Kevin Dorse has been representing business and government clients for 20 years focusing on complex commercial litigation in contract disputes, heavy construction, tunneling, class actions, product liability, insurance coverage and health care. Prior to joining Theodora Oringher Miller & Richman PC, Kevin was a partner with the law firm of Jones Day in Los Angeles.
Representative Matters
- Member of trial team in class action litigation defending large newspaper company against labor code claims based on allegations that its home delivery newspaper carriers were improperly classified as independent contractors, instead of employees, and entitled to over $100 million in damages. After 6 weeks of trial, the case settled on terms favorable to the client.
- Represented large public transportation agency in arbitration and mediation of a builder's risk insurance claim resulting in collection of approximately $14.7 million more than originally offered by the insurer in connection with the partial collapse of subway tunnel and subsidence of Hollywood Boulevard
- Represented global oil company in a complex contractual and technical dispute involving ownership and allocation of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska oil and natural gas liquids
- Represented international sporting goods manufacturer in arbitration before the International Centre for Dispute Resolution in successfully defending action to terminate manufacturer's license for patented product
- Represented national grocery store chain in the Southern California supermarket strike and lockout of 2003-04 in an action to secure a permanent injunction and temporary restraining order related to union picketing
- Represented large public water agency in construction claims and disputes on the Arrowhead Tunnels Project
- Represented major refiner and marketer of transportation fuels and industrial products in test case filed by Sears concerning groundwater contamination allegedly caused by service stations operated by client at Sears stores nationwide
- Represented large public transportation agency in subway construction litigation involving contractor claims and cross-claims totaling more than $100 million
- Represented global leader in ATM, security and electronic voting technology in voting system matters and election law disputes in California
- Represented large public water agency in pipeline construction litigation alleging delayed early completion claim on the Inland Feeder Project
- Represented major provider of information solutions to organizations and consumers in consumer class action litigation in various courts and jurisdictions
- Recovered $2.54 million for public transportation agency in connection with builder's risk insurance claim for damage during construction of subway stations caused by El Niño storms
- Represented large public transportation agency in a series of lawsuits involving subway construction claims in excess of $100 million
- Secured a federal court order that precluded a contractor from arbitrating a construction dispute and enforced a "unilateral" arbitration clause that gave a major southern California export terminal the sole right to determine whether disputes would be arbitrated
- Represented health maintenance organization (HMO) in action against the California Department of Corporations (DOC) challenging DOC's ex parte seizure of HMO's business in California
- Represented global oil company in case filed by general contractor alleging defective specifications in connection with major refurbishment of a lube oil processing facility
- Represented major tobacco company in individual and class action cases in California and throughout the country alleging product liability and personal injury claims involving cigarette smoking
- Obtained summary judgment for spinal implant and medical device manufacturer determining that client was not a corporate successor in federal trademark and copyright action in Los Angeles
Articles
- Kevin Dorse featured in Smart Business Magazine, August 2009
Publications
- "When Accidents Happen During Construction: Will Your Builder's Risk Insurance Cover the Damage?" Construction Briefings, June 2005
Speaking Engagements
- Greater Inland Empire Municipal Law Association January Meeting, Panelist, "After the Meltdown – Do You Really Have Insurance Coverage?" (Colton, CA, January 2009)
- California Council of School Attorneys/County Counsels' 2008 Joint Annual Workshop, Panelist, "Facilities Issues: Financing, Bonds, Construction and Terminations" (San Diego, December 2008)
- County Counsels' Association of California 2008 Annual Meeting, Panelist, "Do You Really Have Insurance Coverage?" (Anaheim, September 2008)
- "Medical Records Law in California" Seminar, June 17, 2008, Costa Mesa, California
- County Counsels' Association of California Public Works and Contracts Study Session Conference, Panelist, "Enforcing Claims Procedures in Public Contracts" (San Diego, May 2008)
- County Counsels' Association of California Public Works and Contracts Study Session Conference, Panelist, "Drafting Public Works Construction Contracts - Important Considerations for Public Owners" (San Diego, May 2008)
- The Honeymoon is Over: Update on Recent Case Law Applying the New Federal Rules, March 28, 2007, Pacific Palisades, California
- Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Protective Orders. The New Federal "E" Discovery Rules & Protective Orders: What a Business Litigator Needs to Know, January 2007, Los Angeles, California
- Practical Tips for In-House Counsel to Implement Federal Rules for eDiscovery, Presentation to ACC-SoCal, October 18, 2006, Torrance, California
- Panel Discussion With District Court Judge Schira A. Scheindlin, Author of the Zubulake Opinions, at ACC-SoCal Doubleheader, April 4, 2006, Los Angeles, California
- 25th IRMI Construction Risk Conference, November 7-10, 2005 Las Vegas, Nevada
- Enterprise eDiscovery in a Post-Coleman Holdings vs. Morgan Stanley World: What Every Corporate Counsel and IT Executive Need to Know, Guidance Software Webinar, June 2005, Los Angeles, California
- What Every In-House Counsel Should Know About Electronic Discovery - Recent Issues and Developments, May 2005, Los Angeles, California
- Electronic Discovery - What You Need to Know, County of Los Angeles, March 2005, Los Angeles, California
- Surviving the Deposition, Primavera User Conference, October 2004, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Trial & Tribulations: How to be an Effective Expert Witness, Primavera User Conference, November 2003, Orlando, Florida
- The Examination and Cross-Examination of a Scheduling Expert, Primavera User Conference, October 2002, San Diego, California
- Being Deposed as an Expert Witness, Forensic Consultants Association of Orange County, 2001, Orange County, California
Professional Qualifications and Memberships
Kevin is admitted to practice in California and Florida. He is a member of the Orange County and Los Angeles County Bar Associations, and is on the Board of Directors of the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles.
He clerked for Judge Sidney M. Aronovitz, United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, and for Judge Cynthia Holcomb Hall, US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.
Kevin was named a Southern California Super Lawyer for 2010 and 2009 (Top 50 Orange County attorneys), 2008 and 2006, as published in Southern California Super Lawyer Magazine and Los Angeles Magazine. Kevin has also been recognized as a Super Lawyers in the practice area of construction litigation in the January 2010 Super Lawyer Magazine, Corporate Counsel Edition.
Education
Kevin received his BS in Applied Mathematics-Economics magna cum laude from Brown University, and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He received his JD summa cum laude from University of Miami School of Law where he was Valedictorian, Articles and Comments Editor of its Law Review, and a member of the Order of the Coif.