A. Barry Cappello founded the firm now known as Cappello & Noël in 1977 in order to bring an indomitable business litigation practice to Santa Barbara.Until then, significant business litigation matters were going to Los Angeles firms. “No one in Santa Barbara was servicing that kind of business, so I decided to build the firm into a litigation powerhouse,” Mr. Cappello explains.

The firm concentrates on litigation and successfully used the trial team concept to take on the biggest corporations, banks and insurance companies. With the invaluable assistance of his partners, associates and paralegals preparing and trying cases, the firm has defeated some of the largest law firms in the country.

Cappello & Noël pioneered the field of lender liability. The firm successfully prosecutes lending institution misconduct and fraud. It also uses its expertise to negotiate workout agreements between borrowers and lenders. Its record of jury verdicts and settlements exceeds $1 billion. Cappello & Noël has earned a nationwide reputation as the firm to use when litigating against banks and other financial institutions.

Cappello & Noël is very active in supporting community and charitable activities. The Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara is one of its prime benefactors. In 2008, realizing the foundation's phone system was woefully outdated, the firm donated a new, state-of-the art system.