By Don DeBenedictis, Daily Journal – September 15, 2021 – Known as one of the premier litigators in California, Miller and his firm are handling significant cases that affect the community.
In April, he settled a $10 million lawsuit between members of the rock band Journey. In October, he is set to start a trade secrets trial between two of Beverly Hills’ most exclusive hotels.
“We just do litigation, and I’m very proud of that,” he said. “We’re players in litigation in the legal community.”
The County of Los Angeles brings Miller in for many of its high-profile and sensitive matters. For instance, his firm represents the county against the Southern California Gas Co. over the 2015 Aliso Canyon natural gas leak and against the elected county sheriff for rehiring a deputy who had been fired for domestic abuse.
Two current county cases are especially sensitive. In the litigation about housing the homeless, Miller’s firm has appealed U.S. District Judge David O. Carter’s 110-page preliminary injunction order. “It’s an issue for elected officials to handle. It’s not something for the court,” he said.
Even so, his old law school classmate Carter has “really been a catalyst to try to make something happen,” Miller said. The case is now on appeal. L.A. Alliance for Human Rights v. City of Los Angeles, 21-55395 (9th Cir., filed April 22, 2021)
One “very emotionally charged, difficult case” concerns Kobe Bryant’s death. There are four lawsuits set for trial in February alleging deputy sheriffs and county firefighters took photos of the crash and shared them publicly. Bryant v. County of Los Angeles, 2:20-cv-09582 (C.D. Cal., filed Oct. 19, 2020)
In a set of important cases not for the county, Miller and his team represented media mogul Byron Allen in civil rights lawsuits alleging the major cable TV companies wouldn’t carry Allen’s channels, including the Weather Channel and Court TV, because he is Black. They fought Comcast all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court before the cable giant settled. Comcast Corp. v. National Association of African American-Owned Media, 18-1171 (U.S. Sup. Ct., op. filed March 23, 2020)
Now, they have sued McDonald’s alleging it won’t advertise on Allen’s channels and insists Allen work only through the ad agency the company uses to reach Black audiences. Entertainment Studios Networks Inc. v. McDonald’s Corp., 21STCV18981 (L.A. Super. Ct, filed May 20, 2021)
“For me, it’s always been about the cases and the clients,” Miller said. “I’m going strong. I’ve got a lot of good cases.”