Born in Long Beach, California, in 1955, EW #8375 graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1977. He received a Juris Doctor degree in 1980 from the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, where he was a member of the Moot Court Honors Program. He also served as extern to the Hon. Macklin Fleming of the California Court of Appeal. Heis a member of the State Bar of California, and is admitted to various United States District Courts, the United States Courts of Appeals for the Ninth and Fourth Circuits, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

He has been awarded the highest AV legal services rating by Martindale-Hubbell.

Prior to opening his law office he was a principal and managing partner of the law firm of Groff & Lodwickin Long Beach, California. Hebegan his legal career in 1980 with Gray, Cary, Ames & Frye in San Diego, California.

Reported Appellate Cases:
Foss Launch & Tug Co. v. Char Ching Shipping U.S.A., Ltd., 808 F.2d 697 (9th Cir. 1987); Interpool Limited v. Char Yigh Marine (Panama) S.A., 890 F.2d 1453(9th Cir. 1989); Alexander v. Circus Circus Enterprises, Inc., 972 F.2d 261 (9th Cir. 1992); Evergreen Int'l (USA) Corp. v. Standard Warehouse, 33 F.3d 420 (4th Cir. 1994); Barber v. Marina Sailing, Inc., 36 Cal.App.4th 558, 42 Cal.Rptr.2d 697 (1995); International Fire & Marine Ins. Co. v. Silver Star Shipping America, Inc., 951 F. Supp. 913 (C.D. Cal. 1997); Peters v. Firemen's Ins. Co. of Newark, N.J., 79 Cal. Rptr.2d 326 (1998)