Career

FMJC would like quality attorneys to grow with the firm.  The firm welcomes the discussion of work arrangements with ethical and motivated attorneys, at any level of experience, who want to work in a top-notch Modesto law firm with a reasonable work-life balance. 

Whether the interest is in contract work, an associate position, an “of counsel” arrangement, or a partnership track, please do not hesitate to contact the firm.  All inquiries are kept strictly confidential.

Copyright 2024 Fores Macko Johnston & Chartrand. All rights reserved.

Leslie Kalim McHugh

Of Counsel

Leslie maintains a mostly transactional practice and provides estate planning, trust administration, and probate estate administration to individuals and professional fiduciaries.

Leslie has handled a broad range of complex corporate and real estate transactions throughout her years of practice. Her clients include large businesses as well as smaller family-owned business interests.  Her practice areas include business succession planning, as well as real estate, estate planning, trust administration, and probate estate administration.

Practice Areas

  • Estate Planning
  • Business Succession Planning
  • Trust Administration
  • Probate Estate Administration
  • Real Estate

Professional Admissions

State Bar of California
United States District Court, Eastern District
United States District Court, Northern District

Activities/Memberships

State Bar of California (1997 to present)

Stanislaus County Bar Association, Member (1997 to present)

Stanislaus County Bar Association Past-President (2005)

Community Hospice Foundation, Board Member (2005-2012)

Parent Resource Center, Board Member (2005-2011)

McHenry Mansion Foundation, Board Member (2005-2011)

Education

Humphreys College School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1997

Personal

Born in Concord, California
Resident of Modesto, California (1972 to present)
Interests include travel, cooking, music, family, and friends

Personal Injury and Wrongful Death

FMJC’s attorneys have decades of experience both prosecuting and defending personal injury cases for injured parties and on behalf of insurance companies – so the attorneys are aware of the tactics and arguments made on both sides of the courtroom.

FMJC‘s attorneys have obtained tens of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts on behalf of their clients, including a $7.5 million settlement from the City of Modesto in 2023.  Whether it is an automobile accident, a defective product, a slip and fall, a dog bite, industrial or agricultural accident or some other cause of injury, it is within the firm’s vast experience.

The firm takes personal injury and wrongful cases on a contingency fee (percentage) basis.  If there is no recovery for the client, no legal fees are owed. 

There is never a charge for a personal injury or wrongful death case consultation.

Bankruptcy

FMJC regularly represents trustees and creditors in bankruptcy matters, including:

  • Preference actions
  • Dischargeability actions
  • Transactions requiring bankruptcy court approval
  • Creditor claims

Agricultural Law

The Central Valley is the key hub of California’s agricultural industry.  FMJC’s lawyers have years of experience in agricultural transactions, including negotiating and drafting agricultural leases, easement agreements, and grower and processor commodity contracts for nuts, milk and other commodities.  FMJC’s lawyers have litigated many agricultural matters, including lease disputes, misapplication of pesticides, death of pollinating bees, cattle feed disputes, seed purity disputes, and easement disputes. 

Real Estate

FMJC’s attorneys provide a full range of real estate legal services.  Our firm’s clients include property management companies, shopping center owners, mobile home park owners, developers, and lenders. 

Our attorneys are experienced in preparing and reviewing the following:

  • Commercial Lease Agreements
  • Agricultural Lease Agreements
  • Purchase Contracts
  • Option Contracts
  • Deeds
  • Deeds of Trust
  • Easement Agreements

FMJC also represents borrowers in sophisticated, multi-million dollar loan transactions, including writing enforceability opinion letters for credit agencies.

Estate Planning, Trusts, and Probate

The firm plans for the success and financial security of individual, family, and business clients.  Fores Macko Johnston has experience handling simple to complex estate planning matters, and provides following related services:

  • Preparation of Trusts, Wills, Advance Health Care Directives, and Powers of Attorney
  • Probate (Estate Administration)
  • Trust Administration
  • Representation of Professional Fiduciaries
  • Family Business Succession Planning
  • Preparation of Marital Agreements
  • Medicaid and Medi-Cal Eligibility Planning

Commercial, Corporate, and Business

Fores Macko Johnston has a long history of representing individuals and businesses.  This experience includes:

  • Civil Litigation
  • Entity Formation (Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, and Limited Partnerships)
  • Buy/Sell or Shareholder Agreements
  • Dissolution
  • Employment
  • Transactions

Civil Trial and Litigation Services

Fores Macko Johnston represents clients in a variety of civil disputes.  The firm conducts an early analysis of the facts and legal issues in each case to tailor an appropriate strategy.  The firm’s trial and litigation experience includes:

  • Business Litigation
  • Contract Litigation
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Probate and Trust Litigation
  • Employment Litigation
  • Real Estate Litigation
  • Bankruptcy Litigation
  • Construction Litigation
  • Agriculture Litigation
  • Personal Injury Litigation

Cory B. Chartrand

Principal

Cory has been a California civil trial attorney for over 30 years and has brought dozens of jury trials to verdict as well as litigating scores of bench trials and arbitrations, participating in hundreds of mediations and has argued numerous appeals.  He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). Many of Cory’s appellate cases have been published in the California Reporter of official cases.

