Candidate for
Judge of the Superior Court; County of Santa Clara; Office 11

Blaine L. Fields, B.S.A.E., J.D.

Skills

Communication

• Highly developed verbal skills, both written and oral.
• Enhanced vocabulary and the ability to communicate in an interesting, engaging and informative way.
• Able to formulate the creation of images or ideas to persuade, inform or effect change.

• Adept at conceptualizing, evaluating, analyzing, synthesizing and correlating data, facts, occurrences or events in a technically complex environment.
• Proficient in evaluating the meaning or importance of events, even those which seem disparate or unrelated, to the issue or problem at hand.
• Capable of simplifying complex matters for non-technical purposes; quick to formulate and prioritize goals or issues and reach decisions in a meaningful, logical manner.
• Practiced at working in an independent, creative and self-reliant manner; willing to attack and solve problems using a natural curiosity to expand areas of expertise and seek new understandings or abilities; tenacious in resolving the assigned task.

• Strong background in physics and mathematics and, of course, technical problem solving. Have a working knowledge of software development and hardware function. Able to apply the legal concepts such as unfair competition, trade secret wrongs, trade libel or breach of contract as applied to most areas of high technology.

• Aside from Continuing Legal Education programs, continuously involved in the pursuit of knowledge in a variety of areas of personal interest, including small aircraft piloting, farming, horse psychology, internal and external ballistics, computer science and programming. Engaging in educational pursuits on both a formal and an informal basis has been a continuous, lifelong process.

Partner 1991 - Present Burnett, Burnett, Allen & Fields San Jose, California

In addition to commercial litigation practice, currently represent the Santa Clara County Peace Officers Association and its membership, the recognized bargaining unit for the largest single public employee union in Santa Clara County. Involved in the defense of peace officers in work related claims of misconduct as well as union contract negotiation and strategic legislative needs planning.

Chief Legal Counsel 1989 -1991 California Micro Devices Milpitas, California

Organized the company's first legal department and implemented Human Relations procedures and processes particularly in the hiring and termination of information critical employees.
Revamped the shipping, receiving, and sales functions of the company to better utilize the Uniform Commercial Code in protecting the company's interests and giving the company a sound contractual footing in dealing with vendors and customers.
Provided assistance in creating legally sufficient constructs for the protection of secret or confidential company information as well as providing methods of protecting the unauthorized disclosure or use of third party information.

Partner 1978 -1989 Fields & Gunderson San Jose, California

Engaged primarily in civil litigation concerning commercial contract disputes including real property lease and buy/sell matters, construction disputes and subcontractor disputes, UCC contract disputes between merchants.

Notable Litigation

Successfully obtained a preliminary injunction against General Electric Corporation to prevent disclosure of confidential and trade secret material owned by a small start-up electronics company.
Obtained a money judgement against Burroughs Corporation relating to the sale and installation of computer hardware.
Received a jury verdict against attorneys in a legal malpractice action on then new and relatively untested theories of "apparent partnership" liability.
Successfully obtained the recusal of California's largest law firm from the representation of a party in a law suit, which order was latter affirmed on appeal.
Published appellate opinions: University Financing Consultants, Inc. v. Barouche (1983) 148 Cal.App.3d 1165; Stanley v. Superior Court (1982) 137 Cal.App.3d 357.

Education

Juris Doctor University of Santa Clara Santa Clara, California

Graduated Cum Laude with separate academic awards in various subject areas.

Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering California Polytechnic University Pomona, California

Graduated with highest honors, 3.70 G.P.A.

During the last 15 years, have taken a number to software engineering courses in local community colleges and San Jose State University, including programming courses in Assembler (PDP-11), Pascal, C (basic and advanced) and C++ (basic and advanced) as well as theory courses in data structures and problem analysis.

United States Marine Corps Received a generalized knowledge of electronics due to specific training as a guidance and launcher technician for the Hawk Missile, a ground-to-air missile defense system manufactured by Raytheon.

Service in Vietnam; honorable discharge, Sergeant (E-5 ) at separation. During this period, received an education in some of the most fundamental and important lessons life has to offer.