Founding Partners & Associates

Gerald (Jerry) I. Solomon, Esq. is a founding Partner of the Firm. Jerry began his legal career at the San Diego-based firm of Seltzer Caplan Wilkins and McMahon where he practiced as an associate and partner for six years. In 1991, Gerald joined Solomon Ward Seidenwurm & Smith where he practiced as a partner until 1998. From there, he became Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel of DDR OliverMcMillan, a national real estate development company specializing in large redevelopment projects—primarily "lifestyle" retail centers. In 1999, he returned to the practice of law and formed The Law Offices of Gerald I. Solomon, Inc. where he remained in practice until the formation of Solomon Minton Cardinal LLP.

Mr. Solomon specializes in real estate and business transactional law. His practice primarily focuses on representing large and medium-sized, entrepreneurial real estate companies in most all transactional aspects of their real estate businesses including:

  • Real estate acquisitions, dispositions, and leasing
  • Financing transactions and equity generation
  • Entity formation and governance
  • Development and redevelopment of property

Jerry is a native of San Diego. He graduated cum laude, with a B.A. from San Diego State University and earned his J.D. at the University of San Diego School of Law in 1985 graduating magna cum laude.top

David S. Minton, Esq. joined Solomon Minton Cardinal LLP as a founding Partner in early 2005. Previously he was a Shareholder of Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek for nine years and practiced at that firm for a total of 15 years. David specializes in business, corporate and real estate representation. Clients include software and technology companies, restaurants, retail businesses and real estate investors. David advises and counsels clients as to general business issues and strategic planning including:

  • Acquisitions, sales and reorganizations of companies
  • Entity formation and governance
  • Real estate purchases and leasing
  • Employment and non-compete issues
  • Trade secrets and protection of proprietary information
  • Licensing of technology
  • Financing and equipment leasing

Originally from New York, David earned his J.D. at Georgetown University Law Center in 1989 graduating cum laude. His professional affiliations include serving as past Chair of Second Chance, a non-profit public benefit organization; he currently serves on the Board of Directors. top

Michelle Nepomuceno Cardinal, Esq. joined Solomon Minton Cardinal LLP as a founding Partner in early 2005. Previously, she practiced law at Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich LLP. Michelle specializes in real estate law. Clients include master developers, merchant builders of single-family detached and attached product in both suburban and urban areas, investors in real estate developments, lenders, landlords, tenants, retail businesses, corporations and entrepreneurs with real estate needs. Representative matters include:

  • 3,200,000 square foot mixed-use project in downtown San Diego (entitlement, financing, community agreements, CC&RS, retail agreements, sales of lots)
  • 1,600-acre master development of residential neighborhoods in San Diego County (sales of lots to merchant builders, title)
  • Downtown San Diego ballpark and surrounding project (entitlement, CC&Rs, acquisitions and sales of lots, sponsorship, and financing)
  • Acquisition of numerous downtown lots for high-rise residential condominiums
  • Retail leasing of ground floor space
  • Department of Real Estate approvals

Michelle is a native of San Diego. She graduated from UC Hastings College of Law in 1998. Michelle is the Secretary of the Filipino Lawyers of San Diego, Asian Pacific American Lawyers of San Diego, and is a member of the Filipino-American Association of San Diego, North County. top

Todd E. Doyle, Esq. joined Solomon Minton Cardinal LLP in 2007 in an of-counsel capacity after an extensive career involving both legal and management roles for public and private companies. Todd has over 14 years of experience as the in-house General Counsel of national companies in the professional services, management consulting, retail, and restaurant industries. He has extensive hands-on experience in business transactions, mergers & acquisitions, licensing, real estate transactions, employment issues, financings, and corporate governance matters. Todd began his legal career at the San Diego law firm of Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek where he practiced in the litigation and business groups for six years. Todd continues to provide General Counsel legal services to mid-sized companies including: 

  • Entity formations and governance
  • Mergers, Acquisitions & Licensing
  • Real Estate Leasing and Sales
  • Employment and Non-Compete issues
  • Service & Vendor Agreements

Todd graduated cum laude from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and earned his J.D. at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.

 

Miguel A. Smith, Esq.. joined Solomon Minton Cardinal LLP in March of 2010. Previously he was a partner at Solomon Ward Seidenwurm & Smith,  LLP for over 15 years, where he began his legal career in 1987. Miguel’s practice is limited to real estate and business transactional matters. Clients include developers, investors in real estate developments, lenders, landlords, tenants, retail businesses, corporations and entrepreneurs with real estate and general business needs. Miguel has extensive experience representing owners and developers of multifamily residential projects. The types of matters he handles include:

  • Acquisitions and dispositions of real estate
  • Financing transactions involving real estate
  • Real estate leasing
  • Agreements governing the use, development, and redevelopment of real estate,
    including development agreements, construction agreements, reciprocal easement
    agreements, option agreements, project financing

Miguel has lived in San Diego since childhood. He graduated cum laude from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1987.

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Rafael Castellanos, Esq. joined Solomon Minton Cardinal LLP as a Partner in mid 2010. Rafael began his legal career in 2002 at Loeb & Loeb LLP in Los Angeles. In 2006, Rafael moved to San Diego and joined Solomon Ward Seidenwurm & Smith LLP, where he specialized in real estate and business transactional law. Rafael continues to specialize in these areas and his practice focuses primarily on advising large and medium-sized local and regional companies and entrepreneurs in all transactional aspects of their businesses, with an emphasis on commercial real estate matters. Representative matters include:  

  • Real estate acquisitions, dispositions and leasing
  • Entity formation, purchase and sale of business entities and assets, and corporate governance
  • Acquisition, development, and construction financing transactions
  • Development of a 96-unit senior housing project, involving tax credits and bond, construction and redevelopment agency financing
  • Workout and restructuring of debt secured by mixed collateral
  • Negotiation and settlement of pre-litigation business disputes

Rafael is a native of Nevada.  Rafael earned his B.A. summa cum laude from Arizona State University, and he earned his J.D. at the University of Chicago Law School, as a Cornerstone Scholar, in 2002.  His professional affiliations include serving on the Board of Directors of MANA de San Diego and the Board of Directors of the San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association.  He is also a member of the California State Bar Association, the San Diego County Bar Association and the Mexican American Business and Professional Association.   Rafael was named one of the San Diego Daily Transcript’s Top Young Attorneys in 2008. 

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