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Nixon, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee","years_held":"2007 - 2008"}],"first_name":"Lennette","title_rank":9999,"updated_by":32,"law_schools":[{"id":2174,"meta":{"degree":"J.D.","honors":"","is_law_school":"1","graduation_date":"2005-01-01 00:00:00"},"order":1,"pin_order":null,"pin_expiration":null}],"middle_name":" ","name_suffix":"","recognitions":[{"title":"Leaders of Influence: Minority Attorneys","detail":"Los Angeles Business Journal, 2023"},{"title":"Key Lawyer (Copyright Litigation - Tier 1 Ranking; Trademark Litigation - Tier 3 Ranking) ","detail":"The Legal 500, 2021"},{"title":"Southern California Super Lawyers","detail":"Rising Star - 2014–2019"},{"title":"Pro Bono Service Award recipient, ACLU Foundation of Southern California","detail":"2013"}],"linked_in_url":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennette-lee-los-angeles/","seodescription":null,"primary_title_id":15,"translated_fields":{"en":{"bio":"\u003cp\u003eLennette Lee\u0026rsquo;s practice extends to all areas of complex commercial litigation, with a particular emphasis on consumer class actions, intellectual property/media disputes, and employment and worker misclassification issues. Lennette has extensive experience leading the defense in high-stakes disputes through all phases of litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts, and has successfully tried multiple cases before juries and administrative bodies.[[--readmore--]]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eComplex Commercial Litigation\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eLennette\u0026rsquo;s civil litigation practice focuses on high-stakes disputes that span a wide range of claims including business torts, partnership disputes, breaches of contract, and environmental claims.\u0026nbsp; In 2019, she represented a tech start-up company in a 10-day jury trial for claims of breaches of warranty and fraud with damages exceeding $100 million, and secured a favorable settlement for the client just before a motion for new trial was to be heard by the court.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIntellectual Property/Media\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eLennette represents multiple entertainment and media conglomerates, including entertainment studios, music publishers and record labels, and media/news companies.\u0026nbsp; Her litigation work for these clients is focused on copyright infringement, trademark infringement, as well as licensing and\u0026nbsp;royalty disputes.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsumer and Employment Matters\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eLennette regularly defends clients including tech startups\u0026nbsp;and retail conglomerates in putative class, collective, and individual actions arising from consumer (TCPA, CLRA, unfair competition laws)\u0026nbsp;and employment (worker misclassification, discrimination, retaliation) issues.\u0026nbsp; Lennette also leads regulatory inquiries and develops bespoke Terms of Service/Terms of Use,\u0026nbsp;arbitration agreements, and other outward facing client policies to provide holistic advising on consumer and worker classification issues.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLennette is conversant in Chinese (Mandarin).\u0026nbsp; She proudly serves on the board of UNITE-LA, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating educational and career opportunities to the underserved youth and young adults in Los Angeles County.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Lennette was named by the Los Angeles Business Journal as a 2023\u0026nbsp;Leader of Influence - Minority Attorneys.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;She has also been regularly recognized as a Rising Star by Southern California Super Lawyers since 2014.\u0026nbsp; In 2013, Lennette was awarded the Pro Bono Service Award by the ACLU Foundation of Southern California.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLennette clerked for the Hon. John T. Nixon in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e","matters":["\u003cp\u003eFollowing a 10-day jury trial for claims of breaches of warranty and fraud with damages exceeding $100 million, obtained a favorable settlement on behalf of a tech start-up company\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eObtained a multi-million dollar arbitration award in FINRA, including punitive damages, against a financial services and investment firm\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSecured complete dismissal of class action alleging violations of California consumer protection laws against national storage company franchise\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLed the defense of a developer against allegations of multimillion-dollar damages from construction defects in a custom luxury residence, and obtained an early and favorable settlement\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSuccessfully recovered nearly 100 percent of the losses suffered by 23 victims of a Ponzi scheme operated out of a national broker-dealer\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRecovered more than $35 million in a mass-construction-defect case for a class of homeowners\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eObtained complete summary judgment victory on behalf of global retail company\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLeveraged an imminent summary judgment to obtain a favorable settlement on behalf of a global music publisher in a royalty dispute relating to the famed music composition \"La Vie en Rose\"\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIn a corporate