Overview
Walt Traver is litigation Partner whose practice focuses on financial institutions, employment and commercial litigation. Mr. Traver holds Martindale-Hubbell’s highest AV Preeminent peer rating with over 35 years of experience in a broad range of fields including banking, investment services, FINRA disputes involving investor claims, employment, real estate, commercial disputes, construction, insurance bad faith, product liability, municipal law and environmental contamination. He has represented banks, savings and loans, private money lenders, broker-dealers, financial advisors, real estate brokers, developers, employers, contractors and other businesses, as well as municipal agencies. He has acted as lead trial counsel in numerous state and Federal trials, FDIC administrative hearings and private arbitrations on behalf of banks sued for wrongful foreclosure, state and Federal credit reporting and Commercial Code violations, unauthorized account transactions, wire fraud, financial elder abuse, and aiding and abetting fraudulent investment schemes; real estate brokers for alleged fraud relating to the sale of both residential and commercial properties including a residential development in La Quinta and a $6 million agricultural property located on the San Mateo coast; employers for breach of loyalty, theft of trade secrets, discrimination and wage and hour claims; developers in real estate partition actions; lenders for claims against title insurers and escrow companies for mishandling purchase money trust deeds; municipal agencies including the City of Indio and the Coachella Valley Mosquito Abatement District for claims arising out of pesticide exposure and for recovery of cleanup costs for petroleum contamination sites; and various commercial lessors. Recent trial results include a 2026 judgment following a lengthy jury trial in favor of a private money lender sued for financial elder abuse, fraud and negligence by an elderly borrower seeking recovery of several million dollars for properties lost through foreclosure.
Mr. Traver's experience includes state and Federal appellate matters including the following:
Lopez v. World Savings & Loan Association (2003) 105 Cal.App.4th 729 - federal preemption relating to mortgage loan fees.
Banga v. World Savings & Loan Association (2006) 2006 WL 1467967 – affirming summary judgment in action alleging violations of state and Federal credit reporting acts.
N.K. Beverly Hills Corporation v. JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. (2012) 2012 WL 6583685 – affirming dismissal of claim for right of first refusal to purchase a $29 million loan from lender.
Crawford v. JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. (2015) 242 Cal.App.4th 1265 – affirming terminating sanctions based on opposing attorney’s egregious misconduct.
Smith v. Wells Fargo Bank N.A.; JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. (2025) 809 F.Supp.3d 922 – applying “safe harbor” provision of Probate Code § 4303 to forged power of attorney and affirming dismissal of action including claims for aiding and abetting fraud, financial elder abuse, conversion and violation of UCL.
Mr. Traver’s representative clients include Banc of California, Bank of the West, BMO Bank N.A., JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Westamerica Bank, American Business Bank, First Credit Bank and Aqua Finance.