Professional Details

Jeffrey H. Reeves

Senior Attorney

Jeff handles all types of complex business disputes in any forum. He represents companies and individuals in entertainment, real estate, technology, life sciences, and other industries in high-profile business and tort cases, including contract, defamation, trade secret, and civil theft cases.

Jeff is currently lead trial counsel for two leading Hollywood film producers who have been sued by a foreign distribution company concerning the entitlement to millions of dollars in revenues generated from the distribution of Sin City 2 and a number of other films distributed by the plaintiff in Eastern Europe. A jury trial commenced in Los Angeles Superior Court in late 2022 that ended in a mistrial. The matter is set for another jury trial in April 2023.

Jeff is also lead trial counsel for a world-renowned neurosurgeon and spine specialist who pioneered minimally invasive lateral introduction techniques in his epic battle against NuVasive, Inc. The client seeks to recover tens of millions of dollars in unpaid royalties. The matter is set for jury trial in San Diego County Superior Court later this year.

In late 2022, Jeff was lead trial counsel for luxury real estate developer Mohamed Hadid in a six-week jury trial in Santa Monica. The jury returned a verdict in Mr. Hadid’s favor completely vindicating him in his decade-long dispute with neighbors over the development of a residence in Bel Air. The jury found no malice and no fraud, and though the plaintiffs had asked for more than $26 million in compensatory damages, the jury awarded less than $1.9 million against Mr. Hadid (Tycoon Mohamed Hadid Wins Lengthy Court Dispute, Mohamed Hadid Avoids Mansion Malice).

Jeff was lead trial counsel for the former CEO and senior management of Microsemi Corporation in a high-profile defamation action they filed against the company that acquired Microsemi in a $10 billion merger, and the senior management of that company, seeking upwards of $100 million in damages. (Microsemi Executives Sue Microchip for Libel, Orange County Business Journal). The matter settled pre-trial on confidential terms (Microchip Technology Incorporated Announces Lawsuit Settlement, PRWeb.com).

Jeff was lead trial counsel for the defendants in a $45 million breach of fiduciary duty action against the founder, CEO and other senior executives and board members of BioNutritional Research Group, the nutrition company that manufactures the popular PowerCrunch™ bars, that he and his team from Gibson Dunn tried and won in Orange County Superior Court before Judge Ron Bauer. (Meghann M. Cuniff, Shareholders Lose Suit Against Nutrition Technology Firm, Los Angeles Daily Journal). The matter went up on twin appeals, and oral arguments were held in the California Court of Appeal (view appellate arguments here). Jeff's clients won both appeals (Appeals panel reverses OC judge in $8.2M attorney fee dispute, Daily Journal).

Jeff enjoys being of service. He is active in local charitable and community organizations, including serving on the Board of Hoag Charity Sports, Inc., the Hoag Irvine Advisory Committee, and recently served as the co-chair of the UCI Law Public Service Awards Dinner Committee. He also presently serves on the Board of El Niguel Country Club.

Prior to joining Theodora Oringher PC, Jeff was a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Irvine, where he spent 26 years as a member of the Litigation Practice Group, including eight-years as Partner-in-Charge of the Orange County office.

Representative Matters

Entertainment and Sports Industry Cases

  • Represents Hollywood film production, finance, distribution and sales company Aldamisa Entertainment in various litigation matters.

  • Represented leading sports apparel company Nike in trade secret misappropriation litigation in Oregon state court against high-profile competitor. Secured a confidential settlement for client after winning a TRO and a preliminary injunction against former employees.

  • Part of defense team that won summary judgment on behalf of Nike golf related to an endorsement contract with well-known professional golfer. The decision was handed down by the Honorable James V. Selna in the Central District of California.

  • Represented surf sports apparel company Rip Curl in O.C. Superior Court case filed by surfer-plaintiffs related to the sinking of a surfing expedition vessel in the Indian Ocean. Secured complete dismissal with prejudice of all claims.

  • Represented performers the Grateful Dead, Carlos Santana, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, and the Janis Joplin estate, and record companies, in a case asserting copyright infringement, trademark infringement and violation of rights of publicity related to online streaming of secret recordings of live concerts in the 60s and 70s. Part of litigation team that obtained landmark settlement after obtaining key discovery rulings and order dismissing counterclaims.

