Home Version 1

Conflict in the business world is the by-product of creativity, innovation and interaction. S&W’s attorneys are adept at developing and executing strategies that are designed to obtain optimal results in simple to complex business disputes. S&W’s business litigation expertise involves the handling of many diverse claims including breach of written and oral contracts, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, fraudulent transfer of assets, tortious interference with contract and prospective economic advantage, theft of trade secrets, unfair competition, securities fraud, corporate/partnership governance and dissolution, computer/electronic espionage, professional malpractice and negligence.

An understanding of the ever-changing landscape of employment laws and regulations is critical for both employers and employees in California. S&W is unique due to providing counseling and/or litigation services to both employers and employees whereas most law firms represent one side or the other. S&W’s attorneys recognize the importance of understanding the nuances of both sides of the employment relationship. S&W’s employment litigation practice includes the prosecution, as well as the defense, of individual and/or class actions for wrongful termination, sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour violations, breach of contract, defamation and other related claims. S&W’s counseling services range from preparation of customized personnel documentation to training sessions to guidance on reductions in force and terminations.

Los Angeles is recognized as the home of the entertainment industry, a diverse group of businesses that produce and distribute motion pictures, television programs, music, radio, video games, books and magazines. S&W’s attorneys understand the inner workings of this particular industry and have represented motion picture and television studios, producers, directors, writers, actors, musicians, authors, personal and business managers and talent agents. S&W’s attorneys have litigated numerous disputes, often under the scrutiny of the national and local news media, involving breach of an agreement, theft of ideas, participation/accounting issues, unfair competition, right of publicity, invasion of privacy and defamation.

Intellectual property rights enable the owner of those rights to benefit from creative works, such as novels, plays, films, music, paintings, photographs, sculptures, computer programs/databases, logos and designs. S&W’s intellectual property practice involves strategizing and litigating disputes arising from the unauthorized use of intellectual property including copyright and trademark infringement, theft of ideas, domain name and website content issues and misappropriation of trade secrets.

The real estate industry impacts everyone who lives and works in the United States. S&W’s attorneys have handled numerous controversies involving the ownership, sale, use and development of commercial and residential real property. S&W’s real estate litigation practice is wide-ranging and encompasses specific performance actions, trespass to real property, land use and zoning disputes, breach of purchase and sale agreements, landlord/tenant disputes, real estate fraud, brokers’ commission actions, unlawful detainer proceedings, boundary and easement disputes, wrongful cutting of trees, construction defects and mechanics’ liens.

According to the United Nations, the availability of clean water is one of the most pressing issues confronting the world in the 21st century. S&W’s environmental litigation practice targets the eradication of an ever-increasing number of toxic contaminates in public and private water supplies and focuses on representing states, cities, counties and water districts to assure that clean water is available for consumption. S&W’s efforts in this practice area are designed to require the parties, who are responsible for water pollution, to pay for the substantial costs associated with cleaning-up contaminated water supplies.

In hotly contested disputes, the decision of the lower court or an arbitrator will undoubtedly be challenged on appeal by the losing party. S&W’s clients enjoy the added benefit of being represented by trial attorneys who understand the appellate process. S&W’s attorneys are skilled in the art of drafting persuasive appellate briefs, and they have argued complex legal issues before many appellate courts, including the California Supreme Court, the California Court of Appeal, the Federal Circuit of Appeals and the Ninth Circuit of Appeals.

Litigation is a means to effect social change. The breadth of S&W’s litigation practice has enabled the firm to draw attention to important social issues. S&W’s attorneys have successfully litigated lawsuits against national credit reporting agencies on behalf of victims of “identity theft” to highlight systemic problems in the credit reporting industry. S&W’s attorneys also have taken steps to improve the environment as a direct result of litigating water pollution cases against oil and chemical companies.