Experience
Legal Expertise
Extensive jury and bench trial, arbitration, appellate, and mediation experience.
Broad entertainment industry experience, including film investment disputes, accounting disputes as to sales of films and syndicated television programming, "back-end" contingent compensation claims, copyright, idea submission and other intellectual property claims.
Insurance industry expertise focused on the representation of insured clients in disputes over coverage for employment, media & film production claims, securities, and business interruption claims. Also represented California Insurance Commissioner in matters involving conservation of insolvent insurers.
Represent employers in a wide range of employment disputes, including wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and trade secret/unfair competition cases.
Representative Matters
- Ongoing representation of studio in connection with disputes regarding contingent participation claims.
- Ongoing representation of studio in connection with production insurance coverage claim against insurer regarding relocation of production costs.
- Won $50 million jury trial verdict for client in breach of fiduciary lawsuit tried in Los Angeles Superior Court.
- Represented prevailing party in AAA arbitration in contingent compensation dispute as to participation in particular lines of revenue.
- Successfully represented motion picture producer in connection with cast coverage claim against insurer.
- Successfully represented motion picture financiers and investors in connection with a number of film financing disputes.
- Successfully represented numerous clients compelling insurance coverage for employment, media production, director & officer, fidelity claims.
- Successfully defended large national clothing manufacturer in several high-profile employment-related lawsuits
- Successfully resolved claims asserted by motion picture celebrities for alleged misappropriation of name, likeness & image.
- Represented prevailing parties in numerous Independent Film and Television Alliance (IFTA) arbitrations for film production and distribution companies concerning film and television distribution agreements.
Honors & Awards
- "Most Influential Women Attorneys," Los Angeles Business Journal (2018)
- California, "Attorneys of the Year," The Recorder (2012)
- "500 Leading Lawyers in America," Lawdragon (2012)
- "Top 5% of lawyers in Southern California," Southern California Super Lawyers (2005-2010, 2012-2021)
- AV® Preeminent™ Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
Professional, Business and civic Affiliations
- Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
- Southern California Regional Co-Chair, ABA Judicial Intern Opportunity Program
- ABA Section of Litigation Leadership – Professional Development Committee
- Co-Chair, Woman Advocate Committee of the American Bar Association’s Section of Litigation
- Board of Directors, Legal Momentum (formerly known as NOW Legal Defense & Education Fund)
- Diversity Committee, Managing Partners Roundtable
- California State Bar Committee on Status of Diversity in the Profession
- Former member, Board of Directors, Public Counsel
- Constitutional Rights Foundation, Mock Trial Coach, 2011, 2012, 2013
Headlines
Headlines
- January 21, 2021
- March 4, 2020
- January 30, 2019
- April 16, 2018
- April 25, 2017
- January 20, 2017
- June 20, 2016
- January 20, 2016
- November 21, 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- March 25, 2013
- January 2013
- September 10, 2012
- August 24, 2012
- January 27, 2012
- January 23, 2012
- January 26, 2010
- January 30, 2009
- November 21, 2008
- January 30, 2008
- March 23, 2005
Publications
- Unringing the Waiver Bell: What To Do When Privileged Information Is Inadvertently DisclosedFebruary 2013
- ABA's The Woman Advocate, 2nd Edition, May 2010
- New Limits on Expert Discovery, Evaluating Early District Court attempts to Interpret the New RuleFebruary 2010
- Published numerous articles on diversity, insurance coverage, and entertainment related issues
Client Alerts
- The Diversity Dilemma: Another Victim of the Bad Economy?February 2010
Events & Speaking Engagements
- Developing Law Regarding 2010 Amendments to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26May 2015
- True GritMay 2015
- Inadvertent Disclosure of Privileged Information: Avoiding WaiverFebruary 2015
- Inadvertent Disclosure of Privileged Information: Avoiding WaiverMay 2014
- Inadvertent Disclosure of Privileged Information: Avoiding WaiverMay 2013
- Ethics of Cloud ComputingApril 2013
- Punitive DamagesFebruary 2012
- February 15, 2012
- February 10, 2012
- Ethical Challenges in Preparing Witnesses and Working with Experts: Best Practices to Avoid Unethical Coaching of Lay and Expert WitnessesJanuary 2012
- Staying the Course: Overcoming Challenges over the Decades of a Legal CareerFebruary 2011
- The Diversity DilemmaFebruary 2010
- Entertainment Law in ReviewJanuary 2010
Practice Areas
Admissions
- California
- U.S. District Court
- Central District of California
- U.S. Court of Appeals
- Ninth Circuit
Education
University of California Davis School of Law, J.D., 1986
University of California, Los Angeles, B.A., 1983