  • Represented television and motion picture actress Melissa Joan Hart in defense of claims for breach of alleged oral management contract seeking future commission payments related to hit television series Melissa & Joey in Los Angeles Superior Court.
  • Tried case before AAA arbitrator for golf manufacturer, the holder/licensor of patent, in multi-day arbitration proceeding. Arbitrator found client’s termination of exclusive license to be valid and found client to be prevailing party.

Commercial, Intellectual Property and Class Actions

  • Represented CoreLogic in a contract, copyright and trademark action that CoreLogic brought and that is now pending in the Central District (Santa Ana), against a counterparty to collect fees owed under a master services agreement and to pursue successor liability claims against the successor entity.
  • Defending BioNutritional Research Group in a trademark infringement action now pending in the Central District (Riverside).
  • Tried direct and derivative breach of fiduciary duty action in two phases before the Honorable Ronald Bauer in O.C. Superior Court on behalf of defendants and cross-complainants, who were also majority shareholder officers and directors. Plaintiffs’ claims sought upwards of $45 million in equity value. Court ordered reformation on clients’ cross-claims in Phase 1, and following a seven-day Phase 2 bench trial on the fiduciary duty claims in late 2017, the Court rejected all of Plaintiffs’ direct and derivative causes of action and entered judgment in defendants’ favor on every issue. On cross-appeals, the Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court’s ruling below on the merits, and reversed the trial court’s ruling denying Defendants’ prevailing party attorneys’ fees.
  • Defended healthcare delivery system and its affiliated hospitals in coordinated class actions filed, and now settled, in O.C. Superior Court, Civil Complex, the Honorable Kim Dunning, presiding, asserting violations of the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act and Consumer Records Act, as well as other state law claims, arising from alleged disclosure of Personal Health Information affecting 31,800 patients.
  • Represented healthcare system in a separate data breach putative class action in Sonoma County involving over 30,000 patients. Court sustained demurrer to entire complaint without leave to amend.
  • Part of defense team that obtained dismissal on behalf of mobile advertising and analytics networks in nationwide class action alleging that defendants collected and disclosed data and personal information from mobile devices without users’ knowledge and consent, on grounds that plaintiffs lacked Article III standing and failed to state a viable claim.
  • Represented pharmaceutical company and directors in putative class action case alleging violations of federal securities laws. Court dismissed the case over plaintiff’s objections.
  • Defended pharmaceutical company in state court securities fraud litigation brought, and eventually dismissed, by a former shareholder.
  • Represented hospital and health system in defending putative class action alleging duty to warn patients of the potential for independent contractor physicians to engage in practice of balance billing.
  • Defended energy company and officers in multiple federal securities class actions in Tulsa, Oklahoma seeking upwards of $1 billion in damages.
  • Tried federal common law securities fraud case for plaintiff before a jury and the Honorable Alicemarie Stotler in the Central District of California. Jury returned special verdict finding fraud and awarding damages and punitive damages in plaintiff’s favor.

Opioids Litigation

  • Jeff serves as lead counsel for over 30 counties and cities in Arizona, Missouri, Kansas and Maryland who are suing the opioid manufacturers, pharmacists and distributors for harms that these local governments have suffered due to the opioid epidemic.

