Results

Appellate & Trial Court Litigation

Published Appellate Victory — Employment Discrimination & Retaliation

California Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division Three (2022), No. G060554 — published opinion

Representing an employee in a discrimination and retaliation matter, we persuaded the trial court to vacate its own summary judgment for the employer and grant a new trial, then defended that order on appeal. In a published, citable opinion, the Court of Appeal affirmed that the evidence supported a reasoned inference of discriminatory and retaliatory animus, and the case was reinstated. It later resolved on confidential terms.

Business & Ownership Disputes

Founder’s Arbitration Victory — LLC Ownership Dispute

Spencer v. von Guenthner / Prism Cam, LLC — AAA Commercial Arbitration No. 01-21-0004-1861; award confirmed as a judgment, Orange County Superior Court No. 30-2023-01354233

We represented company co-founder Christian Spencer when his business partner claimed Spencer’s 60% membership interest in their media-technology company had been forfeited. After a full arbitration on the merits, the arbitrator rejected the forfeiture theory, confirmed that our client’s 60% ownership interest was fully vested, and awarded our client his attorneys’ fees and costs. The Superior Court confirmed the award as a judgment, which has been satisfied in full.

Business Divorce — $1.5 Million Structured Settlement for Exiting 50% Owner

Represented a 50% owner of a closely held California company in litigation against her co-owner and the company. Negotiated a $1.5 million structured settlement resolving cross-actions and providing for the buyout of our client’s entire ownership interest, secured by a stipulated judgment entered on the public court docket. Party names are omitted as required by the parties’ agreement.

Ownership Dispute Resolved by Buyout on Favorable Terms

Represented a client in a dispute over ownership of a closely held California business. The matter resolved in 2024 through a negotiated buyout on terms favorable to our client. Party names are omitted.

Environmental & Property Damage

Redondo Beach Power Plant — Property Damage Litigation

Lehto v. AES (L.A. Super. Ct. No. 19STCV04396)

Represented thirteen Redondo Beach-area residents alleging that emissions from the AES Redondo Beach power plant damaged their properties. After more than three years of litigation against a Fortune 500 energy company represented by an international law firm, the case resolved by confidential settlement in September 2022. The settlement terms, including the amount, are confidential.

Employment Litigation

Wage-and-Hour Lawsuit Resolved for Small-Business Employer

Defended a family-owned retail business and its principal in a Los Angeles Superior Court wage-and-hour action brought by a former employee. Negotiated a confidential resolution on structured terms that ended the litigation without trial.

Favorable Trial Settlement Negotiated for Employer

Defended an employer in an employment lawsuit that proceeded to trial, where we negotiated a favorable settlement resolving the case for our client in 2024.

Employment Lawsuit Dismissed — No Payment by Employer

Defended an employer against a former employee’s lawsuit in California Superior Court. The action was dismissed in 2025 with no payment by our client.

Second Employment Action Dismissed for Employer

Represented an employer in a separate employment lawsuit that was dismissed in 2025 without any payment by our client.

Professional Liability

Legal Malpractice Recovery for Client

Represented a client in a legal malpractice matter against a former attorney and obtained a settlement recovering for our client in 2023. Party names are omitted.

The results described on this page are specific to the facts and legal circumstances of each client’s case and should not be used to form an expectation that the same results could be obtained for other clients in similar matters. Results depend upon a variety of factors unique to each case, and results do not guarantee or predict a similar result in any future case. Some matters resolved on confidential terms; descriptions of those matters omit party names and/or amounts as required by the parties’ agreements. Attorney advertising.