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Daily Journal Names Chopra, Petrocelli, Richards Top Lawyers in California

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LOS ANGELES — September 21, 2016 — The Daily Journal named O’Melveny partners Apalla Chopra, Dan Petrocelli, and Eric Richards among the best lawyers in California in its annual Top 100 list.

In naming Chopra to the list, the Daily Journal noted that, in addition to her traditional labor counseling, she has “become a go-to lawyer for Title IX investigations and follow-on litigation over how universities handle sexual assault allegations, an issue spreading widely among schools across the country.”

The publication cited Chopra’s work representing Harvard in a Title IX lawsuit and Claremont McKenna College in a writ proceeding and breach of contract litigation related to the school’s sexual misconduct policy. 

“The amount of litigation on sexual misconduct topics is unprecedented in my 25 years of practice,” she told the Daily Journal.

Petrocelli, the Daily Journal observed, “is no stranger to marquee litigation, as shown by his work for murder victim Ron Goldman’s father in his wrongful death civil suit against O.J. Simpson, and former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling at his criminal trial.” Now, as the publication noted, Petrocelli, along with O’Melveny partner David Kirman, is serving as trial counsel for Donald Trump and Trump University in two class actions in the Southern District over the university’s marketing practices.

The Daily Journal cited Richards for helping lead a winning bid to redevelop Central Terminal B at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, a more than US$4 billion project seen as key in reducing backups that delay flights across the country. 

“When airline flights land on time over the next few years, Richards might be one of the people to thank,” the publication observed.

“The public sector is reaching out more and more to make use of the private sector expertise in planning design, construction and financing the operation of sophisticated infrastructure projects,” Richards told the Daily Journal, which also noted his work for American Airlines Inc. on a major terminal project at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and for the ADC & HAS Airports Worldwide in its acquisition of Northern Ireland’s Belfast International Airport.

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