Emilie de la Motte

Emilie de la Motte is a versatile litigator who helps clients solve their most complex and difficult legal matters.  Prior to joining Carmel & Naccasha as Partner in 2024, Emilie worked for several San Francisco law firms for over two decades, where she specialized in product liability, premise liability, construction defect, and toxic tort litigation. Emilie serves her clients in resolving all types of legal disputes, including contracts, business disputes, trust disputes, employment, real estate, neighbor
disagreements, and insurance coverage.

Emilie’s expertise includes complex legal writing, with a passion for creative, persuasive motion drafting. In fact, she teaches legal writing at the San Luis Obispo College of Law. Emilie has extensive experience representing clients in both the public and private sectors and has a strong track record of successfully bringing cases to favorable conclusions, whether it be through creative negotiations or summary judgment motions.  

Emilie has years of experience aggressively working up her clients’ cases for trial, including prelitigation negotiations, managing complicated electronic discovery, taking multi-day depositions, negotiating at mediation, taking expert depositions, participating in oral argument, and trial. 

While in law school at UC Davis, Emilie earned a Public Service Law Program Certificate, participated in the Family Law Clinic and Immigration Law Clinic, and completed externships for Justices of both the California Supreme Court and the First Appellate District. It was her service for the judiciary which sparked her enthusiasm for effective and persuasive legal writing.

A San Luis Obispo native, Emilie is actively involved in the San Luis Obispo Women Lawyers Association, serving on its Board of Directors since 2023. She finds joy in her service to Lumina Alliance Board of Directors, a local nonprofit helping those escaping from domestic violence. Fluent in Spanish and conversational in French, in her spare time Emilie enjoys playing tennis, skiing, enjoying the outdoors, learning Italian, and is a book club enthusiast.

COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT 

• Women’s Lawyer Association of San Luis Obispo
  • Member (2019 to present)
  • Board of Directors 2023-present
    • Membership Chair (2023), Secretary, (2024), Vice President (2025)
    • President (2026)
• San Luis Obispo Bar Association 
  • Member (2019 to present) 
• IESA-Chilean ex-pat volunteer organization, La Serena, Chile
  • (2016 to present) 
• San Luis Obispo College of Law
  • Lecturer in Legal Writing (2024)
• Lumina Alliance
  • Board of Directors (2024-present)
• IESA-Chilean ex-pat volunteer organization, La Serena, Chile
  • (2016 to present)
• San Luis Obispo College of Law
  • Professor of Legal Writing (2024-25)
• Presentations (2022-present)
  • Various Continuing Legal Education: Attorney Ethics, Billing, Legal Writing
  • How to Protect Your business From Web Accessibility Lawsuits  (San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce)
  • ADA Best Practices: Online and Offline Strategies (California Main Streets Association)

BAR ADMISSIONS 

• California (2004–present) 

EDUCATION 

• University of California, Davis – King Hall School of Law (2004) 
• California University of California, Davis (B.A. in History & Spanish, 1998)