ATTORNEYS

Legal Malpractice and Professional Liability Defense

• Won a binding arbitration award confirmed in a judgment by the trial court in favor of a national law firm and an award of fees and costs as the prevailing party in a legal malpractice action arising from the negotiation and drafting of transaction documents for the sale of a mortgage origination business to a publicly traded investment bank. Also won a unanimous appellate court victory affirming the judgment. KBK’s client collected almost $10 million as the prevailing party.
• Obtained the dismissal pursuant to the anti-SLAPP statute of a $10 million lawsuit filed against a major national law firm by a plaintiff who sued the law firm’s clients in underlying litigation. The plaintiff claimed the clients paid the firm’s legal fees in the underlying litigation with money that the plaintiff alleged belonged to it.
• Obtained summary judgment for a law firm sued for legal malpractice, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty arising from its representation of a client in the sale of an office building.
• Obtained summary judgment in favor of an international law firm in a legal malpractice action in which the plaintiff alleged that its lawyers had caused the plaintiff to enter into a poor settlement of underlying litigation, which had cost the client millions of dollars.
• Obtained summary judgment in favor of a national law firm that was accused of negligently preparing offering memoranda for real estate syndications. Also obtained affirmance of the defense judgment on appeal.
• Successfully represented a national law firm sued for malicious prosecution arising from complicated underlying litigation of copyright and trademark infringement claims which were decided against the firm’s client. Prevailed on an anti-SLAPP motion with an award of $315,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs as the prevailing party.
• Defended a national law firm in an investor class action concerning allegations of securities fraud.
• Defended law firms against allegations of negligence and breach of fiduciary duty in providing advice to public companies regarding structured finance deals.
• Obtained summary judgment for an international law firm that was accused of negligently structuring real estate deals.
• Successfully represented a law firm that was accused of negligently handling bankruptcy proceedings.
• Successfully represented lawyers at national law firms in sanctions matters and State Bar inquiries.

Employment Counseling and Litigation

• Defended a venture capital firm in a class action suit regarding violations of wage and hour laws, the WARN Act, and meal break laws.
• Defended a national uniform supplier in a class action suit over wage and hour law violations. Secured very favorable settlement.
• Successfully defended a Fortune 500 Company in a wrongful termination and age discrimination action.
• Defended a national employer in numerous wrongful termination and age, sex, national origin, and disability discrimination actions that had been brought by sales agents and managers. Obtained dismissals or summary judgments in most actions.
• Defended numerous small and mid-size employers in sexual harassment, sex discrimination, disability, and age discrimination actions.
• Defended numerous corporations in actions brought by independent contractors who had alleged that they should have been treated as employees.
• Represented numerous employers and C-Suite executives in complex employment contract and severance negotiations.
• Successfully represented a national corporation in several Department of Labor and Labor Commissioner investigations.
• Advised numerous local and national employers on human resources, employment policies, and risk management.

Complex Business Litigation

• Defended a major TV studio in a profit participation action. Obtained complete victory at trial and on appeal.
• Represented a major venture capital company in an action brought by other major investors regarding an initial public offering (IPO) of an online ticketing company. Obtained a complete defense verdict at trial, which was affirmed on appeal.
• Represented a restaurant owner group in a corporate governance dispute with the company’s majority shareholders.
• Represented a pipeline contractor in a dispute with its subcontractors.
• Defended a software developer in licensing and copyright disputes.
• Represented a film location provider in several property damage actions.
• Represented a national packaging company in numerous commercial disputes.
• Successfully defended a well-known magazine publisher in numerous actions both in trial courts and on appeal against claims of product disparagement, trade libel, and defamation.
• Obtained substantial settlements in favor of condominium and apartment complex developer clients in construction defect actions against major construction companies.
• Successfully defended a condominium developer in a trademark dispute over project naming.
• Won an appellate victory for an apartment complex owner in zoning and easement disputes with a neighboring commercial office tower.
• Successfully represented a group of 49 homeowners in a dispute against a large land company over the setting of rent on ground leases for the lots on which the homes were located.
• Represented an apartment complex seller in a sales contract dispute with a purchaser.