About Michael Bernard
Michael Bernard Ijams is a licensed attorney admitted to practice law in the State of California. He was admitted to the California State Bar in 1978. His license is currently in active status. Mr. Ijams serves as Of Counsel at Berliner Cohen, LLP, a full-service law firm with offices in Modesto, San Jose, Merced, and Mariposa, California. He practices primarily in the jurisdictions of California, focusing on business and real estate litigation, tax law, and real estate litigation. His office is located in Modesto, California.
Mr. Ijams earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis, School of Law in 1978. Prior to law school, he completed his undergraduate education at the University of California, Davis, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 1974. During his time at UC Davis, he developed a strong foundation in political science, which has informed his legal practice.
Mr. Ijams concentrates his practice in the areas of business and real estate litigation, tax law, and real estate litigation. He represents clients in matters involving construction defect litigation, breaches of long-term agricultural leases, disputes regarding bylaws and church governance for nonprofit religious corporations, trust administration litigation, derivative actions, and dissolution of limited partnerships with multiple real estate holdings. His practice encompasses all stages of litigation, including initial case evaluation, discovery, mediation, settlement negotiations, and trial proceedings in both state and federal courts.
Throughout his career, Mr. Ijams has handled cases in the Superior Court of California for the County of Stanislaus, the United States District Court for the Northern, Eastern, and Central Districts of California, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern and Eastern Districts of California, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. He has been practicing law for over 40 years, serving clients throughout Northern and Central California. Prior to joining Berliner Cohen, LLP, he gained extensive experience in business and civil litigation matters.
Mr. Ijams is an active member of the State Bar of California, having been admitted in 1978. He is also a member of the Litigation and Business Law Sections of the State Bar. He is involved in the Stanislaus County Bar Association and the Wray Ladine Inn of Court. Additionally, he has served as a board member of Community Hospice, Inc., a non-profit organization providing hospice care in Stanislaus, Merced, and San Joaquin Counties. Mr. Ijams is a member and sponsor of the Modesto Quarterback Club, a non-profit supporting local high school football programs. He is also affiliated with Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church and the UC Davis Alumni Association.
