Who We Are
Christian L. Woods, Esq.
Founding Partner
Civil Defense Litigation | Products Liability | Subrogation & SIU
Christian L. Woods is the Founding Partner of Woods Oliveira Law and a seasoned civil defense litigator representing businesses, insurers, and public entities throughout California. His practice involves general liability, premises liability, commercial disputes, professional negligence, and high-exposure injury claims.
He has extensive experience in construction defect litigation, including structural issues, water intrusion, soil movement, and multi-trade disputes, and in products liability defense, involving design defects, manufacturing defects, and failure-to-warn claims across industrial equipment, consumer goods, and tools.
Christian’s work also spans consumer warranty defense and lemon law defense, handling disputes involving express and implied warranties, product performance, repair-related issues, and claims under the Song-Beverly Act – including buybacks, restitution demands, and alleged willful conduct.
He also advises insurers and businesses in subrogation and SIU matters, including property damage, product failures, construction and transportation incidents, fraud investigations, recorded statements, coverage evaluations, and related litigation.
Christian’s litigation philosophy centers on early evaluation, proactive strategy, and efficient resolution. He is valued by clients for his candor, responsiveness, and commitment to delivering practical, results driven counsel.
Christian’s Representative experience includes:
Defense of high-exposure personal injury claims and general-liability claims
Products liability actions involving alleged design, manufacturing, and failure-to-warn defects
Complex premises liability disputes involving commercial and residential properties
Defense of construction‑defect claims involving water intrusion, structural issues, and building‑system failures
Professional liability and E&O defense for service providers and industry professionals
Contract and business-tort litigation involving small and mid-sized companies
Consumer warranty and lemon law defense involving express and implied warranties, product performance, repair histories, buyback demands, and alleged willful conduct under the Song‑Beverly Act
Subrogation defense involving property damage, product failures, construction‑related losses, transportation incidents, and multi‑party recovery claims
SIU support including fraud investigations, recorded statements, expert coordination, and coverage evaluation
Christian is admitted to practice in all California state courts as well as multiple federal district courts across the state.
Christian’s Approach:
Discipline, preparation, and clear communication form the foundation of Christian’s practice. He is committed to providing clients with the confidence, strategy, and advocacy required to navigate high-stakes litigation effectively.
Ilon F. Oliveira, Esq.
Managing Partner
Complex Civil Defense Litigation | Business & Transactional Counsel | Professional Liability
Ilon F. Oliveira is the Managing Partner of Woods Oliveira Law, where she represents businesses, professionals, insurers, and emerging companies across California. Her practice spans civil defense litigation and business-transactional counsel, giving her a unique dual perspective that benefits clients in both preventative planning and active dispute resolution.
In her litigation practice, Ilon focuses on defending complex, high-exposure cases involving general liability, catastrophic injury, wrongful death, professional negligence, and construction defect matters. She is recognized for her thorough case assessments, strategic thinking, and ability to craft tailored, cost-effective solutions aligned with each client’s objectives.
Her practice also includes consumer warranty defense and lemon law defense, where she advises and defends manufacturers, retailers, suppliers, and distributors in warranty-related litigation involving express and implied warranties, service contracts, nonconformities, repair-history issues, buyback demands, and claims under the Song-Beverly Act.
In addition to litigation, Ilon maintains a robust transactional practice focused on supporting startups and small businesses through all stages of growth. She advises on entity formation, governance, contracts, risk management, and day-to-day legal needs that help businesses build strong foundations and avoid future disputes.
Ilon’s Representative experience includes:
Defense of general liability, premises liability, and commercial litigation matters
Professional liability and E&O defense across consultants, real estate professionals, brokers, design professionals, contractors, and other service providers
Defense of multi‑party construction disputes involving geotechnical, architectural, and engineering issues
Counseling contractors and small construction companies on contract terms and risk‑management practices
Drafting and negotiation of operating agreements, shareholder agreements, and partnership structures
Contract drafting and review for service providers, vendors, and growing companies
Guidance on compliance, risk mitigation, and transactional matters for startups and entrepreneurs
Consumer warranty defense involving express and implied warranty claims, service‑contract disputes, and performance‑related litigation across multiple product categories
Lemon law defense involving nonconformity allegations, repeated repair attempts, buyback demands, repair‑history evaluation, and civil‑penalty exposure under Song‑Beverly and related statutes
Ilon is known for her practical, collaborative approach and her commitment to delivering clear, efficient, business-minded legal guidance. Clients value her accessibility, strategic mindset, and dedication to achieving both legal and operational objectives.
Ilon’s Approach:
Ilon combines litigation experience with business insight to provide comprehensive counsel tailored to each client’s broader goals. Her philosophy centers on clarity, efficiency, and long-term partnership.