Our Team

David Philipson, Esq.

David Philipson started practicing law in Los Angeles in 1974 working for a prominent criminal defense lawyer. For those two years he handled hundreds of criminal cases and over 30 murders. He started his own practice in 1975. At first it was a criminal defense, but gradually evolved into all kinds of trial work: personal injury, workers compensation, unlawful detainer, real estate and easement litigation, etc.

After 23 years in Los Angeles the rat race became too much of a burden. He moved to Big Bear in 1996 and formed a partnership with William Erdmier in 1998. That partnership lasted until 2011 when they decided to go their own ways. Since then, David Philipson has been practicing on his own handling a variety of cases: criminal defense, personal injury, unlawful detainer, real estate and easement litigation, bankruptcy*, probate, etc. He has also added estate planning to his practice writing wills, trusts and other estate plans.

David Philipson is available to handle most any kind of case that may arise in Big Bear.

Joseph D. Holmes, Esq.

Joseph D. Holmes is an Associate Attorney with the Law Office of David Philipson. He has an extensive background in transactional work, including contract drafting, corporate formations and compliance, and estate planning. Before moving to Big Bear, Joe practiced law with two Orange County law firms, handling a variety of cases including: municipal and zoning law, real estate litigation, probate, insurance subrogation, and personal injury.

Joe has the honor of being a Triple Bruin – having received his B.A. in 2005 and his J.D. and Masters in Urban Planning in 2009 from UCLA. He is admitted to practice law in all California State Courts and in the Southern and Central Federal Districts of the State of California.

Eric J. Bautista, Esq.

Eric J. Bautista is an Associate Attorney that brought his twenty-plus years of civil litigation experience to the Law Office of David Philipson in June of 2019. Not unlike David Philipson, after practicing law for many years in the rat race that is found in the Counties of Orange and Los Angeles, Eric moved his family to Big Bear so they can enjoy mountain-living.

Eric had his teeth-cut in the combative arena of civil litigation by working for a number of “small” but industry leading firms in Orange County. Working for small firms allowed him to act as lead counsel on several jury trials and spearhead multiple appeals filed in the Third and Fourth Districts of the California Court of Appeals. He has gained the respect of colleagues and judicial officers alike, as he has been tapped to represent law firms that have been sued and has been referred prospective clients by judicial officers. Eric is thoroughly experienced in cases involving Breach of Contract, Landlord-Tenant Disputes, Real Estate Disputes, Personal Injury, and Consumer Claims.

Eric is equipped with the knowledge and experience to quickly evaluate your situation and determine if you have “a case,” and can devise the most efficient strategies to reach your litigation goals.