David W. Schecter

Entertainment/Intellectual Property Cases

• Obtained defense jury verdict for Motown legend Smokey Robinson in the breach of management agreement case Podwall v. Robinson (C.D. Cal. Case No. 16-cv-06088-ODW (AGRx)).
• Defended technology companies in the “creator economy” and social media influencer against claims of trade secret misappropriation and breach of confidentiality in McCandless Group, LLC v. The COY Collective, Inc. (C.D. Cal. Case No. 21-cv-02069); secured favorable settlement on the eve of trial.
• Defended family health products company against Lanham Act and state law claims of false advertising; secured dismissal on the pleadings under Rule 12(b)(6).
• Defended Mötley Crüe, Live Nation, and other parties against claims of copyright infringement in Zlozower, et al. v. Mötley Crüe Inc., et al. (S.D.N.Y. Case No. 16-cv-6950 (LTS) (RLE)); filed summary judgment motions to dismiss the claims on various grounds, including lack of copyright standing; settled the case favorably on the eve of the summary judgment hearing.
• Representing Weather Group and Entertainment Studios Networks against The Nielsen Company, alleging that Nielsen fraudulently concealed the flaws with its television ratings service.
• Defended music management company and high-profile heavy metal band in litigation brought by the band’s record label; case settled favorably after deposition of former record label’s president.
• Represented the producers of the Netflix documentary film White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch in pre-litigation matters; successfully resolved the intellectual property and contractual disputes to allow the film to be made and released.
• Represented the producer and owner of the documentary film Hired Gun in litigation to protect intellectual property and contractual rights; successfully settled the case after filing a hard-hitting complaint in the Central District of California.
• Defended high-profile musician and songwriter against breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract claims in New Jersey state court; case settled favorably on eve of summary judgment.
• Represented the estate of high-profile composer, songwriter, and musician Michael Kamen to pursue breach of fiduciary duty claims against large financial institutions for mishandling trusts set up for the benefit of his family; successfully settled claims before litigation.

Business Litigation

• Representing minority shareholder against inside directors and officers in $50 million fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and conversion case pending in Los Angeles Superior Court.
• Representing manager and 50% owner of a network of skilled nursing facilities against his co-manager and co-owner for theft, conversion, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duty in case pending in Orange County Superior Court.
• Represented venture capital firm pursuing direct and derivative claims against executives and directors of a once-promising biotechnology firm; settlement proceeds exceeded $1 million.
• Defended high-net-worth individual sued for alleged non-payment of a $30 million promissory note.
• Prosecuted breach of fiduciary duty and conversion claims on behalf of the owner of commercial real property valued in excess of $50 million against minority owner and operator who made several unauthorized withdrawals.
• Represented investment advisors accused of breaching non-compete and non-solicitation provisions in the operating agreement and employment agreements; after a two-week arbitration, the arbitrator found that the restrictive covenants were void and unenforceable and awarded our clients over $90,000 in costs as the prevailing party.
• Represented a private air charter company whose aircraft was damaged in a three-plane ground collision; obtained a $2,464,560 jury verdict.
• Prosecuted a $10 million breach of contract action on behalf of a major golf equipment manufacturer against a packaging vendor; reached a favorable settlement on the eve of deposing the vendor’s president and CEO.
• Defended a leading social media company against product liability claims related to its video filtering technology; reached a favorable settlement in mediation.
• Defended a jewelry design company in trademark litigation brought by the client’s licensor; defeated the licensor’s motion for a preliminary injunction.
• Prosecuted a $1 million breach of contract and fraud action on behalf of a major retailer against a gift card supplier; reached a favorable settlement in mediation.
• Prosecuted a legal malpractice action on behalf of a major Los Angeles private equity and real estate firm against the clients’ prior litigation attorneys who mishandled a $50 million arbitration and then suddenly withdrew on the eve of the arbitration hearing; defeated the defendants’ summary adjudication motion; the case settled favorably before trial.

Government Litigation

• Lead trial lawyer for Relator Brian Markus asserting claims on behalf of the United States for violations of the False Claims Act against Aerojet Rocketdyne; case settled during trial.
• Defending large media conglomerate and its owner against claims of wrongful interference with FCC proceedings in SGCI Holdings III LLC, et al. v. F.C.C., et al. (D.D.C. Case No. 24-1204).
• Defended the County of Los Angeles in a federal class action lawsuit brought by children and young adults in the County’s foster care system; filed a motion to vacate a 17-year-old consent decree; case settled favorably thereafter.
• Representing the California Department of Toxic Substances Control to resolve disputes regarding the cleanup of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory.
• Represented the County of Los Angeles in litigation against Southern California Gas Company in connection with the Aliso Canyon/Porter Ranch gas leak; successfully opposed SoCal Gas’ motion to dismiss the case on preemption grounds; assisted other litigators in the firm to prosecute the case, which resulted in a $119.5 million settlement.

Civil Rights Litigation

• Represented African American-owned media company against Comcast Corporation and Charter Communications, alleging violations of 42 U.S.C. § 1981 for racial discrimination in contracting; obtained favorable, precedential Ninth Circuit decisions supporting the viability of the claims; lead brief writer in the U.S. Supreme Court on the issue of what causation standard applies to section 1981 claims; both cases settled favorably after cases remanded to the federal district court.
• Representing African American-owned media companies against McDonald’s, alleging violations of 42 U.S.C. § 1981 for racial discrimination in contracting.
• Represented victim of police shooting in high-profile federal civil rights case in the Southern District of California; successfully opposed the City of San Diego’s petition for certiorari; case settled on the eve of trial with the City agreeing to pay $3 million.

• Best Lawyers in America: ONES TO WATCH®
      Recognized in Entertainment and Sports Law (2024)