Areas of Practice:
Complex Personal Injury Litigation
Business and Insurance Litigation & Consulting
Employment Law Litigation & Consulting
Litigation Percentage:
80% of Practice Devoted to Litigation Matters
Bar Admissions:
California 1977
U.S. Federal District Court (Eastern District 1977)(Northern
District 1988)
Education:
McGeorge School of Law, University
of the Pacific, Sacramento, CA., 1977,
Doctor of Jurisprudence
University of the Pacific, Stockton,
CA., 1970,
Representative Clients:
CSAA, Starbucks Corporation, Regents of the University
of California, Granite Construction Co., Coastwide
Environmental Technologies, Safeway Inc., Portola
Motors dba Watsonville Cadillac, Buick, GMC
Professional Associations and Memberships:
State Bar of California
Monterey County Bar Association
American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)(Advocate)
Association of Defense Counsel of Northern
California and Nevada (Board of Directors 1995 to
present, President 2003); California Defense Counsel
(Board of Directors 2000 – present)
Association of Defense Trial Attorneys
Reported Cases:
Chavez v Carpenter (2001) 91 Cal.App. 4th 1433
Mister v Regents (1998) 67 Cal.App. 4th 437
White v Renck (1980) 108 Cal.App. 3d 835
Finley v Kristoferson (1979) 94 Cal.App.3d 139
Personal Information:
Dennis and his wife, Vicki, met while
both attended the University of the Pacific in Stockton
and married in 1971. They reside in Santa Cruz, California,
where they raised their two daughters and son.
Upon graduation from college Dennis
was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United
States Marine Corp. Reserve and spent three years
on active duty. Being honorably discharge in 1973,
he attended law school and began the practice of law
in 1977 with the Stockton law firm of Mayall, Hurley,
Knutsen, Smith & Green. In 1980 an opportunity
presented itself to return to the Santa Cruz area
where Dennis had grown up and he became associated
with his current firm of Grunsky, Ebey, Farrar &
Howell, APC. In 1982 he became a partner/shareholder
and has held several positions in the firm.
In addition to his professional associations
Dennis is a past president of the Freedom Rotary Club,
was appointed by Governor Pete Wilson to the Board
of Directors of the Santa Cruz County Fair, a position
he occupied from 1998 - 2003 and has been active in
other community events.
