Comprehensive Law Practice – Serving Northern California

THANK YOU FOR 30 EXCEPTIONAL YEARS

On a memorable Fall morning in November 1991, three close friends, Randy Willoughby, Alex Stuart and Brad Bening, embarked on a new venture together, forming the boutique law firm Willoughby Stuart & Bening, Inc. to focus on the litigation of insurance disputes. The firm quickly developed a go-to reputation for insurance coverage and bad faith litigation, and later attracted clients for its ability to handle complex litigation of business, real estate and construction disputes. Ron Cook and Ellyn Nesbit eventually joined Randy, Brad and Alex as owners of the firm, which became known as Willoughby Stuart Bening & Cook.

As the firm celebrates 30 years of superior legal service to clients throughout California, we announce with mixed emotions that effective January 1, 2022, our iconic law firm will close.

Randy Willoughby will retire from the practice of law, and the rest of our lawyers will join or create other law firms. We undertake this change with mutual admiration, intending to remain close friends in this next chapter of our lives. The corporation will continue to occupy the premises at 50 West San Fernando Street, Suite 400, San Jose, California through January 31, 2023, as the firm winds down its affairs.

We are grateful to all who worked at the firm over the past 30 years, and the many thousands of clients who trusted us to represent them. We also are grateful to the Santa Clara County community, including the non-profits we have supported, the judges before whom we have appeared, and the many lawyers with whom we have interacted in the pursuit of ultimate justice.

Effective January 1, 2022, the firm's lawyers, who no longer will be practicing through the law firm, may be reached as follows:

Randy Willoughby may still be contacted through his email address, randy@wsbclawyers.com, his direct line, 408-494-9203, and his cell, 408-499-4380.

Alex Stuart will join the Sacramento-based law firm Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld LLP as a partner effective January 1, 2022, practicing in San Jose. Alex may be contacted through his new email address, astuart@murphyaustin.com, direct line, 408-494-9204, and URL, www.murphyaustin.com. Alex will continue to emphasize his practice representing commercial policyholders in coverage and bad faith litigation, and representing business owners and entities in commercial contract and tort litigation.

Brad Bening will join ADR Services, Inc. as a mediator and special master, and the San Jose law firm Davis, Bengtson & Young as of counsel, effective January 1, 2022. Brad may be contacted through his new email addresses, bbening@adrservices.com and BBening@dby-law.com, the Davis firm's main line, 669-245-4200, and URLs, www.adrservices.com and www.dby-law.com. Brad will continue to emphasize his alternative dispute resolution practice.

Ron Cook will form his own law firm, Cook Law Group, effective January 1, 2022, practicing in San Jose. Ron may be contacted through his new email address, ron@roncooklawgroup.com, direct line, 408-494-9211, and URL, www.roncooklawgroup.com. Ron will continue to emphasize his practice representing policyholders in coverage and bad faith litigation, general business litigation and mediations.

Ellyn Nesbit will join Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld LLP as of counsel effective January 1, 2022, practicing in San Jose. Ellyn may be contacted through her new email address, enesbit@murphyaustin.com, direct line, 408-494-9212, and URL, www.murphyaustin.com. Ellyn will continue to emphasize her practice as a Certified Appellate Specialist.

Cynthia Oshiro will join Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld LLP as an associate effective January 1, 2022, practicing in San Jose. Cynthia may be contacted through her new email address, coshiro@murphyaustin.com, direct line, 408-494-9221, and URL, www.murphyaustin.com. Cynthia will continue to emphasize her practice as a civil litigation attorney.

Bruce MacLeod will join Davis, Bengtson & Young senior counsel, effective January 1, 2022. Bruce may be contacted through his new email address, BMacLeod@dby-law.com, the Davis firm's main line, 669-245-4200, and URL, www.dby-law.com. Bruce will continue to emphasize his practice as a civil litigation attorney and representing lawyers in the defense of legal malpractice actions.

Charlie Hellstrom will join Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld LLP as an associate effective January 1, 2022, practicing in San Jose. Charlie may be contacted through his new email address, chellstrom@murphyaustin.com, direct line, 408-494-9201, and URL, www.murphyaustin.com. Charlie will continue to emphasize his practice as a civil litigation attorney.

Scott Stuart will join Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld LLP as an associate effective January 1, 2022, practicing in San Jose. Scott may be contacted through his new email address, sstuart@murphyaustin.com, direct line, 408-494-9226, and URL, www.murphyaustin.com. Scott will continue to emphasize his practice as a civil litigation attorney.

Our legal assistants also are moving to new positions and, effective January 1, 2022, may be reached as follows:

Marsha Novack will join Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld LLP as a legal assistant effective January 1, 2022, and may be contacted through her new email address, mnovack@murphyaustin.com, and direct line, 408-494-9223.

Janice Wilhelm will join Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld LLP as a legal assistant effective January 1, 2022, and may be contacted through her new email address, jwilhelm@murphyaustin.com and her direct line, 408-494-9206.

Sheila Smith will join ADR Services, Inc. effective January 1, 2022, and may be reached through her email address, sheila@adrservices.com, and the URL, www.adrservices.com.

Tulam Lu, our firm's bookkeeper, will continue to work for the corporation as we wind down its affairs. She may be contacted through her email address, tulam@wsbclawyers.com.

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