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Elizabeth A. England

Of Counsel

Betsy England concentrates her practice on civil litigation matters with an emphasis in real estate.

Betsy has successfully prosecuted and defended cases relating to all aspects of real estate, including seller and/or broker misrepresentation; condominium, tenant-in-common and cooperative disputes; purchase and sale, title insurance and escrow problems; commercial and residential construction disputes including collection of delinquent assessments; premises liability; partnership and LLC disputes, commercial real estate broker defense, broker commission disputes, boundary disputes, mechanic’s lien claims; protection of secured creditors, unlawful detainer/eviction; rent control disputes; and interpretation of real estate contracts. She also provides advice regarding Department of Real Estate rules and regulations. Betsy is a frequent speaker on all aspects of real estate.

Betsy arranges and plans transactions involving the acquisition and sale of commercial and residential properties including disputes between corporate or partnership members. She counsels developers, contractors, architects, owners, buyers, and sellers regarding construction defect litigation. Betsy works closely with expert consultants to identify and isolate such defects, as well as to determine early avenues for settlement. She has successfully handled multiparty, complex litigation concerning flaws in structural, electrical, engineering, landscape design; roofing and framing defects; as well as soil, foundation and grading problems.

Education

J.D., University of California, 1978
B.A., Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 1969

Recognitions

Extern to California Appellate Court Judge John Racanelli

Member, Hastings Law Journal

Selected to Northern California Super Lawyers list, 2005-2018

Newsperson’s Privilege in California, Hastings Law Journal (1978)

Memberships

UC Hastings Foundation Board of Trustees (2015-2018)

State Bar of California, Past Chair of the Litigation Section (2010-2011); Former Executive Committee Member; former member and officer for six years

Chair, Northern California Real Estate Litigation Subsection (1993-1995)

Member, Real Property Executive Committee, Bar Association of San Francisco (2013-2019)

Member, Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW)

Member, ECHO, The Executive Council of Homeowners

Past Co-Chairman of the Real Property Section of the California State Bar (1999-2001)

State Bar Licenses

California

Court Admissions

U.S. District Ct., N.D. of California
California State Courts

Publications/Presentations

  • Moderator, Real Property Law Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco, “Creating and Advising Tenancies-in-Common and Co-Ownership Arrangements,” April 2017
  • Moderator, Real Property Law Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco, “Advising Small HOAs and TICs,” April 2016
  • Co-Author, “Wong v. Stoler: Trial Court Abused its Discretion by Refusing to Effectuate Rescission of a Real Estate Purchase Contract,” The State Bar of California’s Real Property Law Section E-Bulletin, September 2, 2015
  • Lecturer, Real Property Law Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco Presentation, “A Survey of Significant 2014 Real Estate Cases” (January 2015)
  • Lecturer, Real Property Law Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco Presentation, “A Survey of Significant 2013 Real Estate Cases” (January 2014)
  • Lecturer, Bar Association of San Francisco Presentation, “The Legal Maze of Condominiums & TIC’s: Mastering the Basics” (2013)
  • Lecturer, Real Property Law Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco Presentation, “A Survey of Significant 2011 Real Estate Cases” (2012)
  • Author, “Are the State Bar Sections Important?,” California Litigation, the Journal of the Litigation Section (publication of The California State Bar), Vol.24, No.2 (2011)
  • Author, “Thirty Years in Litigation: Time for a Book?,” California Litigation, the Journal of the Litigation Section (publication of The California State Bar), Vol 24, No. 1 (2011)
  • Author, “Then and Now: Meeting the Challenges,” California Litigation, the Journal of the Litigation Section (publication of The California State Bar), Vol. 23, No. 3 (2010)
  • Panelist, “Alternative Dispute Resolution/Mediation Options,” discussion presented by Hastings Alumni Association (July 2007)
  • Lecturer, State Bar of California Real Property Section Retreat, “Recent Developments in Arbitration, Reference and Jury Waivers” (2007)
  • Lecturer, State Bar of California Litigation Section Educational Program, “Proactive Case Management: How to Create a Litigation Plan and Budget” (2007)
  • Lecturer, CLE International, “Negotiating Leases Conference” (Lecture on ADR) (2005)
  • Lecturer, Real Property Law Section of the State Bar of California, “The Road To Success: A Mock Trial” (2005)
  • Lecturer, Real Property Law Section of the State Bar of California, “A Mock Real Estate Trial” (2002)
  • Guest Lecturer, San Francisco Real Estate Roundtable “Commercial Eviction, The Litigator’s Rocket Track” (2000)
  • Lecturer, Real Property Law Section of the State Bar of California, “Easement and Other Boundary Disputes: Is Your Land My Land?” (2000)
  • Lecturer, The Arbitration Committee of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco; “Heartbreak Arbitration Clauses in Real Estate Contracts” (2000)
  • Lecturer, Law Education Institute, Inc., “Making Choices: Mediation or Arbitration” (2000)
  • Author, “Steiny v. Citicorp Real Estate,” California Real Property Journal (publication of The California State Bar), Vol. 17, No. 3 (Summer 1999)
  • Lecturer, Educational Institute of The State Bar of California (1997), and Real Property Retreat (1998), “Soup to Nuts – A Real Property Jury Trial”
  • Lecturer, San Francisco Board of Realtors (1997)
  • Co-Author, A Commissure for Real Estate Commissions: The Juncture Where Written Agreements Meet the Implied Covenant of Good Faith, California Real Property Journal (publication of the California State Bar), Vol. 15, No. 3 (1997)
  • Lecturer and Moderator, Educational Institute of the State Bar of California, (1996), and the Real Property Law Retreat (1997), “Running With the Ball – A Mock Mediation and Arbitration”
  • Lecturer and Moderator, Real Property Law Retreat for The State Bar of California “Expert Witnesses—Love ‘Em or Leave ‘Em: How and When to Use Experts in Real Property Litigation” (1995)
  • Lecturer, Real Property Law Retreat, “Real Estate Arbitration” (1994)
  • Guest Lecturer, The State Bar of California Annual Meetings (1993 and 1994)
  • Chapter co-author, “Department of Real Estate, Real Estate Brokers and Agents, California Public Agency Practice” (Matthew Bender & Company) (1988)
  • Guest Lecturer, San Francisco and Alameda Trial Lawyers Association and the Alameda County Bar Association
  • Guest Lecturer, Rotary Club and the Women’s Council of Realtors

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