embezzlement case against a former employee, successfully recovered approximately $1 million for the client in less than one week\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eObtained a 3-0 victory before the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of a woman seeking protection of her immigration status under the Convention against Torture in light of repeated abuse she suffered at the hands of a Mexican police officer, forcing her to hide from her abuser in the United States\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented an ACLU jail monitor following her firsthand observations of unwarranted deputy abuse of an incapacitated jail inmate, sparking an independent criminal investigation by federal authorities into Los Angeles County Sheriff\u0026rsquo;s Department\u003c/p\u003e"],"recognitions":[{"title":"Leaders of Influence: Minority Attorneys","detail":"Los Angeles Business Journal, 2023"},{"title":"Key Lawyer (Copyright Litigation - Tier 1 Ranking; Trademark Litigation - Tier 3 Ranking) ","detail":"The Legal 500, 2021"},{"title":"Southern California Super Lawyers","detail":"Rising Star - 2014–2019"},{"title":"Pro Bono Service Award recipient, ACLU Foundation of Southern California","detail":"2013"}]},"locales":["en"]},"secondary_title_id":null,"upload_assignments":{"headshot":[{"id":8088}]},"capability_group_id":3},"created_at":"2025-05-26T04:57:29.000Z","updated_at":"2025-05-26T04:57:29.000Z","searchable_text":"Lee{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Leaders of Influence: Minority Attorneys\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"Los Angeles Business Journal, 2023\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Key Lawyer (Copyright Litigation - Tier 1 Ranking; Trademark Litigation - Tier 3 Ranking) \", :detail=\u0026gt;\"The Legal 500, 2021\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Southern California Super Lawyers\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"Rising Star - 2014–2019\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Pro Bono Service Award recipient, ACLU Foundation of Southern California\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"2013\"}{{ FIELD }}Following a 10-day jury trial for claims of breaches of warranty and fraud with damages exceeding $100 million, obtained a favorable settlement on behalf of a tech start-up company{{ FIELD }}Obtained a multi-million dollar arbitration award in FINRA, including punitive damages, against a financial services and investment firm{{ FIELD }}Secured complete dismissal of class action alleging violations of California consumer protection laws against national storage company franchise{{ FIELD }}Led the defense of a developer against allegations of multimillion-dollar damages from construction defects in a custom luxury residence, and obtained an early and favorable settlement{{ FIELD }}Successfully recovered nearly 100 percent of the losses suffered by 23 victims of a Ponzi scheme operated out of a national broker-dealer{{ FIELD }}Recovered more than $35 million in a mass-construction-defect case for a class of homeowners{{ FIELD }}Obtained complete summary judgment victory on behalf of global retail company{{ FIELD }}Leveraged an imminent summary judgment to obtain a favorable settlement on behalf of a global music publisher in a royalty dispute relating to the famed music composition \"La Vie en Rose\"{{ FIELD }}In a corporate embezzlement case against a former employee, successfully recovered approximately $1 million for the client in less than one week{{ FIELD }}Obtained a 3-0 victory before the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of a woman seeking protection of her immigration status under the Convention against Torture in light of repeated abuse she suffered at the hands of a Mexican police officer, forcing her to hide from her abuser in the United States{{ FIELD }}Represented an ACLU jail monitor following her firsthand observations of unwarranted deputy abuse of an incapacitated jail inmate, sparking an independent criminal investigation by federal authorities into Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department{{ FIELD }}Lennette Lee’s practice extends to all areas of complex commercial litigation, with a particular emphasis on consumer class actions, intellectual property/media disputes, and employment and worker misclassification issues. Lennette has extensive experience leading the defense in high-stakes disputes through all phases of litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts, and has successfully tried multiple cases before juries and administrative bodies.\nComplex Commercial LitigationLennette’s civil litigation practice focuses on high-stakes disputes that span a wide range of claims including business torts, partnership disputes, breaches of contract, and environmental claims.  In 2019, she represented a tech start-up company in a 10-day jury trial for claims of breaches of warranty and fraud with damages exceeding $100 million, and secured a favorable settlement for the client just before a motion for new trial was to be heard by the court.\nIntellectual Property/MediaLennette represents multiple entertainment and media conglomerates, including entertainment studios, music publishers and record labels, and media/news companies.  Her litigation work for these clients is focused on copyright infringement, trademark infringement, as well as licensing and royalty disputes. \nConsumer and Employment MattersLennette regularly defends clients including tech startups and retail conglomerates in putative class, collective, and individual actions arising from consumer (TCPA, CLRA, unfair competition laws) and employment (worker misclassification, discrimination, retaliation) issues.  