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Guiding Southern California Clients

Through Real Estate, Business,
and Billboard Legal Matters

Experienced. Client-focused. Dedicated.

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Offering Secure and Flexible Legal
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Meet Our People

Our team has a combined 87 years of experience navigating complex
legal challenges across Southern California

Richard Hamlin 2

Richard Hamlin
Partner

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Richard Hamlin is the founding partner of Hamlin | Cody, serving as an attorney, mediator, adviser, advocate, and deal-maker focusing on the areas of real estate, contracts, business, and billboards.

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Marnie Cody 2

Marnie Cody
Partner

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Marnie Cody is a highly successful and respected lawyer focusing on outdoor advertising law, business and real estate matters, as well as probate and estate planning for small and mid-sized estates.

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Our Services

Real Estate:

Whether buying, selling, or managing, our team is here to guide you through every aspect of your real estate transactions.

Business:

We provide practical legal support for your business challenges, from formation to compliance.

Billboards:

Navigating billboard laws can be tricky-we offer legal guidance to ensure compliance and address disputes.

Contracts:​

From drafting to enforcement, we handle your contracts with precision and care.

Litigation:

With extensive courtroom experience, we stand by our clients throughout complex legal disputes.

Practical Advice and Counsel:

It is not enough to know what you can do. You also need to know what makes sense. We provide our clients with the benefit of hard-won experience along with our knowledge of the law.

Corporate Counsel:

We offer reliable counsel to help you manage risks and overcome legal obstacles.

Testimonials

What Our Clients Are Saying

"Dear Richard,
I thank you again and again. You really saved the day. Your advice was invaluable. I appreciate all your help."
Dr. Judith Bin-Nun, Ph.D:
"You’ve provided me with a very high level of comfort and assurance. Further, you’ve done it with tremendous patience. Those are pretty much the 2 things I was hoping for when I hired you. So thank you very much."
Ric Flores
"Marnie Cody’s expertise and thorough knowledge was extremely valuable for the negotiation and completion of the billboard lease agreement. She was thorough, provided various options and solutions, and delivered prompt responses to document changes, proposals and reviews. The results delivered were better than I expected! Marnie is professional, provides excellent guidance, is extremely knowledgeable and I highly recommend her."
Paul K., San Bruno Partners
"Thanks for all of your help - you gave me the tools I needed to make a settlement and keep [my tenant] in the house. Your advice was key in my negotiation. Thanks! We offer more than technical legal advice. We listen to your concerns, legal and emotional. We offer advice based on our judgment and extensive life experiences."
David Young, Property Owner
“I have known Richard Hamlin for about 20 years now and can say that he is a very fine lawyer. If you need transactional or litigation help in real estate or other business matters Richard and his firm are terrific.”
Anthony Salerno, Salerno & Associates
“I have practiced government and regulatory law since 1989 and I have known Marnie since we were law students at Loyola. From time to time over the years, I have addressed a number of sign issues and Marnie’s insights on billboard law have been a valuable asset.”
A. Patrick Muñoz, Rutan & Tucker, LLP
“We have used the Hamlin Cody firm on many occasions for a variety of assignments and have been rewarded with excellent results and reasonable costs. They have always acted honorably and professionally and were always available to discuss any issues that arose. I have also referred them to friends on two occasions and have been thanked profusely for having done so. Again, those referrals were extremely pleased with both the people and the results. I can recommend them without hesitation.”
Ben F. Tunnell III, Chairman | BTI Appraisal
“The work that you did was all very diligently done and high-quality work. Communications were always timely and reliable, and you demonstrated consistent knowledge of the relevant law and procedure.”
From a union general counsel with a real estate issue
“You did exactly what I wished and with alacrity which I also desired. Always handle our requests in the same manner and we will be delighted.”
From a commercial-space tenant
“I was very happy with the service your team provided and would not have changed anything. I would definitely call you again if needed and would not hesitate to recommend you to friends and family.”
From a business owner whose former attorney sued for fee
“Your information was exceptionally timely and clear. Your colleagues were friendly and professional. I had opportunity to think and went into my surgery with a clear mind. Thank you for all that you did and I will recommend your to friends and family without hesitation.”
From an individual for whom we drafted a trust
“What I appreciate most is your thoroughness in the work you provide. You opinion letters were very clear, helpful and provided me with needed information and the ability to chose from several options. Your immediate responses to my questions and calls was also very appreciated.”
From an estate administrator
“I did receive it and it was very helpful, thanks very much for the swift response and work.”
After an opinion letter concerning the feasibility of placing billboards on a property
"I'm glad you understand how much we have riding on this. Thank you for all of your help in this matter. I think it's the best possible outcome with the bank we could have hoped for!"
We improved our clients' outcome after a bank breached a construction loan agreement
"I appreciate your timely and concise responses. I will be referring you to anyone who needs assistance in this topic."
From a real estate advisor on the subject of outdoor advertising regulations
"Was great meeting you in person last week. Thank you for coming our way. Also, thank you again for providing us with the very detailed documents. We discussed in length every detail within the documents you've provided, and we feel comfortable [moving forward]."
From a property owner
"Thank you for taking the time to speak with me … It was greatly appreciated, and the guidance you provided me, [produced the intended result]."
From a property owner
"Marnie, personally I have loved working with you. You are smart, a wealth of knowledge on billboard land use and permitting in the State of California and your approach to helping clients is very practical, time efficient and cost effective. Please feel free to use me as a reference anytime!"
James Johnsen, Managing Director of Johnsen, Fretty & Co.
"Marnie - I’ll echo Jim’s comments and certainly feel free to use me as a reference as well:
"Personally I have loved working with you. You are smart, a wealth of knowledge on billboard land use and permitting in the State of California and your approach to helping clients is very practical, time efficient and cost effective. Please feel free to use me as a reference anytime!""
Steven Fretty, Co-Founder & Managing Director at Johnsen Fretty & Co.:
“Thank you so much for all of your help with this. As much as we don’t like being in this position, we’re glad we had you to help us come up with a reasonable solution.”
Chris Bostock
“Glad it worked out. There’s no one else in CA I’d trust my clients with! There are very few attorneys around the country with OOH experience, as I’m sure you know.”
Anonymous
“Hi Marnie, I have taken the time and have read through your additions and subtractions and am totally comfortable with your careful, detailed work to protect me - Thank you! I’m very comfortable with what you have done. I hired you because of your detailed approach to things and I trust you know way more than I do when it comes to these things"
Anonymous

