O’Melveny Scores Major Win for Oakland Roots Sports Club

SILICON VALLEY—November 30, 2021—An O’Melveny team recently secured a major victory for the Oakland Roots Sports Club and its board of directors when Hon. William J. Cahill (Ret.) granted them an across-the-board win following a multi-day arbitration.

The Oakland Roots SC is a purpose-driven professional soccer club focused on harnessing the power of sport as a force for social justice. The plaintiff co-founded the club and was appointed to the Roots board and named President of the organization. After the club invested significant effort to help the plaintiff grow into these roles, it became necessary for the board to remove him as President and he was subsequently removed from the board in October 2020.

The plaintiff sued in California Superior Court, alleging that the board’s actions were invalid. O’Melveny compelled the case to arbitration, where it argued that the board’s actions were authorized by law and the club’s operating agreement, and that plaintiff’s claims were barred by his own actions.

Following a multi-day arbitration, Judge Cahill found for the Roots and its board members on all counts, holding that the board’s actions were within the scope of the operating agreement and permissible under the law, and that plaintiff’s actions barred him from invoking equitable relief. On November 18, 2021, the California Superior Court confirmed the arbitrator’s award.

The O’Melveny team included partner Amy S. Park, counsel Patrick McKegney and Ramon Ramirez, and associate Enoch Ajayi.

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