Levin, Adam
Partner
Class Action Defense
Labor & Employment
Litigation
Legal Expertise
Representation of employers in all areas of labor and employment law, including serving as lead counsel in numerous employment discrimination, wrongful termination and trade secret/unfair competition cases, labor arbitrations, National Labor Relations Board hearings, and other administrative proceedings. Counsels clients on compliance with FMLA, ADA, Title VII, FEHA, FLSA, ERISA, NLRA and state employment laws. Negotiates and drafts executive employment agreements. Representation of clients in litigation involving right of publicity, invasion of privacy and related claims involving models, celebrities and performing artists.
Industry Focus
Motion picture and television; video game; fashion; advertising; broadcast
Key Professional Accomplishments
* Successfully represented Warner Bros. Television Production, an independent production company and several individual writers in a high-profile, wrongful termination and harassment suit brought by a former writer's assistant for the hit TV show "Friends." After obtaining summary judgment and an award of $415,000 in attorneys' fees, argued the case of Lyle v. Warner Brothers Television Production before the California Supreme Court, resulting in a unanimous decision in favor of our clients. Lyle v. Warner Brothers Television Production, 38 Cal. 4th 264 (2006).
* Successfully defended talent agency Todd Shemarya Artists in a discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination action. After trying the case to a Los Angeles Superior Court jury for almost two weeks, the jury deliberated for a mere 30 minutes before returning a verdict for our client on all causes of action.
* Successfully defended a major record company in a discrimination action by an aspiring recording artist. Obtained dismissal of the action with prejudice, which the Ninth Circuit affirmed on appeal. Flores v. Elektra Records, 124 Fed. Appx. 502, 2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 2346 (9th Cir. 2005).
* Recently represented a national clothing retailer in two purported wage and hour class actions in California. Both settled on favorable terms.
* Defended client in breach of contract action by former employee. Obtained judgment for defendant at trial. Rosen v. Homestore, Inc., Los Angeles Superior Court.
* Handled numerous trade secret/unfair competition cases, including obtaining a temporary restraining order for an employer enjoining a former employee from working for a competitor.
* Represented a publicly traded, online real estate company in a purported wage and hour class action in California.
* Handled threatened class action against major aerospace corporation, including defeating attempt to certify a class, obtaining summary judgment, and obtaining affirmance by the U. S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.
* Acted as in-house counsel for major motion picture studios (1996-1998; 2001-2002).
Professional, Business, and Civic Affiliations
* MS&K Governing Board
* Legal Committee, Employers Group
* Theatre L.A. (Member, Board of Governors)
* Co-Chair, 11th Annual Entertainment Industry Labor and Employment Law Conference (December 2000)
* Co-Chair, 10th Annual Entertainment Industry Labor and Employment Law Conference (December 1999)
Court Admissions
* California, 1991
* USDC, Central District of California, 1991
* USDC, Northern District of California, 1993
* USDC, Southern District of California, 1993
* USDC, Eastern District of California, 1997
* U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1997
Education
University of San Diego School of Law, J.D., 1991; magna cum laude
Claremont McKenna College, B.A., 1988; Distinguished Scholar
