Selected results and active litigation across the firm’s three practices. Confidential settlements are described by order of magnitude only.
Class action against a publicly traded apartment real estate investment trust (REIT) with over $17 billion in market capitalization for systematic unlawful deductions from tenant security deposits across its California properties under Civil Code § 1950.5. Resolved for $27.95 million in total relief, including $19.25 million in cash and $8.7 million in automatic debt forgiveness for more than 200,000 California renters. The largest security-deposit class action recovery in California history (proposed settlement pending court approval).
Eight-figure confidential settlement for a founder ousted by majority shareholders following a major M&A transaction.
Certified class of approximately 33,000 California renters against one of Southern California’s largest institutional landlords for systematic misappropriation of security deposits under Civil Code § 1950.5. Class certification was obtained over opposition from more than twenty defendants. The settlement provided $12.5 million in total relief ($10 million in cash and $2.5 million in debt relief), returning approximately 135% of class damages.
Class action for unlawful withholding of security deposits and excessive late fees under Civil Code §§ 1950.5 and 1671. Settled for $9.8 million in total relief on behalf of a putative class of more than 80,000 California renters.
Secured dismissal of extortion and related claims against an attorney, including by excluding an illegal surreptitious recording. The published opinion is cited in Witkin, the Rutter Group, and California Jurisprudence.
Represented the founder and CEO of an Oscar-winning film production company whose principal investors forced him out and locked him out of the company’s offices while he was traveling on business. The dispute produced four lawsuits, multiple appeals, and a confidential settlement.
Represented an investor whose carrier account was compromised in a SIM-swap attack that defeated two-factor authentication and allowed hackers to steal more than $1 million in cryptocurrency. The case presented novel questions of carrier liability for account-takeover attacks.
Represented an investor in a series of complex real-estate financings in the Middle East. After defeating summary judgment, the matter resolved on confidential terms for the full amount of the investment.
Early executive forced out for opposing the CEO’s proposed restructuring. A forensic investigation uncovered evidence of embezzlement. Resolved on a confidential basis.
Represented a senior security officer at a publicly traded defense contractor terminated after reporting that the company had transported live munitions in carry-on luggage on a commercial passenger flight and mishandled Top Secret defense information. Resolved on confidential terms following extensive litigation over privilege and the handling of classified material.
Represented a government executive forced to resign by severe racial harassment. Four-week jury trial, followed by a successful motion for fees and costs.
Complex insurance dispute over coverage following international M&A transaction. Damion served as second-chair at a week-long arbitration involving extensive expert testimony. After a favorable award, the case settled on a confidential basis for full recovery.
Class action for unlawful withholding of security deposits under Civil Code § 1950.5. Resolved for $4.75 million in total relief on behalf of the certified class.
FLSA collective action on behalf of 206 Los Angeles County child social workers for unpaid overtime. Settled for $2.5 million.
Ten-day jury trial for 24 individual plaintiffs against their former employer on wage-and-hour claims. The jury returned a near-unanimous verdict awarding more than 90 percent of the damages sought.
Represent an executive team recruited to join a purported AI-enabled security technology company and fired after raising concerns about its business practices, including its handling of sensitive data. Defeated the company’s preemptive application for a temporary restraining order on trade-secret claims. The matter is ongoing.
Federal class action in the Southern District of California against the nation’s largest apartment operator (over $76 billion in assets under management) for systematic unlawful deductions from tenant security deposits across its California properties under Civil Code § 1950.5.
Federal class action in the Southern District of California against a publicly traded S&P 500 apartment REIT ($26 billion market capitalization) for systematic unlawful withholding of residential security deposits across its California communities under Civil Code § 1950.5 and the Unfair Competition Law.
Complex class action against one of California’s largest residential landlord networks (more than 22,000 units across 4,700 properties) for systematic unlawful withholding of tenant security deposits and excessive late fees under Civil Code §§ 1950.5 and 1671 and the Unfair Competition Law.
Putative class action on behalf of long-term residents of the Long Beach Extended Stay hotel alleging nuisance and uninhabitability based on pervasive prostitution, drug manufacturing and dealing, and other criminal activity over multiple years.
Additional eight-figure settlements are confidential. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.