Results for Our Clients
Big does not mean better. Skill, expertise and experience are among the top factors it takes to obtain favorable results, and we have obtained many, very often against self-proclaimed “top gun” firms. We are very proud of the outcomes we’ve brought to our clients. We let our clients’ results and experience speak for themselves:
Results Beyond Dollars and Cents. A business dispute may be about more than just money. Perhaps a career, reputation or an organization's well being are on the line. Protecting those is the greatest reward we can achieve in practicing law. Here are some examples of how we've protected clients:
- Honor Preserved. A former Secretary of the Navy and best-selling author paid tribute to the heroism of his colleagues in one of the most highly regarded bestsellers about the Vietnam War. A low quality, shoot-em up motion picture threatened to destroy that reputation by misappropriating the book's title and genre. We forced the producer, and those licensed to exhibit the motion picture, to rename the motion picture, add clear disclaimers on existing videos worldwide to prevent confusion, and pay substantial monetary compensation.
- Tears of Relief. A new management group sought to bring personal financial ruin and dishonor to former directors and officers, who were without liability insurance. They sought over $20 million in damages. Our successful defense lifted that threat and brought tears of relief to our clients on reading of the jury's verdict.
- Artwork Protected. A major public art installation at Los Angeles International Airport gracefully expressed man's striving to fly free, but could not be seen after the Los Angeles Airport authority sought to censor the work. Our reward in representing the artist pro bono was in successfully ending the censorship and allowing thousands of travelers to experience this work every day.
Defense Results at Trial. Despite our efforts to avoid the costs of trial by early settlement or dismissal, some parties will not agree to any reasonable settlement. Trial may be the only option. A few recent, representative examples follow:
- Breach of fiduciary duty action against our clients settled before the second phase of the trial for no payment after plaintiff's demand of $17.5 million in phase I resulted in a verdict in phase I of only $241,000.
- Breach of fiduciary duty action against our clients resulted in a verdict which was only 10% of plaintiff's demand and about half of our defense settlement offer.
- Consumer representative action against our client resulted in a verdict that was only 5% of plaintiff's demand and was a little more than half of our defense settlement offer.
Defense Results Through Motions to Dismiss and/or Settlement.
- Summary judgment for defendant in consumer class action that would have otherwise been subject to numerous "copycat" lawsuits if the judgment had been adverse to our client.
- Settlement by dismissal of Business & Professions Code section 17200 representative action with no payment or other consideration by defendant.
- Settlement dismissing wage and hour class action with no payment.
Plaintiff Recoveries. Since our firm was founded in 1994, we have obtained substantial recoveries for our clients in a host of cases, including:
Dayton Monetary Group v. DLJ . $43+ million recovered by our clients.
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Abbott v. Kidder Peabody . Recovery subject to confidentiality order demanded by defendants.
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Estate of Fiumani v. Bradley . $1 million recovered by our client for breach of an oral commitment to pay a bonus to a key management employee.