Biography

Frank Farella and two partners founded the firm, now known as Farella Braun + Martel LLP, in 1962. Throughout his distinguished legal career, Frank maintained a diverse practice in corporate, financial, and international transactions.

Frank supervised many of the firm's mergers and acquisition transactions and played a leading role in the firm's U.S. and international hotel practice, which included Kimpton Hotels and Auberge Resorts. He led the firm's worldwide work in structuring and financing all of Regent International's hotels and Rafael Hotels. He also was responsible for the representation of the Swig Investment Company in connection with the sale of its 50% ownership in the Fairmont Hotels.

Frank has a long history in the wine and beverage alcohol industries and has been a key player in the growth of the Napa Valley as a world-renowned wine market. He led the ongoing representation of several premium Napa Valley wineries and vineyards, as well as numerous mergers and acquisitions transactions. Frank served on the board of directors of the Robert Mondavi Corporation and represented Robert Mondavi with respect to his philanthropic activities, including the establishment of the Robert Mondavi Institute and the Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts at UC Davis. Frank's family owns and operates a vineyard and winery in the Napa Valley, Farella Vineyard.

Frank served as president of the Bar Association of San Francisco in 1978. He chaired a California State Bar Committee and authored the California legislation requiring attorneys to arbitrate fee disputes. He has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America for Corporate Law for almost three decades.

Distinctions

  • The Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Law (2024)

Firm Highlights

News

Farella Braun + Martel Earns San Francisco Green Business Recertification

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Event

AI and Privacy: What Every Company Needs to Do Today

Sushila Chanana and Benjamin Buchwalter will discuss "AI and Privacy: What Every Company Needs to Do Today' at the ACC 2024 Privacy Summit.  This session will introduce basics of AI governance, such as ownership...

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Event

Unplugged: The Renewable Energy Speaker Series - The IRA's Environmental Justice Incentive Programs

Join Farella Braun + Martel and the Environmental Law Institute for the relaunch Unplugged: The Renewable Energy Speaker Series with Farella’s John Ugai and guest speakers Miana Campbell with U.S. Department of Energy, Maria Castillo with...

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Publication

New PFAS Federal Drinking Water Standards Create Major Liability and Litigation Risk

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has released a final regulation setting individual drinking water maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for five per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These MCLs are incredibly stringent due to EPA’s stated concerns...

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Publication

Court Reinstates CPPA Enforcement Authority and Confirms No Delay Necessary for Enforcement of Future CCPA Regulations

A recent appellate decision has made clear that the regulations promulgated under California’s groundbreaking consumer privacy law, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA)), are ripe...

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News

Farella Awards 2024 Diversity Scholarships to Bay Area Law Students

Farella Braun + Martel’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion + Belonging Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of our 2024 Diversity Scholarship grants totaling $45,000 to Bay Area first-year law students Marcus Albino, Saamia Haqiq...

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News

Burdened by Debt, Savvy SF Office Owners Get Creative

Restructuring, insolvency, and creditors rights partner Gary Kaplan provided expert commentary in The San Francisco Standard article, "Burdened by Debt, Savvy SF Office Owners Get Creative." In the article, Gary explained that in most cases...

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News

JPMorgan Chase Accuses TransUnion of Stealing 'Trade Secrets'

Intellectual property practice chair Eugene Mar provided expert commentary to American Banker for the article "JPMorgan Chase Accuses TransUnion of Stealing 'Trade Secrets'." In the article, he said: "By filing this as a trade...

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Publication

Copyright Law for Influencers and Brands: How Content Creators and Companies Hiring Them Can Navigate Copyright Law for a Successful Partnership

In recent years, the advent of the social media “influencer” has revolutionized advertising. Companies often partner with influencers to market their products, hoping to tap into the influencer’s devoted audience. Likewise, influencers create certain content...

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Publication

Where Are We Now, Following Maui County, Sackett, and the Latest EPA Guidance?

The last few years have seen significant developments in our understanding of the reach of the federal Clean Water Act (CWA). (Indeed, “reach” here can be interpreted literally and figuratively.) The two issues plaguing...

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