KRISTA DAWKINS

Managing Partner

Areas of Practice
Estate Planning
Wills and Trusts
Auto Accident
Trucking Accidents
Home Owner Association Litigation
Premises Liability
Insurance Defense
Personal Injury

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As Managing Partner at Pyka Lenhardt Schnaider Dawkins, Mrs. Dawkins has performed pivotal work in litigating issues of product liability, construction accidents, constitutional rights, personal injury and public entity defense. She excels in defending against frivolous claims; in recent years she successfully handled two personal injury claims wherein the plaintiffs dismissed the actions in exchange for a waiver of costs. She has recently received a defense arbitration award in favor of her client, a city in Southern California.

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In addition, Mrs. Dawkins specializes in the preparation of wills and trusts, drafting well-rounded estates, assisting clients in planning business succession, and probate and trust litigation. As a service to the community, Krista has presented estate planning seminars to various groups, on a pro bono basis, to explain the important issues and benefits of appropriate estate planning.

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Mrs. Dawkins has been a member of the California State Bar Trusts and Estate Specialty Section, the Orange County Bar Association and the OCBA Estate and Trust Section. She has served on the Board of Directors for Socius, a marketing and professional networking group.

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After two years at Humboldt State University, Krista transferred to the University of California at Los Angeles and graduated in 2002. She obtained her Juris Doctor from Whittier Law School in 2005. As a law student, she interned at the Huntington Beach City Attorney’s Office where she assisted in drafting ordinance and preparing memorandums that concerned first amendment rights, the Patriot Act and zoning issues. She served as Vice-Dean of Whittier’s Federalist Society and Secretary of the Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity. In addition, she clerked at Kinkle Rodiger and Spriggs before joining the firm as an attorney in 2006. KRS evolved into Pyka Lenhardt Schnaider Zell in 2012 which in turn evolved into it's current name in 2017. 

Mrs. Dawkins is admitted to practice in all California courts at both the state and federal level.

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Krista is an active member of Christ Lutheran Church, where she volunteers as chairperson for the Endowment Committee and enjoys organizing the annual Fall Festival for Christ Lutheran School.