Representative Matters

Class Actions and Investor Litigation

• Successfully represented Michael Ovitz against claims that he had breached his fiduciary duties to the Walt Disney Company by receiving a $100+ million severance package when Disney terminated him in 1996. This defense included obtaining partial summary judgment, defeating the remaining claims in a multi-week trial in Delaware Chancery Court, and defending plaintiffs' subsequent appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court.
• Represented approximately 1,700 investors in a “mass action” who seek to recover up to $200,000,000 in losses suffered from a Ponzi-scheme from two national banks that had served as "indenture trustees" for the business entities participating in the fraud.
• Currently represent major US city in connection with putative class action seeking to recover in excess of $500 million in allegedly unauthorized utility taxes.
• Represented national credit reporting agency in federal class actions brought by consumers under the Fair Credit Reporting Act on behalf of millions of consumers with bankruptcies and other negative credit histories. Obtained settlement of all injunctive-relief claims by bankrupt plaintiffs through the adoption of complex new credit-reporting procedures.
• Represented an international law firm against shareholder claims that it had violated federal securities laws in connection with its representation of private entities in a series of transactions with Enron. Client was dismissed from the action.
• Represented publicly-traded software company in action by securities plaintiffs to forestall a shareholder vote on a proposed merger. Obtained quick settlement and vote proceeded on schedule.

Business Litigation

• Represented a customer service call center in an action involving contract disputes and business torts against global electronics manufacturer. Second chaired a six week jury trial in California state court resulting in a jury finding of fraud against the opposing party and fraud damages award of over $1.4 million.
• Represented a flood control district as plaintiff in litigation against other governmental entities for over $100 million in indemnity to recover for the damage to, and taking of, the flood control district's property caused by a freeway-related flood control channel.
• Represented workers compensation broker charged with negligent misrepresentation, negligence and indemnity claims for his role in collecting debts from defaulting customer. Obtained a settlement dismissing all claims at no cost to client.
• Represented heir of famous movie celebrity in family partnership dispute regarding rights to the celebrity's name and likeness. Obtained favorable resolution through negotiations without litigation being filed.
• Represented mortgage broker against fraud claims asserted by homeowner seeking to avoid foreclosure on her residence. Obtained settlement dismissing client with no payments to opposing party.
• Represented businessman/consultant in the hospitality industry against business tort claims involving his negotiated purchase of a hotel in Mexico for his client. Third-party plaintiff was successfully pressured to voluntarily dismiss all claims.
• Represented Japanese toy company and its US subsidiary in federal litigation brought by a former executive in retaliation for ongoing litigation against him in Spain and Mexico. Obtained dismissal of US action.
• Represented four on-line travel companies against municipal efforts to collect hotel occupancy taxes.

Patent Litigation

• Represented global manufacturer of drugs and medical devices in an action alleging that its leading product in the immunoassay diagnostic field, a product that generated hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue, infringed three of a competitor's patents. Obtained favorable settlement two weeks before trial, allowing sales of the product to continue unhindered.

News

• Theodora Oringher Attorneys Honored as 2011 Southern California Rising Stars Read more >

• Jason L. Haas Elevated to Senior Attorney Read more >