Amnon Z. Siegel

Amnon Z. Siegel

Partner

Partner

Biography

Amnon Siegel has been litigating complex, high-profile cases his entire career.  He has significant victories for plaintiffs and defendants in jury trials, bench trials and arbitrations.  In 2017, Amnon obtained a $256 million jury verdict in Orange County Superior Court, one of the Top 10 verdicts in the country.  Amnon’s defense victories include a unanimous jury verdict on behalf of a commercial bank, which was selected as a Top 10 defense verdict in California.  He has a track record of success in a variety of important cases.  In 2018, Amnon was selected by the Daily Journal as one of the “Top 40 Under 40” attorneys in the State of California.  Amnon was recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal in 2020 and 2021 as one of its Leaders of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys.

As lead and co-lead counsel, Amnon has had success for clients at every stage of litigation.  He has obtained dismissal of multimillion-dollar “bet the company” cases, successfully obtained and defeated case-dispositive injunctions, won summary judgment in key matters, prevailed in marathon trials, and succeeded at the appellate level, both on interlocutory and final appeals.

In the courtroom, Amnon represents both individuals and companies in a variety of commercial matters, including intellectual property, trade secrets, fraud, tortious interference, negligence, breach of contract, lender liability and breach of fiduciary duty.  Amnon has extensive experience in real estate, automotive and insurance industry disputes.  He has represented land developers, landlords and tenants, automotive dealers across the country in disputes with their franchisors and lenders, as well as business policyholders in high-stakes, bad faith insurance coverage disputes.

Amnon joined Miller Barondess in 2007 and has been integral to the firm’s growth.  Before joining Miller Barondess, Amnon worked in the litigation department at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP’s Los Angeles office, where he worked on complex civil litigation cases.  Amnon graduated from New York University School of Law and prior to that, received his undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley.  Each year since 2013, Amnon was recognized by his peers in Southern California Super Lawyers Magazine as a “Rising Star” and “Super Lawyer.”

Amnon is also well-versed in negotiation and alternative dispute resolution, having received advanced training and successfully mediating cases as a member of Los Angeles County Superior Court’s mediation panel.

Notable Representations

Amnon’s first-chair trial victories include:

  • $256 million jury verdict for fraud and punitive damages on behalf of an automobile dealership group against Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation;
  • $4.3 million judgment on jury verdict against an AIG policyholder for gross negligence and an award of attorneys’ fees;
  • $15.8 million unanimous jury verdict for a large Southern California Toyota dealership group against Toyota Motor Sales; and
  • Defense victory in binding arbitration for a large franchisor in a dispute with its largest franchisee, including an award of attorneys’ fees.

Amnon’s other successes include:

  • Obtaining dismissal of several substantial cases involving individuals who left their former employers to start competing businesses in marketing, IT consulting, asset management and financial services, based on allegations of trade secret misappropriation, breach of contract and violation of non-competition/non-solicitation covenants.
  • Obtaining a $120 million settlement on behalf of the County of Los Angeles against SoCalGas stemming from the largest release of methane in U.S. history at the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Storage Facility in Porter Ranch.
  • Unanimous jury verdict on behalf of East West Bank in a multimillion-dollar lender liability action; also obtained a $2.5 million award for attorneys’ fees, expert fees and costs.
  • Winning a substantial award in binding arbitration (FINRA) on behalf of an investment bank against its former Managing Director for breach of fiduciary duty, trade secret misappropriation and breach of contract.
  • Winning summary judgment on behalf of the County of Los Angeles and the County Board of Supervisors in a taxpayer lawsuit involving hundreds of millions of dollars in a public spending program.
  • Obtaining dismissal of trade secret misappropriation and unfair business practices claims on summary judgment on behalf of a technology company and its employees against a direct competitor and employees’ former employer.
  • Successfully defending Questcor Pharmaceuticals (now part of Mallinckrodt plc) in a several hundred-million-dollar royalty agreement dispute.
  • Representing the Estate of Tupac Shakur against Morgan Creek Productions over the rights to a biopic based on Tupac Shakur’s life.
  • Obtaining successful settlement on behalf of children’s band The Imagination Movers against their former management company.
  • Representing Stone Temple Pilots in the band’s successful removal of their former lead singer, Scott Weiland.
  • Representing the Estate of Marilyn Monroe in right of publicity, copyright and fair use litigation.
Honors and Awards
  • Southern California Super Lawyers® (2020-2023); Rising Stars® (2007, 2013-2018)
  • Leaders of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys, Los Angeles Business Journal (2020-2021)
  • Top 40 Lawyers Under 40, Daily Journal (2018)
Professional Activities
  • Member of the Education Cabinet (the Board), Pressman Academy of Temple Beth Am (private Jewish day school in Los Angeles)
  • Former Member, Bet Tzedek Justice Ball Planning Committee
  • Wiley M. Manuel Pro Bono Award Recipient, State Bar of California
  • Certified Youth Soccer Coach and Referee, American Youth Soccer Organization