Meet Our Team

Gerald is a founding member of the firm. Gerald began his legal career at the San Diego-based firm of Seltzer Caplan Wilkins and McMahon where he practiced as an associate and partner for six years. In 1991, Gerald joined Solomon Ward Seidenwurm & Smith where he practiced as a partner until 1998. From there, he became Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel of DDR OliverMcMillan, a national real estate development company specializing in large redevelopment projects in primarily “lifestyle” retail centers. In 1999, he returned to the practice of law and formed The Law Offices of Gerald I. Solomon, Inc. where he remained in practice until the formation of Solomon Minton Cardinal Doyle & Smith LLP.

Mr. Solomon specializes in real estate and business transactional law. His practice primarily focuses on representing large and medium-sized, entrepreneurial real estate companies in most all transactional aspects of their real estate businesses including:

• Real estate acquisitions, dispositions, and leasing
• Financing transactions and equity generation
• Entity formation and governance
• Development and redevelopment of property

Gerald is a native of San Diego. He graduated cum laude, with a B.A. from San Diego State University and earned his J.D. at the University of San Diego School of Law in 1985 graduating magna cum laude.

Direct Line: (619) 237-8002
Facsimile: (619) 237-8092
gis@smcdslaw.com

Michelle N. Cardinal joined Jerry Solomon in 2004 before they founded Solomon Minton Cardinal Doyle & Smith LLP in early 2005.  Previously she practiced at Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich LLP. Michelle’s practice focuses on representing developers, owners, and investors in all aspects of commercial real estate, including purchase and sale, leasing, and financing.

Michelle is a San Diego native.  She graduated with a degree in Business from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and with a J.D. from UC Hastings School of Law in 1998.

Direct Line: (619) 237-8811
Facsimile: (619) 237-8092
mcardinal@smcdslaw.com

Partner

Miguel joined Solomon Minton Cardinal Doyle & Smith LLP as a partner in March of 2010. Previously he was a partner at Solomon Ward Seidenwurm & Smith, LLP for over 15 years, where he began his legal career in 1987. Miguel’s practice is focused on real estate and business transactional matters. Clients include developers, investors in real estate developments, lenders, landlords, tenants, retail businesses, corporations and entrepreneurs with real estate and general business needs. Miguel has extensive experience representing owners and developers of multifamily residential projects. The types of matters he handles include:

• Acquisitions and dispositions of real estate
• Financing transactions involving real estate
• Real estate leasing
• Agreements governing the use, development, and redevelopment of real estate,including development agreements, construction agreements, reciprocal easement agreements, option agreements, project financing

Miguel has lived in San Diego since childhood.  He graduated from University of California, San Diego, and earned his J.D. from the University of San Diego in 1987, graduating cum laude. 

Direct Line: (619) 237-8080
Facsimile: (619) 237-8092
msmith@smcdslaw.com

Rafael joined Solomon Minton Cardinal Doyle & Smith LLP as a Partner in mid 2010. Rafael began his legal career in 2002 at Loeb & Loeb LLP in Los Angeles. In 2006, Rafael moved to San Diego and joined Solomon Ward Seidenwurm & Smith LLP, where he specialized in real estate and business transactional law. Rafael continues to specialize in these areas and his practice focuses primarily on advising large and medium-sized local and regional companies and entrepreneurs in all transactional aspects of their businesses, with an emphasis on commercial real estate matters. Representative matters include:

• Real estate acquisitions, dispositions, and leasing
• Entity formation and corporate governance
• Purchase and sale of business entities and assets
• Acquisition, development, and construction financing transactions
• Development of a 96-unit senior housing project, involving tax credits and bond, construction, and redevelopment agency financing
• Workout and restructuring of debt secured by mixed collateral
• Negotiation and settlement of pre-litigation business disputes

Rafael earned his B.A. summa cum laude from Arizona State University, and he earned his J.D. at the University of Chicago Law School, as a Cornerstone Scholar, in 2002.

Rafael is fluent in Spanish.

Rafael’s professional affiliations include serving as a member and former chairman of the Board of Port Commissioners of the Unified Port of San Diego, as well as a member of the Board of Directors of MANA de San Diego and the Board of Directors of the San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association. He is also a member of the California State Bar Association, the San Diego County Bar Association, and the Mexican American Business and Professional Association. Rafael was named one of the San Diego Daily Transcript’s Top Young Attorneys in 2008, and in 2011 was named one of San Diego Metro Magazine’s 20 Men Who Impact San Diego.

Direct Line: (619) 237-4914
Facsimile: (619) 237-8092
rc@smcdslaw.com

Eric joined Solomon Minton Cardinal Doyle & Smith LLP as a Partner in 2022. Previously, he was a Partner at Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP in San Diego, and Senior Counsel at a national AmLaw 100 firm. Eric is an experienced corporate and commercial real estate lawyer who combines his nationally-recognized tax expertise with practical guidance on a range of transactions. He routinely advises buyers, sellers, investors, and other parties in a variety of corporate and real estate transactions, including mergers & acquisitions, purchases and sales, joint ventures, leasing, and financing. Eric also acts as outside general counsel to companies at every stage of the corporate life cycle. He advises owners and decisionmakers on a range of general corporate matters, including formation, capitalization and funding, shareholder and governance matters, commercial agreements and contracts, tax, and change-of-control scenarios. Since 2018, Eric has served as an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego School of Law, where he teaches Partnership Tax. Eric was named to the 2022 Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch list for Tax Law.

Eric earned his B.A. from The University of Arizona in 2004, his J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law in 2009, and his LL.M. in Tax from Golden Gate University School of Law in 2010.