Dear Gary A. Sernaker:

It was a pleasure talking to you Gary. Having dealt with Cloud 9 Motor Coach Inc. as a defendant, I know how frustrating that experience must have been for you and your client. Great work against the defendant, who I know from personal experience, presented more than an average amount of litigation difficulties.
 
You should appreciate that when an individual is nominated for an award from our organization it is first thoroughly investigated by the awards committee. While I have not been an active member of the committee this year, for many years I served on that committee and I know that it is not uncommon for over 40 hours of investigation to go into the awards committee investigation. An attempt is made to speak to as many people in involved in the case as possible from Judges, Mediators, Opposing Counsel, experts, sometimes clients, jurors, if relevant. Only after the awards committee has completed their work and are prepared to recommend the granting of the award does it go to the Board of Directors. The Board independently evaluates the recommendations and findings of the awards committee.
 
It is important that recipients of awards understand that it isn’t a simple, “rubber stamping” process. It is a serious attempt to evaluate, not the monetary value of a case, but the value of the services performed by the attorney. Many prominent and accomplished attorneys are involved in that process and you should recognize receipt of this award as a sincere compliment to your professional standards.
 
You will receive the award on October 29, 2009, at our annual “An Evening With the Trial Stars” dinner. The person who will be doing the video for your award will be contacting you to set up that process. Congratulations on great work.
 
Yours truly,
 
Wayne Alan Hughes
2009 President
Consumer Attorneys of San Diego