Areas of Practice
Labor and employment litigation, including: single plaintiff and class action litigation in the areas of discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage and hour

Entertainment and media law, including: copyright, idea theft, breach of contract, privacy, and defamation litigation; advice and resolution of legal claims; counseling related to entertainment contracts and negotiations

Commercial litigation, including: commercial fraud, breach of contract, unfair competition, and tortious interference with contract

Representative Experience
Complex employment, entertainment, and commercial litigation in state and federal court. Advice and counseling in the entertainment field

Successfully defended employment lawsuits, with early and extremely favorable settlement, brought by plaintiffs alleging retaliation, discrimination, and harassment claims against company and supervisors

Successfully defended employment class action lawsuits, with beneficial settlements negotiated and approved by courts, involving employee compensation in entertainment context

Successfully resolved employment disputes before litigation ensued, by employees alleging sexual harassment and sexual orientation discrimination

Successfully defended entertainment lawsuit, with court dismissing case at pleading stage, brought by producer alleging idea theft claim against network related to two television shows

Successfully defended entertainment lawsuit, with plaintiff dismissing case without client paying any money, brought by writer alleging tortious interference claims against creator of popular television series

Successfully defended commercial lawsuit, with case dismissed at summary judgment, brought by individuals alleging unfair competition, fraud, and invasion of privacy claims against financial institution

Successfully defended class action lawsuit,with court denying class certification and granting summary judgment, brought by individual alleging unfair competition claims against large retail chain

Successfully defended class action lawsuits in the areas of unfair competition

Prior Experience
Litigation Counsel, NBC Universal, Inc.

• Defended numerous cases in-house and supervised outside counsel on other cases in the areas of employment law, media entertainment law, and class action law. Lead attorney responsible for employment cases. Practice also included advising clients about the legal rights related to entertainment contracts.
  
• Represented clients included: NBC Universal, Telemundo, NBC Studios, Universal Television Group, Universal Studios Theme Park, MSNBC Network, USA Network, Bravo Network, KNTV, and KNBC

• Represented financial institutions, commercial businesses, and insurance companies in a variety of complex legal disputes in the areas of commercial law and class action law
  
• Represented clients included: Bank One, GE Capital, Mellon Bank, Target Corporation, Western Dental, Farmers Insurance, and Travelers Insurance

Memberships, Activities and Publications
Member of the California State Bar, Federal Bar, and National Hispanic Bar Associations

MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund) – Advisory Committee Member

MLRC (Media Law Resource Center) – Entertainment Committee Member

Beverly Hills Bar Association – Work/Life Balance Committee Member

Academy of Television Arts & Sciences – Member

Cornell in Hollywood – Member

NYU Law Alumni Association – Member

Admitted to practice before the Central, Southern, Northern and Eastern Districts of California

Author, “Idea Theft After Grosso – The Proliferation Of Expensive And Burdensome Lawsuits,” First Amendment Law Letter, Winter 2007

Southern California Super Lawyers, 2007 Rising Star

Education
J.D., New York University School of Law, 1997

B.A. in Government and Economics, magna cum laude, Cornell University, 1994