Lennette also leads regulatory inquiries and develops bespoke Terms of Service/Terms of Use, arbitration agreements, and other outward facing client policies to provide holistic advising on consumer and worker classification issues. \nLennette is conversant in Chinese (Mandarin).  She proudly serves on the board of UNITE-LA, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating educational and career opportunities to the underserved youth and young adults in Los Angeles County.  Lennette was named by the Los Angeles Business Journal as a 2023 Leader of Influence - Minority Attorneys.  She has also been regularly recognized as a Rising Star by Southern California Super Lawyers since 2014.  In 2013, Lennette was awarded the Pro Bono Service Award by the ACLU Foundation of Southern California. \nLennette clerked for the Hon. John T. Nixon in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.    Partner Leaders of Influence: Minority Attorneys Los Angeles Business Journal, 2023 Key Lawyer (Copyright Litigation - Tier 1 Ranking; Trademark Litigation - Tier 3 Ranking)  The Legal 500, 2021 Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Star - 2014–2019 Pro Bono Service Award recipient, ACLU Foundation of Southern California 2013 Rice University  University of Chicago University of Chicago Law School U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit U.S. District Court for the Central District of California U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California California Texas Judicial Clerk, Hon. John T. Nixon, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee Following a 10-day jury trial for claims of breaches of warranty and fraud with damages exceeding $100 million, obtained a favorable settlement on behalf of a tech start-up company Obtained a multi-million dollar arbitration award in FINRA, including punitive damages, against a financial services and investment firm Secured complete dismissal of class action alleging violations of California consumer protection laws against national storage company franchise Led the defense of a developer against allegations of multimillion-dollar damages from construction defects in a custom luxury residence, and obtained an early and favorable settlement Successfully recovered nearly 100 percent of the losses suffered by 23 victims of a Ponzi scheme operated out of a national broker-dealer Recovered more than $35 million in a mass-construction-defect case for a class of homeowners Obtained complete summary judgment victory on behalf of global retail company Leveraged an imminent summary judgment to obtain a favorable settlement on behalf of a global music publisher in a royalty dispute relating to the famed music composition \"La Vie en Rose\" In a corporate embezzlement case against a former employee, successfully recovered approximately $1 million for the client in less than one week Obtained a 3-0 victory before the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of a woman seeking protection of her immigration status under the Convention against Torture in light of repeated abuse she suffered at the hands of a Mexican police officer, forcing her to hide from her abuser in the United States Represented an ACLU jail monitor following her firsthand observations of unwarranted deputy abuse of an incapacitated jail inmate, sparking an independent criminal investigation by federal authorities into Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department","searchable_name":"Lennette Lee","is_active":true,"featured":null,"publish_date":null,"expiration_date":null,"blog_featured":null,"published_by":32,"capability_group_featured":null,"home_page_featured":null},{"id":444238,"version":1,"owner_type":"Person","owner_id":5746,"payload":{"bio":"\u003cp\u003eMike Leslie is an accomplished trial lawyer and negotiator who focuses on complex environmental litigation, including litigation brought under CERCLA, CEQA, common law environmental torts, and California\u0026rsquo;s Proposition 65. Mike is a\u0026nbsp;leader in the fields of ESG, \"Greenwashing,\" and state and federal Environmental Justice issues and has published and spoken widely on these topics. Mike also has deep expertise in complex commercial litigation, having prevailed in cases involving real estate, class actions, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, misappropriation of trade secrets, and Section 17200, California\u0026rsquo;s unfair business practices statute.\u0026nbsp;[[--readmore--]]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMike has a long-standing record of successfully representing clients in the litigation and trial of high-stakes complex actions. Mike regularly represents Fortune 500 corporations, multinational energy companies, governmental agencies, and small businesses. He has tried numerous cases to verdict, negotiated complex multi-party consent decrees with state and federal agencies, and won both significant plaintiff and defense verdicts. In addition to his busy trial practice, he has also won important appeals for his clients before the California Court of Appeal and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMike is a leader in many of the leading environmental bar organizations and is also a frequent speaker on complex litigation and trial practice:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \"ESG and EJ at the Crossroads,\" American Bar Association, Environmental \u0026amp; Energy Litigation, Mass Torts, Products Liability Seminar (January 2025)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \"The Rise of ESG in Litigation: Impacts and Implications for Environmental Litigation, Products Liability and Mass Torts,\" American Bar Association, Environmental \u0026amp; Energy Litigation, Mass Torts, Products Liability