About Us

The sophistication of a large firm with the personal attention of a boutique practice

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Hamlin | Cody is a firm of trusted legal advisors focusing on real estate, business, and billboard law in Southern California.

At Hamlin | Cody, we believe in building strong, long-lasting relationships with our clients. We provide tailored legal solutions for real estate, business, and billboard matters, with a commitment to keeping you informed and supported every step of the way.

We take care of our clients and solve their problems. We help them steer clear of trouble and help them stay out of trouble. To learn if we are the right attorneys for you, please explore our website or contact us.
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Blog

Stay Informed with the Latest Legal News

From Drafting to Due Diligence: How a Misworded Clause Can Derail an Entire Deal

August 13, 2025

A contract is intended to serve as the foundation of trust and clarity between the parties who agree. However, it only takes a single poorly drafted clause to shake that foundation and threaten the entire deal. Picture two businesses nearing the close of a significant transaction, only to discover conflicting language hidden deep in the contract during due diligence. The

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6 Key Questions to Ask Before You File a Lawsuit in California, or if You have Been Sued

June 9, 2025

Litigation is negotiation—just at a different volume. That’s the real starting point for anyone considering whether to file a lawsuit in California. It’s not a total break from diplomacy or a signal that talks have failed. It’s the next move in a broader negotiation strategy—one with formal rules, procedural rigor, and consequences that demand clarity and preparation. As Partner Richard

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100 Wilshire Boulevard
Suite 700
Santa Monica, CA 90401

310-216-2165 (Voice)
310-215-3815 (Fax)
RHamlin@HamlinLaw.com
MCody@HamlinLaw.com

Hamlin | Cody

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