Education
Law School/Year: J.D., University of San Diego, 1973, Magna Cum Laude
College/Year: A.B., California State University, Long Beach, 1967
Bar Admissions
All State and Federal Courts in California, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals,
U.S. Supreme Court
Practice Areas
Business Litigation, Legal Malpractice
Major Cases
• Representation of numerous public companies in Federal Securities Litigation.
• Counseling and representation of more than 25 San Diego and national-based law firms and lawyers in various claims for breach of fiduciary duty, malpractice and intra-partnership issues in California and throughout the United States.
• Defense of Fortune 500 and International Companies in matters involving disputes based in the United Kingdom, Canada, Venezuela, Ecuador, Germany and the Far East.
• Representation of the city and county of San Diego on various litigation matters including the former mayor, members of the City Council and City Attorney in a high-profile termination and alleged breach of confidentiality agreement case.
• Defense of RICO claims against financial institutions.
• Acted as counsel for a major international record company in the prosecution of complaints against recording artists for breach of performance agreements and defense of claims.
• Counsel for Fortune 500 company in connection with more than 12 separate lawsuits for alleged anti-trust violations associated with California electric utilities market.
Notable recent matters include:
• Representation of national public company in a five-month jury trial for escrow and trust related claims of breach of fiduciary duty and fraud.
• Representation of major California-based real estate company in a four-month jury trial for claims of interference with business relationships.
• Service as an arbitrator on a four-month dispute related to a management contract for a Native American gambling facility conducted in San Francisco, a three-month hearing in New York for alleged fraud in connection with the purchase and sale of a multi-million dollar business, and a San Diego-based two-month arbitration for alleged copyright violation of a computer soft ware program.
• Representation of major public companies in a number of federal court securities litigation class actions and companion state court derivative litigation.
• Representation of international public company on breach of the sale of assets and related employment and tort claims.
Professional Background
I am a partner and chair of the Litigation Department in the San Diego office of Latham & Watkins LLP. Over the course of my career, I have litigated and tried a wide variety of cases involving major public and private companies, have represented many corporate, banking and other professional clients, including nationally recognized corporations, accounting firms and prominent lawyers and law firms. As an attorney or arbitrator I have participated in major arbitrations, bench and jury trials and appeals in both state and federal courts including the U.S. Supreme Court.
Professional Affiliations
I am a member of the Executive Committee and a Master of the Bench of the Inn, American Inns of Court, Louis M. Welsh Chapter, and was a founding member of the Board of Governors of the San Diego Association of Business Trial Lawyers. I served as a director of the California Supreme Court Historical Society for four years. Presently I am a co-chair for San Diego County for the U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society. I’m a member of the American Arbitration Association, Panel of Arbitrators, a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, and have also been a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers Southern California Selection Committee and currently serve on its Complex Litigation Committee, a Fellow in the College of Arbitrators and am an Associate in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). I have been privileged to serve as a member and chair of the Magistrates Selection Committee and an attorney delegate to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference for the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference and from 2007 through 2009 was a member of the Advisory Committee to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal.
Personal Affiliations
I participate in the activities of a number of local community organizations and serve on the Board of Visitors for the University of San Diego School of Law.
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