Seminar (February 2023)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eModerator, \"EJ Toolkit: State \u0026amp; Federal Policies and Initiatives,\" California Lawyers Association, 31st Annual Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite (October 2022)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \"Water Justice and Water Equity: Environmental Justice Issues in Water Law,\"\u0026nbsp;Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law, 68th Annual Natural Resources and Energy Law Institute (July 2022)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eModerator, \"Environmental Justice Rises to the Forefront: Litigation, Regulatory and Legislative Impacts,\" ABA Environmental \u0026amp; Energy, Mass Torts and Products Liability Litigation Committees' Joint CLE Seminar (January 2022)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eModerator, \"Burning Issues in Climate Change: Litigation and Legislation in 2021 and Beyond,\" ABA Environmental \u0026amp; Energy Litigation, Mass Torts and Products Liability Committees' Joint CLE Seminar (January 2021)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eModerator, \"Impacts of COVID-19 on Federal and State Enforcement Actions and Clean-Ups: Force Majeure in the COVID Era,\" ABA Environmental \u0026amp; Energy Litigation, Mass Torts and Products Liability Committees' Joint CLE Seminar (January 2021)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker and Moderator, \"Groundwater as a Resource and Emerging Contaminants,\" 2017 Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite,\u0026nbsp;California State Bar Environmental Law Section (October 2017)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker and Organizer, \"Private Enforcement of Environmental Law: Key Developments, Trends and Tactics,\" California State Bar Environmental Law Section (May\u0026nbsp;2016)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eModerator, \"Report from the Paris Climate Change Conference: Decisions Reached, Open Issues and the Path Forward,\" California State Bar Environmental Law Section (April 2016)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \"Strategies for Managing Complex Environmental Matters,\" Los Angeles County Bar Association, Spring Environmental Law Symposium (March 2015)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \u0026ldquo;Environmental Due Diligence: What Really Matters,\u0026rdquo; California State Bar Real Estate Section Retreat (May 2015)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \u0026ldquo;Impacts of the U.S. Supreme Court's Ruling in CTS Corp. v. Waldburger on CERCLA\u0026rsquo;s Preemption of State Limitations Periods for Property and Personal Injury Claims,\u0026rdquo; Los Angeles County Bar Association (August 2014)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \"California's Revised Industrial Stormwater Regulations,\" Los Angeles County Bar Association (December 2013)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \u0026ldquo;CERCLA's Mid-Life Crisis: How Best to Navigate Cost Recovery Actions,\u0026rdquo; 2013 Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite, California State Bar Environmental Law Section (October 2013)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker and Moderator, \u0026ldquo;Lessons Learned From the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill,\u0026rdquo; 2011 Fall Environmental Law Symposium, Los Angeles County Bar Association Environmental Law Section (March 2011)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChair, \u0026ldquo;The Greening of California: Achieving Green Goals in a Time of Limited Financial Resources,\u0026rdquo; 2011 Spring Super Symposium, Los Angeles County Bar Association Environmental Law Section (March 2011)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \u0026ldquo;Greenhouse Gases: Cap and Trade, Regulatory Strategies, and Impacts on Our Economy and Environment,\u0026rdquo; Los Angeles County Bar Association (April 2011)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \u0026ldquo;Effective Opening Statements and Closing Arguments,\u0026rdquo; 2005 Environmental Trial Academy, California State Bar Association\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \u0026ldquo;Seminar with Complex Court Judges and Selected Counsel Concerning Creative Techniques and Complex Case Management for Trials and Fact-Finding,\u0026rdquo; Los Angeles County Bar Association Litigation Section (2002)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e","slug":"michael-leslie","email":"mleslie@kslaw.com","phone":null,"matters":["\u003cp\u003eSubstituted into a complicated enforcement action as lead trial counsel a mere ten days before trial at the request of the State of California. Working with the California Attorney General\u0026rsquo;s office, Mike and the team represented the California Air Resources Board in the trial of an enforcement action brought against a major vehicle and engine manufacturer. The manufacturer had brought a cross-claim against the agency, alleging regulatory and constitutional violations, and seeking sweeping injunctive and declaratory relief, including dismissal of the enforcement action. After multiple witnesses and days of trial, the manufacturer agreed to dismiss its cross-claim with prejudice and to pay CARB almost $2 million, plus an additional amount to be suspended conditioned upon the manufacturer\u0026rsquo;s future compliance with the engine emissions certification laws, thus resolving the case.