- Trial counsel for pharmaceutical defendant in California opioid trial, involving claims by municipalities seeking more than US$50 billion and resulting in complete defense victory. Courtroom View Network named the win #1 on its “Top 10 Most Impressive Defense Verdicts of 2021” and AmLaw reported “Defense wins just don't get much bigger”
- Trial counsel for pharmaceutical company in Judicial Council Coordinated Proceedings alleging product liability claims, resulting in full defense jury verdict in first California trial
- Trial counsel for major studio resulting in victory in confidential arbitration alleging vertical integration claims
- Trial counsel for insurance company in litigation alleging bad faith with cross-claims for insurance fraud, resulting in defense victory settlement and release of all claims shortly before closing
- Trial counsel for social media company in state coordinated proceedings and federal MDL asserting personal injury and public nuisance theories
- Counsel for pharmaceutical company in federal multi-district litigation and nationwide state actions asserting claims for, inter alia, public nuisance and RICO violations
- Counsel for television studio in trademark infringement action alleging television show’s fictitious sports team violated trademark rights, defeated temporary restraining order
- Counsel for high net-worth individuals in class action and individual cases alleging employment claims
- Counsel for leading online retailer in trademark and intellectual property dispute with athletic-apparel manufacturer
- Counsel for insurance company in litigation brought by contract restoration alleging novel business torts seeking to extend legal theories available to similar plaintiffs
- Counsel for and investment brokerage in lawsuit brought by NFL player alleging fraud, RICO violations, conspiracy, and other torts arising out of third party’s embezzlement from brokerage and bank accounts
- Counsel for electric car manufacturer in various forums across the country in actions challenging constitutionality of state prohibitions on direct-to-consumer sales
- Counsel for satellite radio broadcasting company in series of copyright litigations and class actions asserting unprecedented public-performance rights in pre-1972 sound recordings
- Counsel for creators of multibillion-dollar video game franchises Call of Duty and Modern Warfare in complex litigation for breach of contract, wrongful termination, and fraud (West & Zampella v. Activision)
- Counsel for Hollywood Foreign Press Association in litigation, trial, and appeal concerning rights to the Golden Globe Awards show (HFPA v. Dick Clark Productions)
- Counsel for media company in consolidated putative class action cases involving the Video Privacy Protection Act and other privacy rights, obtained summary judgment on all claims
- Counsel for intellectual property library management firm in trial and appeal concerning copyright co-owner's contract claims and alter-ego liability, obtained reversal on appeal
- Counsel for major studio in complex intellectual property and contract putative class action
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- California
Court Admissions
- US Supreme Court
- US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- US District Court, Central and Northern Districts of California
Education
- University of California at Los Angeles, J.D., Order of the Coif
- Northwestern University, B.S., Communications, magna cum laude
Honors & Awards
- Named to the “500 Leading Litigators in America” list for Mass Tort, Product Liability, and IP Litigation by Lawdragon (2025)
- Named a Future Star by Benchmark Litigation (2023-2025)
- Named to Variety’s Legal Impact Report (2020)
- Recognized by The Legal 500 US for work in Media and Entertainment: Litigation (2019-2022)
- Named to the 40 & Under Hot List in General Commercial, and Media & Entertainment by Benchmark Litigation (2018-2022)
- Featured in Variety’s Legal Impact Report (Up Next) (2017)
- Symposium Editor, UCLA Law Review
Professional Activities
Clerkships and Externships
- Honorable Sandra S. Ikuta, US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- Extern, United States Attorney's Office, Central District of California, Criminal Division
Memberships, Publications, and Speaking Engagements
- President and Board of Governors, Former Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Co-Chair Civility Committee, Association of Business Trial Lawyers (Los Angeles Chapter)
- UCLA Entertainment Symposium Advisory Board
- Ethics in AI, Panelist, UCLA’s 46th Annual Entertainment Symposium (June 2022)
- Private Investigators: Legal & Ethical Considerations, Panelist, Chief Litigation Counsel Association (September 2020)
- “Likelihood of Confusion?—Three Areas of Uncertainty in Trademark Law,” IP Litigator (September/October 2010)
- “Specialty License Plates: The First Amendment and the Intersection of Government Speech and Public Forum Doctrines,” 55 UCLA L. Rev. 1976 (2008)