Mr. Galuppo has been involved in the real estate industry since 1975 as a principal, builder, real estate broker, mortgage broker, developer, and attorney. From 1989, Mr. Galuppo has been practicing law, emphasizing both transaction and litigation matters relating to real estate, finance, construction, development, environmental and land use. Mr. Galuppo serves as general counsel for various real estate, development, construction, and mortgage lending companies. He is licensed to practice in all courts of the State of California; including the four Federal District Courts. Previously, Mr. Galuppo was a partner in the real estate law firm of Peterson & Price.

A few years ago, he was awarded the distinction of an “AV” rating with the lawyer rating service of Martindale-Hubbell. The AV® certification mark is the highest level of rating accomplishment awarded by Martindale-Hubbell. It is a testament to the fact that the lawyer's peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence. Knowledge and skill derived from extensive experience are usually prerequisites for an AV rating. The standard of excellence is determined by the lawyers practicing in that particular area.

Mr. Galuppo is also the Director of the Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate at the University of San Diego (“USD”). He has taught Legal Aspects of Real Estate in the School of Business Administration at USD as a professor starting in 1998. In 2004, in the Masters of Science of Real Estate (“MSRE”) he started teaching Real Estate Law, Ethics and Public Policy. Also in the MSRE program, Mr. Galuppo teaches Real Estate Transactions and the Land Use Process.

Furthermore, he actively speaks, writes and performs research on issues affecting the real estate community and sustainability and is currently involved with the San Diego Chapters of the National Association of Industrial & Office Properties, the Institute of Real Estate Management, the Certified Commercial Investment Member Institute, Urban Land Institute, Building Industry Association, the San Diego Association of Realtors, and the North San Diego County Association of Realtors. Mr. Galuppo is also a member of the honorable Lambda Alpha International Society for the advancement of Land Economics.

He received his Bachelor of Science Degree, with an emphasis in finance, from San Diego State University. After several years working as a real estate professional, Mr. Galuppo returned to school, receiving his Juris Doctor from California Western School of Law in 1989. While in law school, Mr. Galuppo was part of the staff of Law Review and interned with the Superior Court of California in San Diego and with the Fourth District Court of Appeals, Division One.

In the early 1990’s, Mr. Galuppo served on an advisory group to the Housing Commission for the City of Encinitas. During the early 2000’s, he was a Director for CCIM, San Diego Chapter. Mr. Galuppo was a Board Member for the New School of Architecture, as well as a Board Member for the San Diego Community College Real Estate Advisory Committee.

Mr. Galuppo was born and raised in Southern California. He has been married over 20 years to Kathryn; and they have two children.

Mr. Blechschmidt currently practices law, emphasizing in real estate and business litigation.  In addition, Mr. Blechschmidt handles real estate transactions and land use matters.

Mr. Blechschmidt started his legal career at a small law firm representing small trucking companies throughout the state of California.  Mr. Blechschmidt has since practiced law with several prestigious law firms in San Diego and South Lake Tahoe, California.  In addition to private practice, he has also served as General Counsel for Pars Assets LLC, a real estate investment company and Microskills, LLC, a computer training school.

Mr. Blechschmidt received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Washington State University and earned his Juris Doctor from California Western School of Law in 1993.  Mr. Blechschmidt is licensed to practice law in both California and Nevada.   He is married to his wife Alicia and has two lovely daughters, Sierra and Madison, and a son, Kyle. 

Mr. Berton, a native Southern Californian, has been a trained mediator since 1997 and a practicing attorney in San Diego for nearly five decades. He has vast expertise in the areas of commercial and residential real estate purchase/sale transactions, leasing, land development, construction defect, estate planning and probate and trust law. Mr. Berton held a Certificate of Specialization from the California State Bar in Probate, Trust, and Estate Planning. He has successfully represented clients in mediation, arbitration, and civil court litigation.

