Benjamin C. West joined Wanger Jones Helsley as an associate in 2018. His practice focuses primarily on representing businesses and individuals in all areas of commercial, real estate, and management-side employment litigation.
Mr. West received his law degree, cum laude, from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where he served as Executive Notes Editor for the Hastings Law Journal and competed as a member of the moot court team. He also served as a judicial extern to the Honorable William H. Orrick of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and to the Honorable Erica P. Grosjean of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. Mr. West received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a minor in Criminology, Law and Society from the University of California, Irvine in 2013.
Hunter C. Castro joined Wanger Jones Helsley as an associate in 2018. His practice focuses primarily on land use, municipal law, regulatory compliance, and environmental law. Mr. Castro regularly litigates complex land use, regulatory, environmental, and civil rights issues on behalf of both public and private entities. He also has experience counseling and training public agencies and their employees regarding governance, policy, and ethics. Prior to focusing on these practice areas, Mr. Castro represented many businesses and individuals in employment, labor, and commercial litigation.
Mr. Castro received his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of California, Irvine – School of Law. During law school, Mr. Castro worked in-house at a technology startup company. Aside from the day-to-day legal tasks required to support a business, his work centered on preparing and maintaining internal compliance tools regarding both national and international advertising, laboratory testing, and point-of-sale regulations. Following this position, Mr. Castro worked as a law clerk for Wanger Jones Helsley. He received a Bachelor of Arts in both Political Science and Sociology from the University of California, Irvine.
Stephanie Hosman joined Wanger Jones Helsley as an associate in 2019. Her practice focuses primarily on representing businesses and individuals in all areas of family, employment, and business litigation.
Ms. Hosman received her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Irvine – School of Law. During her first summer of law school, Ms. Hosman served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Magistrate Judge Barbara A. McAuliffe of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. Following this position, Ms. Hosman worked as a law clerk for Wanger Jones Helsley. Ms. Hosman received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a minor in English from Hendrix College, in Conway, Arkansas in 2015. Ms. Hosman also received a Graduate Certificate in Forensic Child Psychology from Missouri State University, in Springfield, Missouri in 2016.
Ian J. Quinn joined Wanger Jones Helsley as an associate in 2023. His practice focuses primarily on family law and business bankruptcy matters.
Mr. Quinn earned his law degree from SMU Dedman School of Law in 2017, where he served as Articles Editor for the SMU Law Review. During law school, he worked for the Federal Income Taxpayers Clinic. He also served as an extern in the General Counsel’s office at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. After law school, Mr. Quinn worked at boutique family law litigation firms in Dallas, Texas and Sacramento, California.
Mr. Quinn received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and Economics from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014.
Rachel L. Pombo joined Wanger Jones Helsley as an associate in 2021. Ms. Pombo received her Juris Doctor from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. Ms. Pombo received Witkin Awards in Global Lawyering Skills II and Trademark Law. She was also a competitor for the Mock Trial team, a research assistant for the Moot Court team, and a Teaching Assistant for Global Lawyering Skills II. Ms. Pombo served on the board of the Environmental and Water Law society as well as the Trial Advocacy Association.
During her first summer of law school, Ms. Pombo worked as a law clerk for Brownstein, Hyatt, Ferber, Schreck. Following this position, Ms. Pombo worked as a summer law clerk at Wanger Jones Helsley PC after her second year of law school.
Ms. Pombo graduated Cum Laude with her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and a minor in International Relations from San Francisco State University in 2018.
Mr. Martin practices commercial and civil litigation, including cases involving construction defects and disruptions, contractual disputes, and employment issues including providing advice and representation to clients in regards to Cal/OSHA regulations, appeals, investigations, laws, and litigations. Mr. Martin’s practice also focuses on real estate transactions, including contract and easement preparation, negotiation, and review, along with the formation and maintenance of all types of business entities. Mr. Martin’s practice areas have allowed him to work on civil rights cases, defamation cases, and criminal defense matters in both State and Federal venues.
