Attorneys Who Are Ready When You Need One Most

At Trygstad, Schwab & Trygstad, our skilled attorneys are prepared to rescue you and your legal rights from destruction.  We provide legal assistance regarding employment, criminal, licensing and business matters, to name a few areas of our expertise.  When the building is on fire, you will recognize us as the ones running in while others are running away.

Lawrence B. Trygstad

A successful lawyer for over fifty years and the founder of the firm, he began his professional career as a teacher with the Los Angeles Unified School District.  An active member of United Teachers Los Angeles when it first formed, he became its first lawyer after graduating from USC School of Law.  He has been a guiding force in developing education law to develop and preserve the rights of teachers and other educators in California.  He is a member of the Los Angeles County and American Bar Associations and The Association of Trial Lawyers of America.  Other professional associations include: National Organization of Lawyers for Education Associations, Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles, and Consumer Attorneys of California. Education: University of Michigan, B.A.; USC (Gould) School of Law, J.D.

His and the firm's published cases include (among others):

Taylor v. Board of Trustees of the Del Norte Unified Sch. Dist. (1984) • 36 Cal.3d 500 • Palos Verdes Faculty Assn. v. Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified Sch. District (1978) 21 Cal.3d 650 • Griego v. Los Angeles Unified Sch. Dist. (1994) 28 Cal.App.4th 515 • United Teachers Los Angeles v. Los Angeles Unified School Dist. (1994) 24 Cal App.4th 1510 • Abshear v. Teachers' Retirement Bd. of California (1991) 213 Cal.App.3d 1629

Richard J. Schwab

A member of the firm for over 30 years, he has distinguished himself in and out of the courtroom.  From a family of teachers and lawyers, his passion for his clients is reflected by hundreds of trial and hearing victories.  He has also shaped the laws that provide teachers' rights, through extensive appellate practice, lobbying and active involvement with the teachers' unions, including UTLA and CTA.  Education: UCLA, B.A.; UCLA School of Law, J.D.  His primary practice areas include: Education Law • Criminal Law • Administrative Law • Civil Rights and Employment Law • Appellate Practice • Federal Practice

Shanon Dawn Trygstad

For more than 20 years, Ms. Trygstad has built upon the vision her father, Lawrence Trygstad, established for the firm.  She has an unsurpassed record of representing clients with disabilities and employment disputes.  Her skills at bringing opposite interests to common ground has resulted in favorable results for clients whose interests were at risk and were not being heard.  Education: University of San Diego, B.A.; USC  (Gould) School of Law, J.D.  Foreign Languages: Spanish proficiency.

Her primary practice areas include: Education Law • Civil Rights and Employment Law  • Disability Retirement Law and Employee Benefits • Appellate Practice

Daniel J. Kolodziej

A  lawyer for over 20 years, his experience includes representing Fortune 500 companies and other businesses, Director of Business & Legal Affairs for a major motion picture company and General Counsel for a major personal care products company.  For more than 10 years, he has applied his understanding of the "management side" to achieve favorable results for individuals whose rights have been diminished, including numerous trial victories in civil, administrative and criminal courts and substantial settlements.  His experience with business transactions, employment agreements and trademark and copyright law also provides solid insight to guide clients through other complex legal situations.   Education: University of Michigan, B.A.; UCLA School of Law, J.D.  Languages: French and German

His primary practice areas include:  Education Law • Criminal Law • Employment Law • Trademark and Copyright Law • Real Estate and Estate Planning • Personal Injury • Business Transactions and Counseling

Rosty Gore

An attorney with the firm for over four years, he has proven himself repeatedly in the courtroom, amassing an unbroken series of victories on behalf of employees whose employment and livelihood were threatened.  A strong advocate and a compassionate listener, Mr. Gore exemplifies the firm's mission to serving our clients with unrelenting dedication to their causes.  UCLA, B.A.; USC (Gould) School of Law, J.D.  Foreign Languages: Russian

Primary practice areas: Education Law • Civil and Employment Litigation • Criminal Law • Personal Injury

Roshanne Katouzian

Bringing legal experience with the Federal Public Defender and the U.S. Department of Justice, she has fought to protect individuals' rights and obtain justice for the disadvantaged.  The most recent addition to the firm, she provides creative insight to difficult conflicts and a passion for overcoming complex legal challenges.  Education: University of California, Berkeley, B.A.; George Washington University Law School, J.D.  Foreign Languages: Farsi; conversational Spanish

Primary practice areas: Education Law • Civil and Employment Litigation • Personal Injury