Duckor Metzger & Wynne, APLC, Managing Partner Anna Roppo and shareholders Rose Huelskamp Serrano and Katherine Fine are among the 2025 Women of Influence in Law by the San Diego Business Journal.
In addition, DMW was named to the San Diego Business Journal’s annual list of Top Law Firms in San Diego, highlighting our commitment to excellence, client service and collaborative success.
The Women of Influence in Law list recognizes attorneys for their exceptional client work, leadership and impact on the legal profession and greater San Diego community. According to the San Diego Business Journal:
Anna has distinguished herself as both a visionary leader and accomplished litigator. Since assuming firm leadership in 2021, she has led a successful rebrand and a strategic acquisition to expand the firm’s trusts and estates practice and its geographic growth, while also deepening DMW’s commitment to DEI. Anna continues to manage a full caseload, recently securing major wins in complex financial and healthcare matters, all while undergoing treatment for lung cancer with remarkable strength and resolve.
Rose is a seasoned litigator and trusted advisor who represents employers across industries in complex employment matters, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wage-and-hour disputes. Known for securing early, cost-effective resolutions — even in high-stakes public sector cases — Rose also counsels clients on compliance, investigations and risk prevention. Rose regularly defends employers in Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) actions, helping clients navigate the statute’s procedural complexity and potential exposure with strategic, cost-effective approaches. She chairs DMW’s Estate Planning and Probate practice group and maintains an active trust and probate litigation practice.
Kate is chair of DMW’s Litigation department, where she leads a team handling a broad range of civil matters including employment, probate, business, real estate and cannabis disputes. Known for her strategic litigation approach, Kate recently secured the resolution of an $18.5 million employment lawsuit for under $300,000 and achieved dismissal of a six-figure contract claim. She also has experience defending employers in complex wage-and-hour litigation, including claims brought under PAGA. Kate contributes to the legal community through leadership roles with the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Probate Attorneys of San Diego and the American Bar Association.
We congratulate Anna, Rose and Kate on this well-deserved recognition, and thank the San Diego Business Journal for celebrating the women and firms shaping the future of law in our region.