Background
Zein E Obagi, Jr., is an of counsel attorney at the Hee J. Kim Law Firm, PC.
Mr. Obagi is lead counsel of the Obagi Law Group, P.C., in Hollywood, California. He is a civil litigator reputed for aggressively prosecuting private and public interest cases against persons and organizations that have wronged. Before founding the Obagi Law Group, P.C., he practiced law with other prominent firms in the area.
Most recently, Mr. Obagi has represented a wide array of clients in claims against governments, including for civil and educational rights violations, breach of contract, inverse condemnation and depravation of veteran’s service-connected disability benefits. He has served as the unwavering strong voice of persons wronged by foreign countries, federal agencies, municipalities and local school districts.
Mr. Obagi has successfully litigated and tried several breach of contract and fraud cases, and obtained two awards for punitive damages after trial. After obtaining judgments for punitive damages, Mr. Obagi has asserted his clients’ interests in U.S. Bankruptcy Courts, obtaining judgment for the non-dischargeability of debt incurred based on fraud and malicious injury.
Mr. Obagi has a strong judgment enforcement practice, and has successfully enforced judgments against defiant persons and institutions, including the country of Mexico. Mr. Obagi was associated as counsel after a local law firm had not been able to obtain payments on its judgment for eight years. That judgment was rendered for the Mexican Consulate’s breach of contract with a janitorial services company. After eight months of aggressively pursuing Mexico, and obtaining orders to examine its Consular General, Mexico paid more than one and a half times the amount of the original judgment to settle.
His practice includes consumer advocacy, including defending individuals from meritless collections actions. As consumer debt collection defense counsel, Mr. Obagi has successfully obtained dismissal of a poorly supported complaint brought by a junk debt buyer, and, in a separate action, the reversal of a default judgment, the quashing of a writ of execution, and cessation of wage garnishment order where the consumer was never even served with a complaint in the case.
Mr. Obagi has also prosecuted bad-faith insurers who have refused to perform their obligations under the policies procured by their insureds. Zein Obagi is dedicated to protecting and resolutely asserting his clients’ interests, and Obagi Law Group, P.C.’s resources permits him and his team to provide the highest-level representation in each client’s case.
After successfully co-counseling, and working with Mr. Kim in various matters, he and Mr. Obagi decided to make a concerted effort to bring the resources and expertise of both firms together for the mutual benefit of their clients.
Mr. Obagi brings extensive litigation experience to the Hee J. Kim Law Firm, P.C. He focuses his practice on real estate litigation, bad faith insurance practices, creditor’s rights, debt collection, foreign sovereign immunity, U.S. veteran’s rights, and appellate law.
Admissions and Memberships
- State Bar of California
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- United States Supreme Court
- Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles Member 2015 – Present
- Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce Member/Sponsor 2014 – Present
- Better Business Bureau Accredited Business 2012 – Present
- State Bar of California, Litigation Section Member 2011 – Present
- U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Accredited Attorney 2011 – Present
- Rotary Club International (LA5) Member 2009 – Present
- West Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce Member 2012 – 2013
Education
- University of Southern California, Gould School of Law, J.D.
- University of California, Berkeley, B.A., Political Science