-- John J. Phillips, Managing Director, Associate General Counsel, and Head of Legal -- Real Estate at Barings (formerly Cornerstone)
- Won motion and injunction gaining clients control of $363 million syndicated loan
- Won motion and injunction gaining clients full administrative control of a $363 million syndicated loan and authority over the disposition of 17 commercial real estate projects that secured the loan without trial, ousting a top five bank as the administrative agent.
- Won $2.1 million award after trial of competing breach of contract claims
- Won $2.1 million award after trial of competing breach of construction contract claims involving a high rise building in downtown Los Angeles, including 100% of the legal fees that were incurred in prevailing on the successful claims. The trial Judge ruled that Bernie and his colleagues’ billing rates were “eminently reasonable” for such “high quality attorneys” at such a “prestige law firm” who “displayed great skill,” and that Bernie and the firm billed “a reasonable [number] of hours commensurate with the demands of the case.”
- Resolved $11.5 million dispute over purchase price of 350 unit apartment complex
- Successfully resolved $11.5 million dispute over the purchase price of a five building 350 unit apartment complex through mediation and binding arbitration between client, one of nation’s largest pension funds, and leading real estate developer/manager.
- Won Summary Judgment for pension fund against 40 individual plaintiffs
- Won Summary Judgment for pension fund against 40 individual plaintiffs and defeated motion for class certification in case involving a nine figure plaintiffs’ demand against owner of 350 unit apartment complex in Santa Monica, CA. Obtained dismissal of alleged claims for breach of implied warranty of habitability, public nuisance, fraudulent concealment, negligence, and unfair business practices and all class claims in Complex Los Angeles Superior Court action.
- Won Special Motion to Strike lawsuit alleging Unfair Business Practices and age discrimination
- Won Special Motion to Strike lawsuit alleging Unfair Business Practices and age discrimination against radio network and radio talk show host based on First Amendment rights of network and host; recovered award of attorneys’ fees; dismissal upheld on appeal in published opinion including award of attorneys’ fees.
- Won $1,700,000 breach of contract judgment jury trial against two of nation’s largest real estate developers
- Won $1,700,000 breach of contract judgment for broker after two week Superior Court jury trial against two of the nation’s largest real estate developers; won appeal in which judgment was affirmed in full and review was denied in the California Supreme Court; collected over $2,000,000 after appeals were denied.
- Won emergency order – writ of possession for Madison Avenue media and advertising company
- Won emergency order – writ of possession and successfully resolved case for Madison Avenue media and advertising company in contract action against company represented by Johnny L. Cochran, Jr. and Carl Douglas of “O.J. Dream Team” fame.
- Won award of specific performance following arbitration hearing
- Won award of specific performance regarding option to buy oil producing property and leases in downtown Los Angeles following arbitration hearing.
- Won Summary Adjudication in in casualty case
- Won Summary Adjudication dismissing uninsured punitive damages claims in casualty case against downtown property owner/manager.
- Won summary judgment in Superior Court regarding $3,100,000 shopping center loan.
- Won summary judgment in Superior Court for financial institution on title issue establishing validity and priority of security for $3,100,000 shopping center loan.
- Resolved property dispute for leading media company in Los Angeles
- Successfully resolved real property dispute for a leading media company over alleged right to restrict aerial access to giant wall mural in downtown Los Angeles overlooking L.A. Live/Staples Center.
- Won expungement of lis pendens that was preventing sale or refinancing of client’s apartment complex
- Won expungement of lis pendens that was preventing sale or refinancing of client’s apartment complex and obtained order for recovery of all attorneys’ fees, leading to dismissal of action by plaintiff and financial settlement.
- Won $2,500,000 compensatory and punitive damages judgment in securities and fraud case
- Won $2,500,000 compensatory and punitive damages judgment in securities and fraud case against Beverly Hills business manager; won appeal and collected judgment from funds held in Swiss bank.
- Won Federal Court trial dismissing $75 million claim against OEM automotive parts manufacturer
- Won Federal Court trial enforcing settlement agreement and dismissing $75 million underlying claim against OEM automotive parts manufacturer; won appeal in Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirming judgment; recovered attorneys’ fees at trial and on appeal.
- Won reversal of dismissal in Court of Appeal related to an insurance coverage/bad faith case
- Won reversal of dismissal in Court of Appeal and co-tried jury trial on remand against major casualty insurance company in insurance coverage/bad faith case; jury returned verdict in first phase of trial in 45 minutes, leading to confidential settlement.
- Won three week jury trial that led to a $2.32 million judgment
- Won three week jury trial co-tried in business fraud – real estate partnership dispute leading to $2.32 million judgment.
- Successfully resolved claim against real estate investment fund connected to $13 million contract
- Successfully resolved claim against real estate investment fund alleging alter ego liability as member of limited liability company for $13 million construction contract. Case successfully resolved through mediation while motion for summary judgment was pending.
- Obtained injunction and appointment of Receiver pending non-judicial foreclosure of $28 million mortgage loan
- Obtained injunction and appointment of Receiver pending non-judicial foreclosure of $28 million mortgage loan on luxury apartment complex in Warner Center recovering over $600,000 in net income before property was obtained by client through foreclosure and later sold to repay loan.
- Won injunctions against raiding of client’s employees by competitor
- Won preliminary and permanent injunctions against raiding of client’s employees by competitor and former employee working for competitor.
- Won claim litigation establishing validity of real estate secured lender’s $3.363 million claim
- Won claim litigation establishing validity of real estate secured lender’s $3.363 million claim against shopping center over objection in bankruptcy case; recovered full claim for attorneys’ fees in underlying action.
- Obtained order for real estate secured lender lifting stay of foreclosure on $45 million loan
- Obtained order for real estate secured lender lifting stay of foreclosure on $45 million loan secured by Santa Monica office building and requiring counsel for debtor to disgorge $108,500 in legal fees and pay client’s fees in sanctions.
- Won writs of attachment, orders appointing receiver, writs of possession, and preliminary injunctions
- Won numerous writs of attachment, orders appointing receiver, writs of possession, preliminary injunctions (including against moving assets out of state) for lenders and creditors.
- Won judgment for defendant clothing manufacturer in UCC-9 assignment of commercial paper case
- Won judgment for defendant clothing manufacturer in UCC-9 assignment of commercial paper case after removal to federal court and successful motion for summary judgment. Matter settled while on appeal to 9th Circuit.
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