Other Complex Business Litigation

  • Represent petroleum company in $11 million dispute with former counsel. Tried nine-day JAMS arbitration final hearing before Arbitrator Richard Chernick that resulted in a Final Award denying all of Claimant’s claims in their entirety, awarding nothing, and declaring client to be the prevailing party. Awarded over $5.3 million in prevailing party attorneys’ fees. O.C. Superior Court Judge Nathan Scott granted client’s Petition to Confirm Arbitration Award and added additional prevailing party attorneys’ fees in client’s favor to the final judgment. The award was upheld on appeal. Appellate argument conducted August 20, 2019, video here.
  • Tried civil contempt case to verdict against former CEO of pharmaceutical company client in Superior Court in San Diego. Court found former CEO guilty on all 58 counts of contempt that were charged. Court imposed the maximum permissible fine under the California statute imposed, and issued an order finding that all attorneys’ fees incurred by the company in prosecuting the action were reasonable and requiring the former CEO to pay those fees.
  • Represented publicly traded defendant corporation in New York Supreme Court defending allegations of breach brought by former investment banker to the company. The Court granted client’s motion to dismiss in its entirety without leave to amend.
  • Represented plaintiff pharmaceutical company in District Court litigation in San Diego alleging breach of defendant’s obligation to provide a proper Phase 2b clinical trial. Court denied Motion to Dismiss, and matter settled before trial.
  • Represented Microsemi Corporation in $1.6 billion qui tam action filed in District Court in Arizona. Court granted client’s motion to dismiss. Relator appealed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeal, which heard oral argument and affirmed. Petition for certiorari was denied by the U.S. Supreme Court last year.
  • Represented computer data storage company in O.C. Superior Court action filed to recover upwards of $18 million worth of hard drives being held by defendant company that had ceased operations. Obtained emergency writ of possession on an ex parte basis and the property was recovered within days.
  • Defended engineering and construction firm in litigation initiated by subcontractor arising out of U.S. war effort in Afghanistan. Subcontractor sought upwards of $15 million based on a novel “withhold if withheld” clause in its contract with client. In a matter the court recognized as presenting questions of first impression, the Honorable Stephen V. Wilson (Central District of California) granted summary judgment in client’s favor, approving client’s withholding of upwards of $9.0 million. Subcontractor subsequently filed motion for summary judgment on the remaining claims, which the court denied, resulting in a stipulation completely dismissing the matter.
  • Represented international toy company in state court litigation filed by former executive, and in JAMS arbitration in Orange County. The matter was settled confidentially.
  • Represented computer technology company in connection with O.C. Superior Court case involving rights to patent designed to combat software piracy, litigating questions of ownership of such rights, and efficacy of a license and contractual release from claims of infringement.
  • Defended medical device manufacturer in tort and contract action filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court seeking more than $25 million in damages. Demurrer sustained without leave to amend as to all eight causes of action and complaint dismissed. Argued appeal in the Second Appellate District where a unanimous panel affirmed the trial court’s decision and concluded that the trial court properly sustained client’s demurrer without leave to amend.
  • Defended O.C. hospital in case seeking millions of dollars in damages involving whistleblower allegations under California statutes, and allegations of wrongful termination, intentional torts and breach of contract. Following mediation, Plaintiff dismissed the complaint for no consideration.
  • Defended hospital health system client against claims from tenant seeking to enjoin construction of new multimillion-dollar medical tower in South Orange County designed to house state-of-the-art linear accelerator, and bringing counter-claims for breaches of lease. Represented commercial landlord in post-trial litigation against tenant seeking lease rescission.
  • Tried case before AAA arbitrator in Minnesota for entertainment company against entities controlling world famous Mall of America in Minnesota. Arbitrator ruled in client’s favor, declared it to be the prevailing party and awarded client a multimillion-dollar termination fee, plus attorneys’ fees and costs. Argued appeal to the Minnesota Court of Appeal, which upheld the arbitrator’s award in full. Successfully defended the victory before the Minnesota Supreme Court.
  • Part of successful effort to dismiss a highly publicized lawsuit filed by well-known activist Erin Brockovich against hospital system alleging that they had over-billed Medicare.Central District Judge David Carter granted client’s motion to dismiss. 
  • Tried case before arbitrator for insurance company in $30 million AAA arbitration proceeding in New York arising out of disputed put/call provision in contract regarding sale of investment management company. Prevailed outright in Phase I of the arbitration, and the matter settled before Phase II was tried.