Cory has served as a Judge Pro Tem and as an arbitrator on the Stanislaus County arbitration panel and as a mediator of civil cases.  He has taught business law and ethics college courses and for MBA programs.  He has served on the City of Turlock Measure A Committee and is a member of the Stanislaus County Bar Association.  He has spent over 20 years coaching and scoring high school mock trial competitions.  He enjoys singing as a member of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra Chorus.

Practice Areas

  • Real Estate Litigation
  • Business, Commercial and Agricultural Litigation
  • Personal Injury Litigation (plaintiff and defense)
  • Insurance Coverage and Litigation
  • Civil Appeals
  • Revenge Porn Litigation
  • Mediation Services

Appellate and Reported Cases (partial list)

Pabla v. Superior Court  (2023) 90 C.A. 5th 599
Johnson v. Little Rock Ranch, LLC (2022) 2022 WL 30448
Zieve, Brodnax & Steele, LLP v. Dhindsa (2020) 49 Cal. App. 5th 27
Lange v. Schilling (2008) 163 Cal.App. 4th 1412
Brawley v. J.C. Interiors (2008) 161 Cal.App. 4th 1126
Lange v. Schilling (2010)) 2010 Cal.App. Unpub Lexis 9164
Harris v. Gregory (2011) 2011 Cal.App Unpub Lexis 328
FDIC v. Varrasso  2012 U.S. Dist. Lexis 7514
                        2012 U.S. Dist. Lexis 50443
                        2013 U.S. Dist. Lexis 143448
Central Valley Concrete, Inc. v. Road and Highway Builders, LLC 2017 U.S. Dist. Lexis 117191
Rumbeck v. Premier Valley, Inc. 2017 Cal. App. Unpub. Lexis 4688

Education

University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1993
Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, Bachelor of Arts, 1990

Languages

German

Anthony D. Johnston

Principal

Anthony maintains complementary litigation and transactional practices.

Anthony provides estate planning, trust administration, and probate estate services to individuals and professional fiduciaries.

Anthony handles a variety of real estate matters, representing property managers, investors, borrowers for multi-million dollar loans, and brokerage firms.

Anthony also regularly represents trustees and creditors in contested and non-contested bankruptcy matters.

Practice Areas

  • Estate Planning, Trust Administration, and Probate Estate Administration
  • Real Estate
  • Business
  • Bankruptcy (Trustees and Creditors)
  • Litigation

Appellate and Reported Cases (partial list)

In re Campbell Wings, Inc. (2022) 639 B.R. 559
Geyer v. Bartlett, 2024 Cal.App. Unpub. LEXIS 408
McGranahan v. Notman (In re Notman), 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 2816
McGranahan v. Kinerson (In re Kinerson), 2017 Bankr. LEXIS 4135
Guttridge v. Aurora Capital, LLC, 2022 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 7341

Academic Appointments

Humphreys College School of Law, adjunct instructor of contract law, 2007 – 2023
Humphreys College, assistant professor of business management, 2002 – 2006

Education

Humphreys College School of Law, Juris Doctor, Salutatorian, 2006
California State University, Stanislaus, Master of Business Administration, 2000
University of California, Santa Cruz, Bachelor of Arts, 1997

Personal Interests and Community Involvement

  • Born in Modesto, California in 1971
  • Coached little league baseball
  • Served on various boards of directors, including DMC Foundation
  • Guest speaker at numerous continuing education presentations
  • Hobbies include skateboarding, snowboarding, mountain biking, and hiking
  • Happily married, with two wonderful children

Michael J. Macko

Principal

Education

Whittier College, J.D., 1985
University of California, Santa Barbara, B.A., 1981

Mr. Macko has been practicing law since being admitted to the California Bar in 1986. His hands-on approach to each situation has benefited his ongoing practice as a trial attorney.

Practice Areas

Civil Trial and Litigation Services
Commercial, Corporate, and Business
Agriculture
Real Estate
Personal Injury and Torts

Background

He has over 30 years of experience as a trial attorney. With new matters, potential resolutions are explored. If easy resolution is not possible, Mr. Macko will proceed to trial. Attention to detail has helped to develop a specialized strategy for each client to work efficiently toward a resolution or trial.

In addition to his long career as a trial attorney, he has served on the Arbitration and Mediation Panel of the Stanislaus County Superior Court.

Personal Interests and Community Involvement

He is an active participant in the community as a Rotary member and mock trial coach for a local high school. As a coach, he helps develop the skills of high school students competing on mock trial teams. Mr. Macko also enjoys training and participating in triathlons, traveling, and woodworking.

Robert P. Fores

Principal

Education

McGeorge School of Law,
University of the Pacific, J.D., 1985
University of California,
Berkeley, A.B., 1980

Mr. Fores has practiced law for over 30 years, has extensive trial and litigation experience and has a Martindale-Hubbell® AV Peer Review Rating. He has long been involved in various community service organizations and projects.

Practice Areas

Civil Trial and Litigation Services

Commercial, Corporate, and Business

Agriculture

Real Estate

Personal Injury

Personal Interests and Community Involvement

Mr. Fores currently serves on the executive committee for the Gallo Center for the Arts and is a member of the Rotary Club for Modesto Sunrise. In addition, he is the founder and event coordinator of Ride for Mom®. He is a past president of the Stanislaus County Bar Association, has served as a judge Pro Tem, and has served on the Stanislaus County Arbitration and Mediation Panel. He is a past member of the executive committee of the Wray R. Ladine Inn of Court, and is a past chairman of the board of directors for the Modesto Chamber of Commerce.