Our Founder

Areas of Practice

John A. Safyurtlu has specialized in Business Law for the last decade. He has represented start-ups, small businesses, Fortune 500 corporations, banks, professionals, insurance companies and insured individuals in both state and federal courts. Mr. Safyurtlu is admitted to practice in all California state and federal courts. He founded GC in 2004 to continue his specialization in acting as General Counsel for small businesses.

Current Representations

Mr. Safyurtlu’s current litigation docket includes a wrongful termination matter; a software contract dispute; and a series of Federal "ADA" claims against local business owners by a professional plaintiff. Mr. Safyurtlu also provides his business clients with ongoing counsel and advice as to pending business decisions. In the course of his corporate practice he has created new business entities, negotiated contracts, assisted startups with capital financing issues, and handled asset purchases.

Education and Background

Mr. Safyurtlu was born in New York City but lived much of his life throughout Europe, where he learned to speak his native French and Turkish before English. He moved to California in 1978 and graduated in 1991 from UC Santa Barbara. He then clerked for the Hon. David O. Carter (U.S. District Court Judge) before attending law School at the University of San Diego, where he graduated in 1995 and was admitted to practice that year. While in law school Mr. Safyurtlu clerked for the United States Department of Justice.

After law school Mr. Safyurtlu spent his first 1½ years of practice in Los Angeles at one of the 25 largest law firms in California. After a brief tenure as in-house General Counsel, Mr. Safyurtlu joined a San Francisco-based firm in 1998, and was selected by the firm to found the new Los Angeles office in 1999. Mr. Safyurtlu then founded the Los Angeles office of a San Diego-based firm in 2003.

An avid watersportsman, Mr. Safyurtlu was on both the water polo and sailing teams throughout high school and college. He was a beach lifeguard in Orange County for four years, and continues to surf as often as his litigation practice and office management duties allow. He considers himself a movie-buff, enjoys political fiction novels and time with his wife, Bonnie Lynn, and daughters Elena Janine, 2½, and Lauren Emily, four months.

Professional Affiliations

Mr. Safyurtlu is a member of various Bar Associations and is also the President of ATASC, the Association of Turkish Americans of Southern California.

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