Mr. Berton received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1959. He then received his Juris Doctor in 1962 from UCLA School of Law. In 1963 he attended University of Southern California (USC) School of Law for post graduate legal studies.

Mr. Berton received Mediation Skills training from the National Conflict Resolution Center in 1997 and 2007. He has served as a Superior Court Arbitrator. He is also a former Mediator for the American Arbitration Association in Probate and Trust matters with an 80% resolution rate in cases conducted.

He was appointed by the Governor of California to serve on the California Law Revision Commission, and was elected its Chairman. He is a past President of the Jewish Family Service of San Diego, and Congregation Beth Israel of San Diego. He is a widower with four adult children and six grandchildren.

Since 1979, Mr. Berton has been peer rated by Martindale-Hubbell at AV, which is the highest rating possible.

Kristin Ward is a member of the Transactions Team at Galuppo & Blechschmidt, APLC. Ms. Ward has experience in a broad range of transactional project finance and real estate projects (including acquisition, disposition and development). Prior to joining Galuppo & Blechschmidt, Ms. Ward was an associate in the San Diego office of Latham & Watkins, LLP and a member of the Finance Department.

Ms. Ward is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, all states courts of California and is a member of the State Bar of California. She received her Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University and graduated magna cum laude from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2006. During law school, Ms. Ward earned admittance into the prestigious Order of the Coif, was a member of the Pepperdine Law Review and was the recipient of a full Dean’s Academic Merit Scholarship. In 2010, Ms. Ward earned her LL.M. in Taxation from the University of San Diego School of Law. While at USD, Ms. Ward was awarded the Carr Ferguson Research Fellowship and Scholarship, which enabled her to assist in the revision and updating of two chapters of the “Advising California Nonprofit Corporations” Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) series.

Mr. Smee graduated cum laude from Point Loma Nazerene University in 2000, receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History. He then graduated magna cum laude from California Western School of Law in 2003. During law school, Mr. Smee was a member of Law Review.

Before joining Galuppo & Blechschmidt, APLC, Mr. Smee practiced in a variety of civil arenas, including real estate litigation, commercial litigation, insurance defense litigation, construction defect litigation and trust litigation. As a former prosecutor for the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office, where he tried over thirty cases, Mr. Smee also has a background in trial advocacy.

Mr. Smee has been a member of the California Bar since 2003. He is also admitted to practice before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mr. Smee lives in Escondido with his wife and three children.

Mr. Demas’ practice focuses on real estate, estate planning and small business matters.  He is licensed to practice law before all California and Colorado courts, and before the United States Supreme Court. 

Mr. Demas has extensive business experience in hotel management, accounting, corporate due diligence, title insurance, and the closing of complex commercial real estate transactions.  He has previously managed a law practice in Colorado.  Mr. Demas received his Juris Doctor from the University of Denver, a Master of Business Administration from New Mexico State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from California State University, Fullerton. 

Mr. Demas is at home in San Diego with his wife and two children after being born in Chicago, Illinois, raised in Irvine, California, and living throughout the American West.  Mr. Demas is also an Instructor with the University of San Diego, Southwestern College, and City College, teaching law, escrow, paralegal, and real estate courses. 

A San Diego native, Mr. Estes received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Southern California in 1980 and his Juris Doctor degree from Pepperdine University School of Law in 1983.

He is a Master Instructor for the California Association of REALTORS, has taught for National University School of Law, University of Phoenix and Palomar College; Ed is the author of two DRE approved courses as well as a textbook on how to pass the California Real Estate Exam.

Mr. Estes has served as a Judge Pro Tem for the Superior Court and Arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and is a former Mayor of the City of Vista, CA.

Mr. Estes has been an Attorney at Law since 1983 emphasizing in general business, real property and land use law, with particular attention directed to risk management administration and alternative dispute resolution.  He has been a licensed real estate broker since 1984 and is active in real estate consulting, development, investment and residential brokerage management.