Samuel G. Fogas

Associate

Los Angeles Office, Orange County Office

310.557.2009
310.551.0283

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Sam’s practice focuses on handling high-stakes trials and litigation in any forum as well as providing fractional general counsel services. He represents business and individuals alike, with no matter or client too large or too small.

Sam has completed multiple trials through to judgment. Having an experienced trial lawyer on your side provides the added leverage and security that you will have the resources and capability to take your matter through to the end. This not only provides the security that your matter will be effectively handled, but it also creates leverage for settlement purposes. You will not take a bad deal to avoid trial. 

Sam’s approach to trials and litigation is pragmatic. Identify the client's goals and determine creative and effective strategies to achieve that goal. 

In addition to dispute resolution, Sam’s practice involves avoiding disputes before they happen through fractional general counsel services. Fractional general counsel services provide clients with the benefits of hiring an inside general counsel without the burden and expense of having to hire an in-house lawyer. Sam can provide corporate transactional services, contract drafting and review, employment advising, personal service agreement drafting and negotiation, privacy advising, intellectual property advising, general risk advising, and business advising services. Often, fractional general counsel clients include startups, businesses that have not engaged a lawyer in many years or ever, and businesses that are in between in-house counsel. 

The goal of fractional general counsel services is simple: get the client the best deal possible and avoid disputes down the road. Sam’s trial and litigation experience allows him to provide unique perspectives on how disputes are likely to arise if a deal or situation is handled inappropriately and advise the client how to avoid future disputes.

  • First-chair trial counsel on behalf of private golf club against former employee suing for discrimination, retaliation, and FEHA related claims; fully defensed plaintiff's 10 causes of action and obtained judgment in favor of client.
  • Outside general counsel for Los Angeles Angels handling all legal matters on behalf of team, including without limitation employment advice, handbook advice, managing litigation counsel, personal service agreements, privacy issues, sponsorship agreements, independent contractor agreements, intellectual property protection, general risk advice, negotiation, etc.
  • Second-chair trial counsel to Mohamed Hadid in seven-week, multimillion dollar jury trial in Los Angeles County against neighbor-plaintiffs.
  • Second-chair trial counsel representing plaintiff telematics development company in 10-day $40 million arbitration against its primary distributor; obtained $40 million award.
  • Trial counsel to plaintiff professional boxer against television network and promoter in action for breach of promotional and broadcast agreements in federal court.
  • Trial counsel to defendant professional boxer against promoter in action for breach of promotional agreement in federal court.
  • Former general counsel team for professional boxer handling all legal matters on behalf of boxer.

 

PUBLICATIONS 

  • Gregory M. Smith and Sam Fogas, Fans Must Manage Expectations After 9th Cir. Pacquiao Case, Law 360 (2019), https://www.law360.com/articles/1229293/fans-must-manage-expectations-after-9th-circ-pacquiao-case
  • Akinnola I, Rossi DR, Meyer C, Lindsey A, Haase DR, Fogas S, Ehrhardt MJ, Blue RE, Price AP, Johnson M, Alvarez DF, Taylor DA, Panoskaltsis-Mortari A. Engineering Functional Vasculature in Decellularized Lungs Depends on Comprehensive Endothelial Cell Tropism. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2021 Aug 16;9:727869. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.727869. PMID: 34485262; PMCID: PMC8415401.
  • Raza K, Larsen T, Samaratunga N, Price AP, Meyer C, Matson A, Ehrhardt MJ, Fogas S, Tolar J, Hertz MI, Panoskaltsis-Mortari A. MSC therapy attenuates obliterative bronchiolitis after murine bone marrow transplant. PLoS One. 2014 Oct 1;9(10):e109034. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109034. PMID: 25272285; PMCID: PMC4182803.

  • Southern California Super Lawyers (Rising Star 2024 - 25)

  • Association of Business Trial Lawyers, OC Chapter, member
  • Century City Bar Association, member
  • Surfrider Foundation, South Bay Chapter member