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eObtained a defense verdict after a five-week jury trial in federal court in San Francisco. As lead trial counsel, Mike represented a multinational energy company against claims for compensatory damages of $25 million, as well as punitive damages, brought by a local governmental body that had been compelled to clean up wastes left over when its tenant, an oil recycler, went out of business. After only two hours of deliberation, the jury rendered a complete defense verdict in our client\u0026rsquo;s favor, awarding the plaintiff nothing. After the plaintiff appealed, Mike argued the case before the Ninth Circuit and won an opinion affirming the defense judgment in all respects.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented a large energy company in a ten-week jury trial involving claims by a land company for cleanup of hydrocarbon contamination after substituting into the action a mere three weeks before trial. Although the plaintiff went to the jury with a damages claim of almost $70 million\u0026mdash;raised to more than $120 million at trial\u0026mdash;and also asserted a claim for punitive damages, Mike won a nonsuit on the punitive damages claim and obtained a jury verdict for his client on two out of the three areas of contamination at issue. The award on the remaining plume\u0026mdash;after the verdict was reduced by more than $14 million on Mike\u0026rsquo;s successful appeal\u0026mdash;was $3.9 million, almost $20 million less than the plaintiff\u0026rsquo;s pretrial settlement demand.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented several California State agencies against an oil shipper and several other defendants who were involved in a spill of 400,000 gallons of Alaska North Slope crude oil onto Orange County beaches, forcing widespread beach closures. After extensive litigation leading to $11 million in settlements with three of the defendants and precedent-setting decisions from both the Ninth Circuit and the California Court of Appeal, Mike and his team recovered an $18 million jury verdict against the ship owner. This verdict was one of the first natural resource damage claims to go to trial and was reported as one of the ten largest jury verdicts that year.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented defrauded investors in a fraud and RICO action against the financiers, attorneys, and promoters of a failed residential housing development. After pretrial settlements with most of the defendants, Mike and the team tried the case to a multimillion-dollar jury verdict against one of California\u0026rsquo;s largest banks. The case then settled on favorable terms, resulting in complete recovery for the 62 plaintiffs.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWon summary judgment dismissing numerous tort, nuisance, and environmental claims brought by dozens of condominium owners and a condominium owners association on behalf of the client, a multinational oil company. The case arose out of a 110-unit condominium development built on a site that was a former terminal facility, which was sold by the client more than 25 years previously to another company. The plaintiffs presented a demand of more than $35 million, claiming property damage, diminution of value, nuisance damages, and emotional distress.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWon summary judgment in a major case on behalf of the client, a large energy company. The plaintiff, a large real estate developer, claimed that historical contamination by Mike\u0026rsquo;s client led to an alleged $50 to $100 million in lost sales, costs, and damages. After almost five years of discovery and motion practice, in which Mike successfully knocked out all of the fraud, nondisclosure, and punitive damage claims, Mike obtained summary judgment dismissing all of the negligence, nuisance, trespass, and other tort claims, and reducing the damages in the case from an alleged $50 to $100 million to a small breach of contract claim over environmental consulting costs, which subsequently settled.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented a group of investors who were defrauded by the registered financial representative of a large independent brokerage. After defeating the brokerage\u0026rsquo;s effort to force the case into a FINRA arbitration\u0026mdash;including obtaining an opinion by the court of appeal affirming the trial court\u0026rsquo;s ruling denying arbitration\u0026mdash;the team successfully litigated the case, ultimately settling the investors\u0026rsquo; claims on the eve of trial for the majority of their investment losses.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIn a case alleging fraud in the sale of an oil field in Santa Barbara County, where the plaintiff sought millions of dollars in compensatory and punitive damages against our client, Mike obtained summary judgment on the eve of trial dismissing all of the plaintiff\u0026rsquo;s claims. Mike then defended plaintiff\u0026rsquo;s appeal of the summary judgment, winning an affirmance of the summary judgment from the court of appeal, ending the litigation.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRegularly represents potentially responsible parties (\u0026ldquo;PRPs\u0026rdquo;) in the prosecution and defense of CERCLA contribution actions, federal and state environmental investigations, and complex multi-plaintiff and multi-defendant toxic tort actions, such as those involving the Burbank Operable Unit of the San Fernando Valley Groundwater Superfund Site and the El Monte Operable Unit of the San Gabriel Valley Groundwater Superfund Site.