Practice Areas
Theodore K. Stream
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Print PDFFrom high-profile victories in state, federal and appellate courts to complex disputes skillfully resolved through arbitration and mediation, Mr. Stream is considered one of the savviest and most trusted attorneys in Inland Southern California. With a distinguished list of published cases to his credit, his advocacy expertise is sought by national and international clients, including Dell, GE Capital, Walmart, CEMEX and Teva Pharmaceuticals.
Through an impressive résumé of significant cases, Mr. Stream has built a reputation for:
- Large settlements—He recently negotiated multi-million dollar settlements in two widely publicized federal copyright infringement cases.
- Serving Fortune 500 clients—For example, Mr. Stream represented Walmart in a $100 million construction and nuisance claim involving dozens of homeowners, successfully settling the case with minimal client payout.
- Influential cases—His arguments on behalf of a major university hospital led to the Ninth Circuit adopting the “Birthday Rule” for coordination of benefits [PM Group v. Western Growers Assurance Trust, 953 F.2d 543 (1992)].
- Courtroom mastery—In a malpractice case against an environmental engineer, Mr. Stream’s compelling arguments led to a jury award even higher than requested.
- Peer respect—Leading regional law firms looked to him to defend them in malpractice and commercial cases.
As a litigator known for his versatility and success, Mr. Stream works in a wide range of practice areas, including real estate, health care, environmental, business, bankruptcy and public law. Mr. Stream’s expertise extends to complex claims and disputes involving land use, construction defect, intellectual property, trade secrets, unfair business practice, employment and real property.
In recognition of his high ethical standards and professional standing, Mr. Stream has achieved the highest ranking possible (AV) from the Martindale-Hubbell peer review program. Other notable achievements include:
- Successfully defending a well-known civil engineering firm in a multi-million dollar malpractice action.
- Serving as lead trial and appellate counsel for dozens of counties, cities and fire districts before the California Supreme Court in a series of cases that defined rights and responsibilities under the California Emergency Medical Services Act [City of San Bernardino v. County of San Bernardino, 15 Cal.4th 909, 64 Cal.Rptr.2d 814 (1996)].
- Successfully defending a prominent software developer against a former employer’s claim of ownership, winning a widely publicized case.
- Successfully representing a Texas petroleum company in a toxic tort case before the Court of Appeals [Rivas v. Safety-Kleen Corporation, 98 Cal.App.4th 218, 199 Cal.Rptr.2d 503 (2002)].
- Litigating antitrust action against the County of San Luis Obispo on behalf of an ambulance company, negotiating a favorable long-term exclusive operating agreement at a higher reimbursement rate [Five Cities Ambulance Services, Inc. v. County of San Luis Obispo, EDCV97-180 RJT(CTX) (1997)].
After graduating with honors from the Willamette University College of Law, Mr. Stream served as a law clerk in the Oregon Department of Justice. He joined Gresham Savage as a partner in 2001, after 13 years as an associate and partner with the law firm of Stream & Stream. He is a frequently published author and is actively involved with numerous community organizations and charities.
Education
- Willamette University College of Law, J.D., 1988
- Walla Walla University, B.A., Business Administration, 1985
Bars
- State Bar of California, 1988
- United States District Court, Central District of California, 1988
- United States District Court, Northern District of California, 1988
- Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, 1998
- Supreme Court of the United States, 1999
Affiliations
- American Inns of Court, Member
- American Bar Association, Member
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Member
- California Trial Lawyers Association, Member
- Riverside County Bar Association, Member
- Federal Bar Association, Member and Past President
- State Bar of California, Member
Community
- United Way of the Inland Valley, Chair of the Board of Directors, 2000-01
- Raincross Club, Member, 2002-present
- Executive Committee of Loma Linda Financial Advisers, Member, 2001-present
- Leadership Riverside Class of 2003, Member
- Co-chair, Campaign for the United Way of the Inland Valley (more than $3 million raised)
- United Way of the Inland Valleys, Member, Board of Directors, 1996-2005
- Make-A-Wish Foundation, Member and secretary, Board of Directors, 1994-95
- Service on various United Way committees, 1995-present
- La Sierra University Students in Free Enterprise, Member, Advisory Board, 1994-2004
- California Riverside Ballet, Member, Board of Directors, 2003-2006
- La Sierra University Community Foundation, Member, Board of Directors, 2003-present