Experienced Attorneys With Proven Results
Located in Southern California, Humphrey, Berger & Associates, LLP ("HBA") provides legal services throughout the state, and across the country. At HBA, we are relentless when prosecuting your claims. We are cognizant of you as a client in our pursuit of the most efficient and cost-effective methods for meeting your needs. We focus on liability and exposure issues early in the litigation process, all the while ensuring that our client's interests are being fully protected. We pride ourselves in knowing and meeting our clients’ expectations by delivering timely status reports which eliminate surprises. With HBA, you can expect the best results at competitive billing rates.
Meet the Team
Kenneth Humphrey
Partner
Ken was born and raised in Southern California. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and his Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. After finishing law school, he became an associate at the civil litigation law firm of Bolton, Dunn and Yates in Santa Monica, California.
At Bolton, Dunn and Yates, Ken gained extensive experience in all aspects of civil litigation including construction defects, insurance bad faith, insurance coverage, premises and product liability, and personal injury actions. He represented public entities, self-insured entities, insurance companies, as well as corporations and individuals.
In 1999 Ken became a Senior Litigator at Amwest Insurance Group, Inc. There he handled hundreds of surety defense and complex litigation matters including those involving contract and commercial bonds, license and permit bonds, probate bonds, and collection and subrogation cases.
Ken has significant experience in insurance company liquidation and rehabilitation law. He has represented the Director of Insurance for the State of Nebraska in his capacity as Liquidator of a major insurance company as well as the Director of Insurance for the State of South Carolina in his capacity as Receiver to a health care insurance company.
Ken has taken over 25 cases to trial or arbitration, and has argued multiple times before the California Court of Appeal.
At Humphrey, Berger & Associates, LLP, Ken is the lead litigation attorney and handles various litigation matters including business, disputes, surety and insurance litigation, construction disputes, employment litigation, and personal injury actions, Ken litigates cases throughout California and is well respected as a litigator.
Ken has been involved in a number of Ventura County business and charitable groups and has provided seminars in both surety law and other legal areas. He has also served as President and Vice-President on the Board of Directors of a major non-profit organization in Ventura County.
Neil H. Berger
Partner
Neil was born in Brooklyn, New York but moved with his family to Los Angeles where he attended high school. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from UCLA as well as his Juris Doctor degree from the UCLA School of Law. After finishing law school, he joined the Los Angeles law firm of Parkinson, Wolf, Lazar and Leo as an associate where he primarily handled insurance defense litigation. He also represented insurers in insurance regulatory matters.
In 1986, Neil joined the Claims Department at Amwest Insurance Group, Inc. A few years later he was named as Amwest’s first Corporate Counsel, and was named a Vice President of all of the insurance companies owned by Amwest. In addition to handling insurance and surety defense matters, Neil was also responsible for supervising Amwest’s corporate legal work, including employment law, insurance regulatory, corporate formation and compliance issues; and managing transactions involving the sale and acquisitions of other insurance companies.
Neil is a member of the American Bar Association, the California State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section, and the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has taught seminars on employment matters for managers and employer groups. He has also taught continuing education courses on insurance law for insurance professionals.
At Humphrey, Berger & Associates, LLP, Neil currently handles insurance defense litigation for a number of insurance and Third Party Administrator clients. He also represents insurers in subrogation and premium collections matters; contractors and manufacturers in construction litigation; and clients involved in business disputes. Additionally, he acts as corporate counsel for a number of corporate clients, and handles employment relations and business formation issues. Neil also serves on the Board of Directors of a number of non-profit organizations devoted to animal welfare.
Clark H. Cameron
Associate
Clark was born in Burbank, California and received his Bachelor of Science degree from California State University at Northridge and his Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles. After finishing law school, he joined the law firm of Monteleone & McCrory, LLP in Los Angeles, California.
At Monteleone & McCrory, Clark represented small to medium sized contractors and other companies in all aspects of civil litigation including construction defects, surety claims, and insurance bad faith and coverage issues. He gained extensive experience as a trial lawyer while at Monteleone & McCrory.