\u003c/p\u003e"],"taggings":{"tags":[],"meta_tags":[{"id":3637}]},"expertise":[{"id":74,"guid":"74.capabilities","index":0,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":71,"guid":"71.capabilities","index":1,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":5,"guid":"5.capabilities","index":2,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":1236,"guid":"1236.smart_tags","index":3,"source":"smartTags"},{"id":16,"guid":"16.capabilities","index":4,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":102,"guid":"102.capabilities","index":5,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":127,"guid":"127.capabilities","index":6,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":125,"guid":"125.capabilities","index":7,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":3,"guid":"3.capabilities","index":8,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":750,"guid":"750.smart_tags","index":9,"source":"smartTags"},{"id":1206,"guid":"1206.smart_tags","index":10,"source":"smartTags"},{"id":1205,"guid":"1205.smart_tags","index":11,"source":"smartTags"},{"id":107,"guid":"107.capabilities","index":12,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":1248,"guid":"1248.smart_tags","index":13,"source":"smartTags"},{"id":1409,"guid":"1409.smart_tags","index":14,"source":"smartTags"},{"id":1488,"guid":"1488.smart_tags","index":15,"source":"smartTags"}],"is_active":true,"last_name":"Leslie","nick_name":"Michael","clerkships":[{"name":"Judicial Clerk, Hon. A. Wallace Tashima, Central District of California","years_held":"1985 - 1986"}],"first_name":"Michael","title_rank":9999,"updated_by":32,"law_schools":[{"id":1904,"meta":{"degree":"J.D.","honors":"","is_law_school":"1","graduation_date":"1985-01-01 00:00:00"},"order":1,"pin_order":null,"pin_expiration":null}],"middle_name":"R.","name_suffix":"","recognitions":[{"title":"Best Lawyers in America – Environmental Litigator of the Year – Los Angeles","detail":"2016, 2024"},{"title":"Best Lawyers in America – Environmental Litigation","detail":"2013–present"},{"title":"Chambers USA--Ranked lawyer in Environmental Litigation","detail":"Band 3"},{"title":"Benchmark Litigation – National and California Litigation Star, Environmental, General Commercial","detail":"2018-present"},{"title":"Southern California Super Lawyers ","detail":"2004–present"},{"title":"Martindale-Hubbell ","detail":"AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated"}],"linked_in_url":null,"seodescription":"Michael R. Leslie is a lawyer of our Business Litigation Practice Group. Read more about him.","primary_title_id":15,"translated_fields":{"en":{"bio":"\u003cp\u003eMike Leslie is an accomplished trial lawyer and negotiator who focuses on complex environmental litigation, including litigation brought under CERCLA, CEQA, common law environmental torts, and California\u0026rsquo;s Proposition 65. Mike is a\u0026nbsp;leader in the fields of ESG, \"Greenwashing,\" and state and federal Environmental Justice issues and has published and spoken widely on these topics. Mike also has deep expertise in complex commercial litigation, having prevailed in cases involving real estate, class actions, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, misappropriation of trade secrets, and Section 17200, California\u0026rsquo;s unfair business practices statute.\u0026nbsp;[[--readmore--]]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMike has a long-standing record of successfully representing clients in the litigation and trial of high-stakes complex actions. Mike regularly represents Fortune 500 corporations, multinational energy companies, governmental agencies, and small businesses. He has tried numerous cases to verdict, negotiated complex multi-party consent decrees with state and federal agencies, and won both significant plaintiff and defense verdicts. In addition to his busy trial practice, he has also won important appeals for his clients before the California Court of Appeal and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMike is a leader in many of the leading environmental bar organizations and is also a frequent speaker on complex litigation and trial practice:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \"ESG and EJ at the Crossroads,\" American Bar Association, Environmental \u0026amp; Energy Litigation, Mass Torts, Products Liability Seminar (January 2025)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \"The Rise of ESG in Litigation: Impacts and Implications for Environmental Litigation, Products Liability and Mass Torts,\" American Bar Association, Environmental \u0026amp; Energy Litigation, Mass Torts, Products Liability Seminar (February 2023)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eModerator, \"EJ Toolkit: State \u0026amp; Federal Policies and Initiatives,\" California Lawyers Association, 31st Annual Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite (October 2022)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \"Water Justice and Water Equity: Environmental Justice Issues in Water Law,\"\u0026nbsp;Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law, 68th Annual Natural Resources and Energy Law Institute (July 2022)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eModerator, \"Environmental Justice Rises to the Forefront: Litigation, Regulatory and Legislative Impacts,\" ABA Environmental \u0026amp; Energy, Mass Torts and Products Liability Litigation Committees' Joint CLE Seminar (January 2022)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eModerator, \"Burning Issues in Climate Change: Litigation and Legislation in 2021 and Beyond,\" ABA Environmental \u0026amp; Energy Litigation, Mass Torts and Products Liability Committees' Joint CLE Seminar (January 2021)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eModerator, \"Impacts of COVID-19 on Federal and State Enforcement Actions and Clean-Ups: Force Majeure in the COVID Era,\" ABA Environmental \u0026amp; Energy Litigation, Mass Torts and Products Liability Committees' Joint CLE Seminar (January 2021)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker and Moderator, \"Groundwater