Laura is the current President and managing partner of Cuneo, Black, Ward & Missler.  Laura has been with the firm since 2014 and has been a shareholder since 2019.  She has been the managing shareholder of the firm since 2020.  She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2005 with a B.A. in Legal Studies and received her Juris Doctorate from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in December of 2009.  She was admitted to the California State Bar in June of 2010 and received her designation as a Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialist in 2018.  Laura been a practitioner of Workers’ Compensation Defense since 2010.

Primary Focus

Laura’s primary focus is on representing public entities as well as insurance carriers and self-insured employers including public agencies.  Her practice is focused on representation that is tailored to achieve each client’s specific goals.  Her skills and past experience include initial case analysis with recommended litigation strategy, discovery implementation, negotiations and settlement, as well as trial and post-trial appellate work.  Because of her significant experience, she has become very adept at estimating permanent disability, developing a settlement strategy and finalizing settlement early and quickly when possible.

Range of Experience

Laura handles a wide range of workers’ compensation claims including public safety employees, catastrophic injuries, and psychiatric injuries.   She is also frequently hired on a consultation basis by employers to provide an analysis of the case and serves as a liaison between the employer and defense counsel.

Appeals

Laura is an experienced appellate attorney.  She has handled numerous appeals, including Petitions for Reconsideration and/or Removal as well as appeals both at the Court of Appeal and the California Supreme Court.  She has also successfully defended appeals filed on behalf of applicants.