in people’s lives. Many of our clients have gone through life altering events and even those with a minor incident, usually have gone through an ordeal just getting back to how things were before the incident. While we cannot do what all our clients would wish for (i.e., turn back the clock so that the event never happens), being able to resolve the issues for them and provide compensation to help them get back or try to get back some of what they have lost is meaningful to them. I know that without our help, clients will not be treated fairly.

What has been your most fulfilling experience so far as a lawyer?

Noemi: All the cases I have tried have been great experiences, but the best most fulfilling experience was a case I was involved in as third chair in Yolo County against Nissan in 2018. It was a three-month long product defect bench trial involving a 28-year-old Spanish-only speaking father of four boys, who was rendered a quadriplegic as a result of his 2001 Nissan Xterra crashing against a parked big rig. From the outset, opposing counsel blamed him for the incident and at the same time tried to minimize his damages based on his status as a Mexican immigrant. It was an extremely difficult case to prove. But one mistake by opposing counsel led us to uncover the defect, shortly before trial, that they already knew about. Three difficult months later, we obtained an eight-figure verdict. Nissan appealed. Three years later, in December of 2021, we finally obtained a decision by the Third DCA confirming the verdict. Our client had almost given up at that point. He was living in a rehabilitation facility for years away from his children and family. Now, our client can make plans to move closer to his family and live with his children. He requires a significant amount of funds to take care of himself medically for the rest of his life. Now, he can do that and provide for his children – something he was robbed of doing on the day of the incident and something we have given back to him. I learned so much from working with my partners Roger Dreyer

and Bob Bale on this case. To learn and contribute to the team that made all this happen feels incredibly rewarding.

Is there anything you don’t like about being a lawyer? Please describe.

Noemi: It can be taxing being in a constant adversarial environment. Even if opposing counsel is cordial, we are fighting against falsehoods about our clients. We are fighting the insurance companies. We are fighting the lienholders who want their money back from paying for medical care despite the fact that they have been paid premiums for that same medical care. It is tiring to always be the underdog in a system stacked against our clients.

If you hadn’t become a lawyer, what do you believe that you would be doing right now?

Noemi: Politics has always been an interest of mine aside from the law. I would probably be working in politics as that is where I was before law school. I had to work after college, before I could go to law school. I worked a couple years doing political fundraising and a few years after that in the legislature working for an assemblymember.

Tell us a little bit about your family, and how you manage to balance your professional life with your family life?

Noemi: I am a single parent of two children ages 10 and 12. Though I share 50/50 custody, the reality is that it is more accurately characterized as a 75/25 situation for a variety of reasons. So, it keeps me pretty busy. I also have two dogs and two cats which probably makes me a glutton for punishment. I really don’t know how I manage. I also don’t believe there really is a balance for working mothers. It is more accurately depicted as a balance of sacrifices with the goal of not sacrificing too much in any one area of your life and as soon as you see that you are, you have to make up for it. In 2018, for example, I was in trial in three separate cases for a total of four to five months. There is no balance taking place then. Clients and trial took priority. When my children get sick, there is no balance, that takes priority. It is a constant juggle and I never feel I do it well, but I do the best I can and take it one day at a time. I am still learning to forgive myself when I start feeling like I am not fulfilling any one role 100% the way I want to.

Do you have any hobbies or activities away from the office that you’re passionate about?

Noemi: I love anything related to water, especially the beach. I love rock climbing, hiking and travelling, though I have not been able to do much of anything but work and tend to my children in the last few years. I love watching sports live, especially if my children are playing. My son’s baseball team just won the District Championship and almost won Sectionals. Going through the last few seasons with him in baseball has made me a baseball fan. Now I get to see him compete in soccer and I cannot wait for the school year when my daughter starts playing volleyball and basketball. Those games are like my meditation time. I am focused on them and can forget everything else.

What’s your idea of the perfect vacation spot and how would you spend your time?

Noemi: Anywhere away from work is a vacation. And I would spend it with my children learning something new.