as a Resource and Emerging Contaminants,\" 2017 Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite,\u0026nbsp;California State Bar Environmental Law Section (October 2017)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker and Organizer, \"Private Enforcement of Environmental Law: Key Developments, Trends and Tactics,\" California State Bar Environmental Law Section (May\u0026nbsp;2016)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eModerator, \"Report from the Paris Climate Change Conference: Decisions Reached, Open Issues and the Path Forward,\" California State Bar Environmental Law Section (April 2016)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \"Strategies for Managing Complex Environmental Matters,\" Los Angeles County Bar Association, Spring Environmental Law Symposium (March 2015)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \u0026ldquo;Environmental Due Diligence: What Really Matters,\u0026rdquo; California State Bar Real Estate Section Retreat (May 2015)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \u0026ldquo;Impacts of the U.S. Supreme Court's Ruling in CTS Corp. v. Waldburger on CERCLA\u0026rsquo;s Preemption of State Limitations Periods for Property and Personal Injury Claims,\u0026rdquo; Los Angeles County Bar Association (August 2014)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \"California's Revised Industrial Stormwater Regulations,\" Los Angeles County Bar Association (December 2013)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \u0026ldquo;CERCLA's Mid-Life Crisis: How Best to Navigate Cost Recovery Actions,\u0026rdquo; 2013 Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite, California State Bar Environmental Law Section (October 2013)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker and Moderator, \u0026ldquo;Lessons Learned From the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill,\u0026rdquo; 2011 Fall Environmental Law Symposium, Los Angeles County Bar Association Environmental Law Section (March 2011)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChair, \u0026ldquo;The Greening of California: Achieving Green Goals in a Time of Limited Financial Resources,\u0026rdquo; 2011 Spring Super Symposium, Los Angeles County Bar Association Environmental Law Section (March 2011)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \u0026ldquo;Greenhouse Gases: Cap and Trade, Regulatory Strategies, and Impacts on Our Economy and Environment,\u0026rdquo; Los Angeles County Bar Association (April 2011)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \u0026ldquo;Effective Opening Statements and Closing Arguments,\u0026rdquo; 2005 Environmental Trial Academy, California State Bar Association\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeaker, \u0026ldquo;Seminar with Complex Court Judges and Selected Counsel Concerning Creative Techniques and Complex Case Management for Trials and Fact-Finding,\u0026rdquo; Los Angeles County Bar Association Litigation Section (2002)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e","matters":["\u003cp\u003eSubstituted into a complicated enforcement action as lead trial counsel a mere ten days before trial at the request of the State of California. Working with the California Attorney General\u0026rsquo;s office, Mike and the team represented the California Air Resources Board in the trial of an enforcement action brought against a major vehicle and engine manufacturer. The manufacturer had brought a cross-claim against the agency, alleging regulatory and constitutional violations, and seeking sweeping injunctive and declaratory relief, including dismissal of the enforcement action. After multiple witnesses and days of trial, the manufacturer agreed to dismiss its cross-claim with prejudice and to pay CARB almost $2 million, plus an additional amount to be suspended conditioned upon the manufacturer\u0026rsquo;s future compliance with the engine emissions certification laws, thus resolving the case.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eObtained a defense verdict after a five-week jury trial in federal court in San Francisco. As lead trial counsel, Mike represented a multinational energy company against claims for compensatory damages of $25 million, as well as punitive damages, brought by a local governmental body that had been compelled to clean up wastes left over when its tenant, an oil recycler, went out of business. After only two hours of deliberation, the jury rendered a complete defense verdict in our client\u0026rsquo;s favor, awarding the plaintiff nothing. After the plaintiff appealed, Mike argued the case before the Ninth Circuit and won an opinion affirming the defense judgment in all respects.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented a large energy company in a ten-week jury trial involving claims by a land company for cleanup of hydrocarbon contamination after substituting into the action a mere three weeks before trial. Although the plaintiff went to the jury with a damages claim of almost $70 million\u0026mdash;raised to more than $120 million at trial\u0026mdash;and also asserted a claim for punitive damages, Mike won a nonsuit on the punitive damages claim and obtained a jury verdict for his client on two out of the three areas of contamination at issue. The award on the remaining plume\u0026mdash;after the verdict was reduced by more than $14 million on Mike\u0026rsquo;s successful appeal\u0026mdash;was $3.9 million, almost $20 million less than the plaintiff\u0026rsquo;s pretrial settlement demand.