Mr. Desmond received his B.A. degree from the University of California, Berkeley,California, and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law.  He is admitted to practice before all courts of the State of California, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Mr. Desmond is renowned as a litigation strategy specialist, and focuses on an aggressive defense of workers’ compensation cases.  During his employment at Finnegan, Marks, Desmond & Jones, he has tried in excess of 350 cases, including claims involving 132a discrimination and Serious & Willful allegations.

Mr. Desmond also specializes in the representation of employers, third party administrators, and carriers in civil subrogation matters -- from case inception through jury trial.

​While in law school, Mr. Desmond worked for the National Labor Relations Board in San Francisco.  Prior to his association with Finnegan, Marks, Desmond & Jones, he was an associate in a San Francisco law firm specializing in labor and employment law.

Mr. Andersen has been practicing California Worker’s Compensation law with Finnegan, Marks, Desmond & Jones since 1989, and is a partner and Secretary-Treasurer of the firm.  He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Santa Clara Law School, where he was a member of the Dean’s List.  He also has a background in finance and accounting, having received a B.S. degree in finance from San Jose State University.

Prior to his association with Finnegan, Marks, Desmond & Jones, Mr. Andersen practiced the law of wills, trusts and estates.  He also handled matters relating to landlord/tenant and real property law.  Prior to this he was employed for ten years as a carpenter in Silicon Valley specializing in clean rooms, acoustical ceilings, computer floors, and office construction.

Mr. Andersen uses his construction background to focus on complicated workers’ compensation cases involving all manner of construction injuries and Serious & Willful claims.  His practice includes complicated cases involving death claims, fraud, CIGA, subrogation, etc.  He maintains long-term relationships with employers, often handling their collective claims for a decade or more.  This has given him a unique expertise into the assembly-line, mail-service, container, and convention industries.  He also gives presentations and seminars to employers and carriers on subjects ranging from Labor Code Section 132a discrimination claims to recent changes in legislation.

Mr. Andersen is married with two children and has lived and worked in the San Francisco Bay Area his entire life.  He enjoys restoring old cars, juke boxes, Coca-Cola machines, radios, and furniture, many of which still adorn his office.

Mr. Jones received his B.A. in Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley. He received his Juris Doctorate from the University of the Pacific - McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento.  Prior to joining Finnegan, Marks, Desmond & Jones, Mr. Jones clerked for the United States Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of California.

Mr. Jones has been employed at Finnegan, Marks, Desmond & Jones since 1997 and became a partner in 2006.  He has broad litigation experience at all WCAB venues in Northern California, from Eureka to Fresno, and as far away as Bakersfield.

He currently specializes in complex cumulative trauma claims and disputed “date of injury” cases, with an emphasis on disputes involving the California Insurance Guarantee Association (CIGA) as a co-defendant.  His practice includes obtaining approval of Medicare Set-Aside Trust requirements for complicated, high-value settlements.

Mr. Morley received his B.S. degree from the University of San Francisco and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law.  He is admitted to practice before all state and federal courts in California.

Mr. Morley’s current emphasis is primarily workers’ compensation cases, where he provides in-depth analysis of potential liability for employers and carriers on various types of claims filed by injured workers.  He vigorously represents the interests of employers and insurance carriers, including taking depositions of applicants, employers, and doctors involved in the claim.  He is widely experienced in attending status and settlement conferences, as well as appearing at Expedited Hearings and Trials at WCAB offices throughout the greater Bay Area.

Prior to his association with Finnegan, Marks, Desmond & Jones, Mr. Morley was a practiced at firms specializing in insurance defense, employment, corporate, tax, and bankruptcy law.

Mr. Lautman attended the University of California at Santa Cruz for his undergraduate studies, obtaining a degree in Philosophy and Education. After working for a year in various capacities, he went on to attend law school at Tulane University in New Orleans, LA, where he received his JD in 2005. Mr. Lautman then moved back to California, where he was admitted to the California Bar.

Prior to his association with Finnegan, Marks, Desmond & Jones, Mr. Lautman was employed as a workers’ compensation defense attorney in both the Southern California and Northern California locales.

Mr. Lautman was born in Southern California and grew up on Long Island in New York. He later came back to California for college and to pursue tennis at UC Santa Cruz, eventually playing for the University baseball team as well.

Talia A. Jefferson graduated magna cum laude from Howard University in Washington, D.C. with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Ms. Jefferson earned her Juris Doctorate from Santa Clara University School of Law while volunteering as Secretary of the Part-Time Law Students Association. Also while in law school, Ms. Jefferson worked as a law clerk for a state-wide workers’ compensation defense firm where she obtained experience as an associate attorney beginning in 2008. She joined FMDJ in 2021, with a full range of experience defending insurers and employers in workers’ compensation matters. She has been certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization as a Certified Specialist in Workers' Compensation law. In addition, Ms. Jefferson has been volunteering as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children in Alameda County since 2011.

Mr. Poppy received his B.S. degree from University of California San Diego, and his Juris Doctor degree from Golden Gate University School of Law. He has over 37 years of experience in workers' compensation defense, specifically in multiparty litigation and catastrophic injury claims. Prior to his association with Finnegan, Marks, Desmond & Jones he was a partner and later of counsel at a large San Francisco workers' compensation defense firm.

Mr. Poppy has a personal Martindale Hubbell "AV" rating for 20 years consecutively, and is a certified Workers' Compensation Specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. He is on the arbitration panels for the San Francisco, Oakland, and Santa Rosa offices of the WCAB. He has also served as a judge pro tem at the San Francisco office of the WCAB.

Ms. Derrick received her B.A. in Political Science from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She attended University of the Pacific - McGeorge School of Law, where she obtained her Juris Doctor with Distinction.

Ms. Derrick initially joined Finnegan Marks in 1997. She has practiced workers’ compensation defense in both Northern and Southern California and was a Certified Specialist from 2010 to 2023. She has extensive experience representing insurance companies, self-insured employers, and institutions.

She returned to Finnegan Marks in 2022, having gone full circle in her legal career.

Daniel received his B.S. Degree from San Jose State University in 2016 and his Juris Doctor from Santa Clara University School of Law in 2021. Daniel competed in The Galloway Moot Court competition during his time in law school, where his appellate brief was selected for oral argument. He also received the highest oral argument grade in Appellate Advocacy. Daniel graduated with a High Tech Law Certificate, Corporate Specialization, with honors and received the CALI award in Constitutional Law.

Daniel is originally from Santa Cruz, California. When he is not at the office, Daniel can be found out at the beach, hiking, or playing a round of golf. You can find him snowboarding in Lake Tahoe, Colorado, or Utah during the winter. Daniel is also an avid San Francisco 49ers and San Francisco Giants fan.

Alejandra received her B.A in Legal Studies and Psychology from University of California, Santa Cruz. She then attended Golden Gate University School of Law, where she received her Juris Doctor in 2022.

Outside of work, Alejandra enjoys spending time outdoors, reading and watching sports.

Mr. Cacharelis received his undergraduate degree from Gonzaga University in 2013 and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2018. Prior to joining Finnegan, Marks, Desmond & Jones, Mr. Cacharelis worked for a civil litigation firm primarily focused on insurance defense where he defended the rights of insured motorists and property owners.

Emily received her undergraduate degree in International Relations and her master’s degree in Philosophy from the University of South Florida. Thereafter, Emily received her Juris Doctor from Golden Gate University in 2024.  

Beyond work, Emily enjoys distance running, portraiture, and reading.