News

  • Theodora Oringher PC Attorneys Listed In The 2024 Editions of The Best Lawyers In America® and The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America™ Read more >
  • Theodora Oringher PC Attorneys Listed In The 2023 Editions of The Best Lawyers In America® and The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America™ Read more >
  • Judge Craig Karlan committed to making right call, attorneys say. Read more >
  • Mohamed Hadid Obtains Victory in Mansion Dispute After 6 Week Trial Read more >
  • Mohamed Hadid and Trial Team Wins Lengthy Court Battle of Strada Vecchia Mansion Dispute. Read more >
  • Theodora Oringher PC Attorneys Listed in the Best Lawyers in America© 2022 Read more >
  • Mohamed Hadid testifies in ongoing trial of Strada Vecchia property development dispute. Read more >
  • Trial Continues in Los Angeles Over Mohamed Hadid's Development of Bel Air Mansion. Read more >
  • Jeff Reeves Quoted in Daily Mail article regarding client Mohamed Hadid and the ongoing property dispute in Franklin Canyon. Read more >
  • Jeff Reeves Gives Opening Statements in Defense of Mohamed Hadid as Strada Vecchia Trial Begins Read more >
  • Jeff Reeves quoted in LA Magazine article regarding the ongoing dispute over property rights in Franklin Canyon. Read more >
  • Jeff Reeves Quoted in LA Magazine Article Regarding Development of Popular LA Hiking Area Read more >
  • Theodora Oringher PC Attorneys Listed in the Best Lawyers in America© 2021 Read more >
  • TO Joins Briefing Urging Opioid MDL Judge to Reject “One-Size-Fits-All” Approach to Common Benefit Fees; Judge Agrees Read more >
  • Appeals panel reverses OC judge in $8.2M attorney fee dispute Read more >
  • Microchip Technology Must Supply Probe Files in Fraud Suit Read more >
  • Ohio settlement could pave way for Arizona entities in opioid litigation Read more >
  • Our View: Carroll County right to want ‘our own case, our own judge, our own trial,’ in opioids suit Read more >
  • Carroll County refiles suit against opioid manufacturers, hoping to keep case in state court Read more >
  • City to consider hiring attorneys to sue over opioid crisis Read more >
  • Proposed Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Settlement Creates Uncertainty in Md. Read more >
  • Carroll County drops opioid lawsuit but plans to refile — with aim to keep it out of federal court Read more >
  • Jeff Reeves Quoted in Statement on Verdict in Oklahoma Opioid Lawsuit Read more >
  • Theodora Oringher PC Attorneys Listed In The Best Lawyers In America© 2020 Read more >
  • Federal judge decides Prescott's lawsuit against opioid companies will be heard in Arizona Read more >
  • Millions of Pills Flooded Towns, Arizona Republic Read more >
  • La Paz County sues opioid manufacturers and distributors in Arizona court Read more >
  • Commissioners inch toward filing lawsuit vs. opioid kingpins, www.richmond-news.com Read more >
  • Apache County Files Lawsuit Against Opioid Manufacturers, Apache County, County Attorney's Office Read more >
  • California’s lawsuit against Purdue Pharma is one of many following a big settlement Read more >
  • Prescott Sues Opioid Companies; Case Will Not Join Class Action Suit, Knau.org Read more >
  • Prescott Sues Manufacturers, Distributors Over Opioid Crisis, KTAR.com Read more >
  • City of Prescott Files Suit Against Opioid Manufacturers & Distributors, Prescottenews.com Read more >
  • Prescott Sues Pharmaceutical Companies for Damages Created by Opioid Crisis, dcourier.com Read more >
  • Prescott City Council Hires Law Firms for Possible Opioid Suit, Knau.org Read more >
  • Prescott Council to Vote on Potential Lawsuit Against Opioid Manufacturers, PrescottNews.com Read more >
  • Microsemi Executives Sue Microchip for Libel, Orange County Business Journal Read more >
  • Microsemi Execs Sue Microchip, ElectronicsWeekly.com Read more >
  • Theodora Oringher Attorneys Named To 2018 Southern California Super Lawyers List Read more >
  • Shareholders Lose Suit Against Nutrition Technology Firm Read more >
  • Grateful Dead Wins Dismissal of Music Archive Claims, Bloomberg.com Read more >
  • Grateful Dead Claims Documents Withheld in Music Suit, Bloomberg.com Read more >
  • Suit Hits Buyer of Tower Web site; Rock Stars Allege an Entrepreneur Sells Merchandise Illegally, Sacramento Bee Read more >
  • Musicians Sue Over Sales Tied to Rock Collection, National Public Radio (NPR) Read more >
  • Led Zeppelin, Doors Members Sue Concert Video Site, Reuters, SF Chronicle & AP. Read more >
  • Rockers Sue Over Web Site's Bootlegs, San Francisco Chronicle Read more >
  • Rock Bands Sue Online Archive - Wolfgang's Vault hit by suit from reps for Led Zeppelin, Doors, Santana, and Grateful Dead, Red Herring Read more >