Where’s a destination you’ve never been to, but always wanted to go?

Noemi: This is an impossible question to answer. I want to go everywhere! I want to travel in the U.S. and every other country. I haven’t been to many places other than my home country and Hawaii. I do love Hawaii.

Tell us something about you that would surprise our readers?

Noemi: I have two. The first is that as a law clerk, my boss, Roger Dreyer, allowed me to examine a key witness in a multi-million-dollar brain injury case in Fresno. The second surprising fact is that I was in

labor with my second child while in trial with Roger Dreyer. I had been in labor since 5:00 a.m. that morning but I had witnesses to examine and I didn’t want to miss that opportunity! I didn’t tell my boss until lunchtime that I was in labor. I had been at the counsel table through his exams looking like I was taking notes, but I was really counting the time between contractions. When my turn was up, I was able to get through those exams without any 18 SACRAMENTO LAWYER | Vol. 1-2022 | www.sacbar.org

issues. However, by the time we ended that day, and I was in the car, I was experiencing difficulty pressing on the pedal when the contractions came. I still went home thinking I probably had a long way to go. I clearly underestimated how far along I was because on the drive to the hospital I needed to push. My second child basically flew out as soon as I got to the hospital bed.

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing lawyers today?

Noemi: In general, one of the biggest challenges is probably navigating this post Covid world and using technology. Some lawyers are well versed in technology and want to rely on it 100% and NTO COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE 9HoweAve., #100 • Sacramento,CA 95825425 University Ave., Suite 120 • Sacramento, CA 95825 1/2 Page Ad NOV/DEC Judge Van Camp do away with paper. However, technology has its drawbacks. It glitches and does not always work. #1 AD PROOF Thus, making that transition from our traditional way of doing things to one that heavily relies on technology is a great challenge, from my perspective. The other great challenge is diver-SCBA Annual Meeting Judge Brian R. Van Camp sifying our membership. We need more women lawyers in my area of law, but I suspect in all areas. Honoring Distinguished Attorney of the Year Superior Court of CA, County of Sacramento (Ret.) We need more women of color. That is a very long discussion for another day. Justice Arthur Scotland

Do you have any advice for young lawyers?

Noemi: Follow your instinct. Do what is right for you. Do not worry about the money. Things will al-Installing SCBA ways work out if you do things for the right reasons, even if the path is not one you envisioned or planned. O cers & Directors Be open minded and strive to learn as much as you can. Most impor-Recognizing 100% Firms tantly, find a mentor. I am blessed I found my mentor, Roger Dreyer, who believed in me when no one DATE else probably would have and gave me many great opportunities Monday REACHINGMember, AAA Panels on: Commercial & Complex Civil to learn and grow. What do you like best about December 15, 2014

THE CENTURYMCLE Prior to Annual Meeting practicing in the Sacramento area? Noemi: It is a smaller community TIME 11:30 Check in MARK Requires Knowledge Beyond Our Years FREE for SCBA Members $100 for Non-Members 1 Hour Ethics - Topic: “Attorney Fees, Practically and Ethically” Speaker: Kenneth Bacon of Mastagni Holstedt 10:30-11:30am (916) 515-8442 VanCampADR.com where you can get to know people better. It is a better quality of life when you have children. Sacramento Lawyer plans to publish member highlights in future editions. If you would like to propose an SCBA member to highlight, please submit names to editor@sacbar.org. 12:00 Lunch PLACE Sheraton Grand 1230 J Street

State Commissioner of Corporations - Three years

Employment & Labor

• Business & Commercial • Real Estate • Partnership & Shareholder Disputes

• Construction Defects Business & Commetcial • Complex Civil Litigation Real Estate Partnership & Shareholder Disputes Construction Defects Complex Civil Litigation

Judge Brian R. Van Camp, Ret. Office: (916) 515-8442 Cell: (916) 425-1469 2443 Fair Oaks Blvd. #397 • Sacramento, CA 95825 brvc@vancampadr.com