Harvest Real Estate Law

Jamie Altman Buggy

Partner & General Counsel / San Diego

Jamie has an in-depth understanding of litigation and leverages her knowledge and straightforward approach to achieve success for her clients.  She works hard to understand her clients’ business objectives and to ensure that a careful legal strategy is aligned with their core business goals.  Her approach embraces non-litigation alternatives whenever possible, as she recognizes that avoiding litigation may be in the client’s best interest.  Nonetheless, when litigation proves necessary, she is a fierce, unrelenting advocate for her clients.

Jamie has broad experience in all types of real estate disputes, including breach of contract, fraud, insurance coverage, partnership disputes, and breach of fiduciary duty.  Her experience also includes serving both creditors and debtors in bankruptcy matters, guiding them through the complicated process to a favorable outcome.

Publicly traded REITS, institutional landlords, and private equity groups trust Jamie and her team with their litigation needs.  She specializes in landlord-tenant disputes and oversees a high volume of landlord-tenant litigation.  She thrives when the situation at hand lacks precedent and requires creativity and an entrepreneurial attitude and is known for managing her litigation matters cost effectively but with exceptional results. 

Prior to joining Harvest, Jamie practiced at Crosbie Gliner Schiffman Southard & Swanson LLP (CGS3) and at Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch, LLP.  She also served as judicial law clerk to The Honorable William C. Hillman of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts in Boston. 

Notable Deals

  • Successfully represented numerous landlords in recovering possession of commercial premises and payment of rent during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Obtained a settlement at insurance policy limits for a landlord whose commercial premises were destroyed by fire, in the face of insurance company’s improper denial of coverage.
  • Defended a business owner in a partnership dispute, including prevailing on an anti-SLAPP motion obtaining a partial dismissal of the complaint and defending against an appeal of the anti-SLAPP ruling before the California Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals partially affirmed the lower court’s decision in her client’s favor.
  • Successfully defended a real estate developer in a partnership dispute related to a hotel development, resolving the case through a settlement for 6% of the demand.

Accolades

  • "San Diego's Top Attorneys 2024," San Diego Metro Magazine (2024)
  • San Diego Super Lawyers, Business Litigation (2024)
  • "Best Lawyers®: Litigation - Real Estate, San Diego, CA," The Best Lawyers in America® (2024)
  • "Inspirational Women Forum and Leadership Awards," Nominee, LA Times B2B Publishing (2024)
  • "Top Attorneys 2022," San Diego Metro Magazine (2022)
  • "Rising Stars," San Diego Super Lawyers (2021)
  • "40 Next Top Business Leaders Under 40," Finalist, San Diego Business Journal (2020)
  • "Forty Under Forty," San Diego Metro Magazine (2020)
  • "Top 40 Under 40," The Daily Transcript (2017, 2019-2020)

Education

  • J.D., University of San Diego School of Law, cum laude, Order of the Coif
  • B.S., Business Administration, University of Southern California

Bar Admissions

  • California

Involvements

  • Veterans Research Alliance, Vice President
  • Home Start, Board of Directors