In 1995, Clark joined Amwest Surety Insurance Company, as a Senior Litigator where he handled corporate and litigation matters including construction and surety matters, insurance insolvency, bankruptcy, indemnity and commercial collection actions. He later became an Assistant Vice President and Claims Manager for Amwest, responsible for overseeing all surety claims in the Western portion of the United States.
In 2002, Clark became a co-founder and President of Sunrise Business Resources, Inc. Sunrise was a third party administrator of insurance claims, including property & casualty claims, and surety bond claims. He operated this business with over 35 employees for more than four years.
Clark currently manages our firms’ commercial surety claims adjustment group in addition to handling litigation matters in courts throughout California, specializing in the representation of insurers. He also represents small and medium sized businesses in various litigation matters including contract disputes, construction, real estate and employment relations. He has handled many jury and bench trials, as well as mediations and arbitrations. He is a member of the American Bar Association and the California State Bar.
Katherine Smaul
Associate
Kathy was born in Seoul, South Korea but grew up in the San Fernando Valley in Southern California. Kathy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of
California, Santa Barbara, and went on to receive her Juris Doctor from Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles.
Kathy began her legal career at a large plaintiff’s law firm, where she represented individuals in personal injury and civil litigation matters. She later joined Amwest Insurance Group, Inc. as in-house counsel, expanding her expertise in surety defense, employment law, and corporate compliance.
After taking time to raise her children, Kathy returned to the legal field with a renewed focus on estate planning, an area of law that allows her to combine her legal skills with her passion for helping others.
At HBA, Kathy leads the firm’s Estate Planning Division, where she brings both legal expertise and a compassionate approach to helping clients prepare for the future. In this role, she works closely with individuals and families to develop customized plans that reflect their values, protect their assets, and ensure their wishes are carried out. Kathy is also part of the firm’s surety litigation team, where she
represents clients in a wide range of litigation matters involving bonds, indemnity agreements and contractual disputes.
In addition to her legal practice, Kathy is deeply committed to community service and philanthropy. She is actively involved with the National Charity League, where she volunteers with several of NCL’s focused philanthropies, including the West Valley Food Pantry, and Guide Dogs of America. Her dedication to giving back reflects her belief in the importance of service, compassion, and community engagement.
Kathy is a member of the California State Bar Association and actively participates in continuing legal education to stay current with developments in estate and elder law.
Katia Sarfati
Associate
Katia Sarfati was born in Paris, France and graduated from Paris 12 Law School with two master’s degrees: one in Business Affairs and another in Litigation and Contentious Law. After finishing law school, she passed the French Bar in 2005 and joined the Law Firm of Michael Sicakyuz.
In 2005, Katia practiced as an associate attorney for four years, during which she gained extensive experience in business and real estate disputes, construction defect cases, family law, and employment matters. Katia represented clients both in trial courts and courts of appeal. Subsequently, Katia established her law firm, where over eight years, she managed settlements and litigated cases in court, primarily handling commercial disputes and construction defects cases for both individuals and companies. Concurrently, Katia served as a law teacher for four years, teaching various legal subjects to college students.
At the end of 2017, Katia relocated to California with her husband and their three daughters. After ensuring the successful integration of her children, she resumed her legal career in 2021, working for a year and a half at a family law firm. She decided to take the California Bar and passed it in 2023. Since February 2024, she has been a practicing attorney at Humphrey, Berger & Associates, mostly handling surety litigation. Katia is fluent in both spoken and written French and English and possesses a proficient level of spoken Spanish.
Outside of professional responsibilities, Katia dedicates her time to her family, enjoying traveling, skiing, and attending her children’s sport events and music recitals.
Julia Toma
Paralegal/Law Clerk
Julia was born in Romania and came with her family to Los Angeles where she attended high school. She obtained her B.A from the University of California, Irvine and her J.D. from the University of West Los Angeles School of Law. She also obtained her Paralegal Certificate from Los Angeles Valley College.
She has worked as a Paralegal and Legal Assistant at a number of Los Angeles law firms and has extensive experience in civil litigation. She is also a Registered Superior Court Interpreter in the Romanian language. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her husband and family and also enjoys cooking.