At Lewis & Llewellyn, we understand what is required to prevail against a powerful and well-funded institution or corporation. As a firm, we have also chosen to put our litigation expertise toward a cause that we feel passionately about: the epidemic of sexual abuse and assault. Through our agile and aggressive litigation tactics, we have recovered millions of dollars on behalf of our sexual abuse clients and, in the process, driven changes at institutions and corporations throughout the country that will help protect others from sexual abuse. As part of those efforts, we recently obtained a settlement of $2.75 million in connection with an alleged sexual assault. Lewis & Llewellyn will continue to advocate vigorously on behalf of survivors of sexual abuse.
Category: Announcements
Any working parent knows the struggle of balancing family time and work responsibilities. In an article reflecting on what this balance means for lawyers, Law360 featured the story of Lewis & Llewellyn partner and father-of-three, Ryan Erickson. At Lewis & Llewellyn, we recognize the importance of both work and family, and we are committed to supporting our attorneys in their effort to be great parents while still providing the highest possible quality of work to our clients.
Lewis & Llewellyn is pleased to announce that partners Marc Lewis, Evangeline Burbidge, and Ryan Erickson have all been named to Benchmark Litigation’s 40 & Under Hot List, which honors partners age 40 or younger who have been deemed the most promising emerging talent in their litigation communities by peers and clients. Benchmark selected only 38 attorneys in California for this award, and the firm is honored that three of their partners were recognized this year.
In March, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals released its decision in Oracle America, Inc. v. Google LLC, reversing a jury verdict and holding that Google’s unauthorized use of certain aspects of Oracle’s Java software did not qualify as “fair use” under copyright law. Lewis & Llewellyn filed and amicus brief on behalf of Ralph Oman, the former Register of Copyrights of the United States, analyzing the definition of “fair use” in support of Oracle’s appeal. The Federal Circuit’s decision will have a far-reaching impact and Lewis & Llewellyn is proud to have been involved in this case.
A Lewis & Llewellyn team led by Nick Saenz, and co-counsel at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, recently represented a group of defendants at trial in a hotly contested dispute over the composition of a board of directors. After the plaintiffs rested their case, we moved for nonsuit, arguing the plaintiffs had failed to present sufficient evidence to sustain their burden of proof. The Judge granted our motion and dismissed the plaintiffs’ case without our clients having to present any evidence.
Benchmark Litigation recently released its 2018 rankings, and it ranked Lewis & Llewellyn one of the few “recommended” law firms in California. In order to compile the list, Benchmark undertakes an exhaustive process which includes client, peer and partner interviews. As Benchmark notes, every firm that achieved the “recommended” status was deemed a leader in its respective market. It further commented that since its opening six years ago, the firm “has generated a significant level of buzz.” You can read Benchmark’s full analysis of the firm here.
Our attorneys are actively involved in the legal community, lecturing frequently on all aspects of civil litigation. Last month, partner Evan Burbidge spoke alongside Casey O’Connor, Associate General Counsel at Stitch Fix, and Neil Pai, General Counsel at Founders Fund, on”Things Start-Ups Should Know.” This well-attended CLE included a discussion of common legal mistakes start-ups make and guidance on how to avoid them. Also in February, partner Ryan Erickson served as a panelist at the BASF’s Annual Solo & Small Firm Conference, where he discussed “How to Level Up Your Law Practice.” And in March, Evan Burbidge served as part of the faculty presenting on “Mastering the Deposition” with Pincus Professional Education.
Marc Lewis and Paul Llewellyn recently traveled to Oxford University, England, to discuss the firm’s groundbreaking work bringing civil lawsuits on behalf of victims of childhood sexual abuse. The lecture was well-received by both the law faculty and students, and resulted in an impassioned and substantive discussion following the lecture.
At Lewis & Llewellyn, we routinely engage in all forms of alternative dispute resolution, including arbitration. Paul Llewellyn and Nick Saenz recently secured an arbitration victory on behalf of the firm’s client, one of Silicon Valley’s leading technology companies. The claimant, a logistics supply company, alleged that the firm’s client was contractually obligated to use its services for a certain amount of time. Following discovery, we moved for summary disposition, arguing the claimant’s allegations failed as a matter of law. The arbitrator agreed, dismissing the claim entirely.
We recently filed a high-profile lawsuit against Auberge Resorts, LLC, operator of some of the world’s finest resorts. The lawsuit alleges that the firm’s client was raped by a room service waiter while staying at the luxury Esperanza Resort, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The complaint further asserts that the resort refused to call the police, claiming they did not work at night. The lawsuit also documents how a simple internet search of the attacker would have revealed highly graphic and disturbing sexual images on his public social media profile. We are proud to continue to fight on behalf of victims of sexual abuse.
You can read more about the lawsuit, which has already attracted the attention of the national and international media, here.
