Panteha Abdollahi

Senior Attorney

Orange County Office

714.549.6200
714.549.6201

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Panteha Abdollahi is a seasoned litigator, adept at creatively and efficiently representing clients before trial and appellate courts.

At the trial level, Panteha represents individuals, companies, and public entities in their complex commercial litigation matters.  Her wide range of experience includes litigating class actions and professional liability matters.  She also represents public agencies in infrastructure and construction disputes. Panteha is well-versed in all stages of litigation, from pre-lawsuit negotiations through trial, and has authored dozens of successful motions that have resulted in the early dismissal of claims. Cases Panteha has litigated have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, The Daily Journal, National Law Journal, and Law360.  

Panteha also leads the firm’s Appellate Practice Group.  In her appellate practice, she has briefed matters before the United States Supreme Court, federal courts of appeal, and California’s appellate courts.  These cases have covered a wide spectrum of issues, including contract interpretation, the Due Process Clause, California’s Private Attorney General Act, the Equal Access to Justice Act, and California’s anti-SLAPP statute.  Panteha’s appellate work has yielded numerous published decisions, including two from the United States Supreme Court.

Prior to joining the Firm, Panteha was Of Counsel in the Litigation Department of Paul Hastings LLP.  From 2003 to 2005, she served as a law clerk to the Honorable Cormac J. Carney of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Panteha is an alumnus of the Orange County District Attorney Trial Attorney Partnership program.  Program participants work on a full-time basis as a deputy district attorney, first chairing jury trials and felony preliminary hearings.

Trial Level

  • Represented a public agency in its disputes concerning the construction of a new billion dollar design-build bridge.
  • Represented a major port agency in connection with over $30 million in disputes involving the procurement of new fireboats. The case settled on favorable terms for the port.
  • Defended a local clothing manufacturer in wage and hour class action litigation.
  • Defended a major California county against collective action claims brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act on behalf of current and former social services employees.  The case was settled on favorable terms for the county.
  • Defended a global real estate company in a purported class action lawsuit brought by homeowners at four luxury resorts asserting RICO and tort claims, and seeking $8 billion in damages with a request for trebling.  Significantly narrowed the claims via multiple motions to dismiss, defeated class certification, and obtained summary judgment on remaining claims.  The summary judgment decision was affirmed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
  • Represented a Fortune 100 global chemical company in a lawsuit arising from the sale of a business, alleging ten causes of action (based on contract and fraud), and seeking lost profits of $100 million plus punitive damages.  Successfully defeated all contract-based claims via summary judgment and significantly narrowed plaintiff’s fraud claims; thereafter, second-chaired a two-week federal trial, resulting in a complete defense verdict.  The defense verdict withstood multiple post-trial motions, and plaintiff agreed to a walk-away settlement after filing an appeal.  The defense verdict was featured in The Daily Journal’s Top Verdicts and Settlements.
  • Defended an international airline in civil antitrust multi-district litigation alleging price fixing in connection with passenger airfare travel.  Negotiated a favorable settlement for the client following discovery and motion practice.
  • Defended an automotive company’s former chief financial officer against securities fraud claims.  Successfully narrowed the claims via motion to dismiss.
  • Represented a San Francisco-based international law firm in malpractice litigation arising out of the firm’s representation of a company in more than $200 million worth of defaulted loans.  Reduced the case exposure by one-third through motions practice, and settled on favorable terms.
  • Represented a large hospital and its directors in a number of related cases and arbitrations involving tort, contract, and trademark claims arising from the hospital’s former relationship with a medical group.  Negotiated a favorable settlement for the client, which included issuance of a stipulated permanent injunction against the adversary prohibiting use of client’s trademark.
  • Represented the purchaser of life insurance contracts in a lawsuit by remorseful seller alleging various causes of action, including violation of state securities laws.  Negotiated favorable settlement for the client as part of a mediation after filing for summary judgment.
  • Defended a semiconductor company from enforcement of a default judgment obtained in Canada for alleged misappropriation of intellectual property rights.  Negotiated a favorable settlement resulting in payment of less than one percent of adversary’s sought after damages.
  • Represented multiple health care companies in class action lawsuits alleging statutory violations and fraudulent practices related to the copying of medical records.  Negotiated favorable settlements for clients, resulting in nominal payments.

Appellate

  • Represented a major school district before the California Court of Appeal following a multi-phase trial arising from a construction dispute.  Successfully overturned a negative jury verdict based on instructional error and reinstated the jury’s findings in favor of the client on another issue. – Suffolk Construction Co., Inc. v. Los Angeles Unified School District (California Court of Appeal, 90 Cal. App. 5th 849 (2023))
  • Represented a major public agency before the California appellate courts in a contract interpretation dispute arising from a complex billion dollar design-build construction contract. 
  • Represented a mother and guardian before the United States Supreme Court in a matter concerning a parent’s constitutional due process right to counsel in connection with civil contempt proceedings – Turner v. Rogers (U.S. Supreme Court, 564 U.S. 431 (2011)).
  • Represented an attorney in addressing whether attorneys’ fees awarded to her under the Equal Access to Justice Act for successfully representing a social security claimant were subject to offset to satisfy the claimant’s pre-existing debts owed to the government – Astrue v. Ratliff (U.S. Supreme Court, 560 U.S. 586 (2011)).
  • Brought in after trial loss to defend a religious organization against an exorbitant request for attorneys’ fees in a lawsuit brought by a purported environmental group that opposed the building of a religious center.  Successfully convinced the trial court to grant nominal fees, and defended the trial court’s decision on appeal  – Save Our Uniquely Rural Community Environment v. County of San Bernardino (California Court of Appeal, 235 Cal. App. 4th 1179 (2015)).
  • Defended an Orange County-based law firm against claims of malicious prosecution by a former adversary.  Obtained quick dismissal of the suit via a successful anti-SLAPP motion and convinced the California Court of Appeal to affirm the trial court’s dismissal.
  • Defended a global real estate appraisal company, affiliates, and appraiser in a lawsuit by a former developer alleging statutory and tort claims, and seeking $2 billion in damages.  Obtained early dismissal for the client via a successful motion to dismiss.  Successfully defended the dismissal before the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.
  • Represented constitutional and property law professors in filing an amicus brief in support of petition for review by the United States Supreme Court of a Fifth Amendment Takings Clause challenge to a state law related to revenue transfers.

  • The Best Lawyers in America© 2024 - 2025
  • Southern California Super Lawyers (Super Lawyer 2020 - 2025)
  • Southern California Super Lawyers (Rising Star 2012 - 2018)
  • Central District of California Lawyer Representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference (2016 - 2019)
  • Fellow of the American Bar Foundation (selected 2016)
  • Litigation Counsel of America (selected 2018)

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  • Federal Bar Association, Orange County (Past President; Past Board Member)
  • Iranian American Bar Association (Past President, Orange County Chapter; Prior Representative, National Board of Directors)
  • Orange County Bar Association
  • Orange County Bar Foundation Society of Fellows
  • Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Orange County Chapter
  • International Society for Children with Cancer (Board of Advisors)
  • United Way Orange County