Mr. Martin is a 6th generation Central Valley native with strong ties to the Valley’s agriculture and local businesses. Prior to entering into law, Mr. Martin worked in the restaurant industry for over a decade, and is familiar with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) regulations and compliance.
Mr. Ballinger’s practice includes a broad range of taxation-driven issues. These include: International Taxation and Dispute Resolution, Transfer Pricing, Partnership and Corporate Taxation, Trust and Estate Taxation, State and Local Taxation, Sales and Use Taxation, and Payroll Taxation. Because of the nature of the Internal Revenue Code, Mr. Ballinger is also proficient in entity formation and organization and the tax effects that such decisions will have.
Mr. Ballinger was born and raised in Dos Palos, California located in Fresno County. After working in his family’s small wastewater management business, Colten went to the University of California, Davis where he received his B.A. in English with an emphasis in political science.
After graduating from UC Davis, Mr. Ballinger then attended the University of San Diego School of Law where he received his J.D. Degree. While Mr. Ballinger was studying for his J.D. Degree, he simultaneously received an L.L.M. in Tax Law from the University of San Diego which is a nationally recognized graduate tax program. Mr. Ballinger then felt it incumbent upon him to return to his community where he wishes to direct his expertise towards the growth and prosperity of the Central Valley, while safeguarding the wellbeing of his clients.
Colleen E. Little joined Wanger Jones Helsley as an associate in 2023. Ms. Little received her Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law. Ms. Little was a Gold Honors Scholar, a member of the Hale Moot Court Honors Program, and a Teaching Assistant for Constitutional Law. Ms. Little served as President of the Criminal Law Society as well as a Peer Mentor for incoming first-year law students.
During her first summer of law school, Ms. Little worked at the Post-Conviction Justice Project clinic at USC. Following that position, Ms. Little worked as a summer law clerk at Wanger Jones Helsley PC after her second year of law school.
Ms. Little is a proud Fresno State alumni, having graduated summa cum laude from Fresno State in 2020, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and minors in History and Economics.
Danika E. Jones joined Wanger Jones Helsley PC as an associate in 2023. Ms. Jones received her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. In Fall 2021, Ms. Jones received a Masin Family Academic Excellence Gold Award/Dean’s Award in Community Property. She also completed a semester-long externship with the Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law where she worked with victims of domestic violence seeking to obtain restraining orders against their abusers.
During her first summer of law school and most of her second year, Ms. Jones worked as a law clerk for the Law Office of Frank D. Rorie, Jr. Following this position, Ms. Jones worked as a law clerk at Wanger Jones Helsley PC during her second summer of law school. During her third year of law school, Ms. Jones worked as a law clerk at the Law Office of Benjamin Kanani alongside her studies.
Ms. Jones graduated with honors from University of California, Santa Barbara in 2017 with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies, with an emphasis in law and politics. Ms. Jones then attended Antioch University, Santa Barbara where she graduated with a Master’s of Business Administration in 2018.
Daniel J. Frea joined Wanger Jones Helsley as an associate in 2024. Mr. Frea received his Juris Doctor from the University of California, Davis School of Law. Mr. Frea graduated from Cornell University, with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Sciences and emphasis on Business Management and Crop Production Management.
During law school, Mr. Frea served as a member of the Moot Court Honors Board and was a Research Editor for the Journal of International Law & Policy and Business Law Journal. He also served as External Relations Chair for the Business Law Society, President of the Entertainment and Sports Law Society, Co-Chair of the Council on Student Affairs and Fees, and Communications Chair of the Food Law Student Network.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Frea was selected as a Thompson Legal Fellow and LCLD Scholar, and worked as a Legal Contractor for PepsiCo. After law school, Mr. Frea worked at a leading law firm in Northern California as a Corporate Associate. His practice primarily focused on Emerging Companies & Venture Capital and Mergers & Acquisitions. He has experience forming companies, drafting corporate governance documents, negotiating venture capital financings, and conducting corporate due diligence.
Outside of work, Mr. Frea enjoys playing pickup basketball and spending time on his family’s dairy and almond farm in Easton, California. He also serves as a Young Cooperative Member for Dairy Farmers of America.