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented several California State agencies against an oil shipper and several other defendants who were involved in a spill of 400,000 gallons of Alaska North Slope crude oil onto Orange County beaches, forcing widespread beach closures. After extensive litigation leading to $11 million in settlements with three of the defendants and precedent-setting decisions from both the Ninth Circuit and the California Court of Appeal, Mike and his team recovered an $18 million jury verdict against the ship owner. This verdict was one of the first natural resource damage claims to go to trial and was reported as one of the ten largest jury verdicts that year.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented defrauded investors in a fraud and RICO action against the financiers, attorneys, and promoters of a failed residential housing development. After pretrial settlements with most of the defendants, Mike and the team tried the case to a multimillion-dollar jury verdict against one of California\u0026rsquo;s largest banks. The case then settled on favorable terms, resulting in complete recovery for the 62 plaintiffs.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWon summary judgment dismissing numerous tort, nuisance, and environmental claims brought by dozens of condominium owners and a condominium owners association on behalf of the client, a multinational oil company. The case arose out of a 110-unit condominium development built on a site that was a former terminal facility, which was sold by the client more than 25 years previously to another company. The plaintiffs presented a demand of more than $35 million, claiming property damage, diminution of value, nuisance damages, and emotional distress.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWon summary judgment in a major case on behalf of the client, a large energy company. The plaintiff, a large real estate developer, claimed that historical contamination by Mike\u0026rsquo;s client led to an alleged $50 to $100 million in lost sales, costs, and damages. After almost five years of discovery and motion practice, in which Mike successfully knocked out all of the fraud, nondisclosure, and punitive damage claims, Mike obtained summary judgment dismissing all of the negligence, nuisance, trespass, and other tort claims, and reducing the damages in the case from an alleged $50 to $100 million to a small breach of contract claim over environmental consulting costs, which subsequently settled.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented a group of investors who were defrauded by the registered financial representative of a large independent brokerage. After defeating the brokerage\u0026rsquo;s effort to force the case into a FINRA arbitration\u0026mdash;including obtaining an opinion by the court of appeal affirming the trial court\u0026rsquo;s ruling denying arbitration\u0026mdash;the team successfully litigated the case, ultimately settling the investors\u0026rsquo; claims on the eve of trial for the majority of their investment losses.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIn a case alleging fraud in the sale of an oil field in Santa Barbara County, where the plaintiff sought millions of dollars in compensatory and punitive damages against our client, Mike obtained summary judgment on the eve of trial dismissing all of the plaintiff\u0026rsquo;s claims. Mike then defended plaintiff\u0026rsquo;s appeal of the summary judgment, winning an affirmance of the summary judgment from the court of appeal, ending the litigation.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRegularly represents potentially responsible parties (\u0026ldquo;PRPs\u0026rdquo;) in the prosecution and defense of CERCLA contribution actions, federal and state environmental investigations, and complex multi-plaintiff and multi-defendant toxic tort actions, such as those involving the Burbank Operable Unit of the San Fernando Valley Groundwater Superfund Site and the El Monte Operable Unit of the San Gabriel Valley Groundwater Superfund Site.\u003c/p\u003e"],"recognitions":[{"title":"Best Lawyers in America – Environmental Litigator of the Year – Los Angeles","detail":"2016, 2024"},{"title":"Best Lawyers in America – Environmental Litigation","detail":"2013–present"},{"title":"Chambers USA--Ranked lawyer in Environmental Litigation","detail":"Band 3"},{"title":"Benchmark Litigation – National and California Litigation Star, Environmental, General Commercial","detail":"2018-present"},{"title":"Southern California Super Lawyers ","detail":"2004–present"},{"title":"Martindale-Hubbell ","detail":"AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated"}]},"locales":["en"]},"secondary_title_id":null,"upload_assignments":{"headshot":[{"id":8089}]},"capability_group_id":3},"created_at":"2025-12-12T21:57:35.000Z","updated_at":"2025-12-12T21:57:35.000Z","searchable_text":"Leslie{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Best Lawyers in America – Environmental Litigator of the Year – Los Angeles\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"2016, 2024\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Best Lawyers in America – Environmental Litigation\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"2013–present\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Chambers USA--Ranked lawyer in Environmental Litigation\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"Band 3\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Benchmark Litigation – National and California Litigation Star, Environmental, General Commercial\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"2018-present\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Southern California Super Lawyers \", :detail=\u0026gt;\"2004–present\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Martindale-Hubbell \", :detail=\u0026gt;\"AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated\"}{{ FIELD }}Substituted into a complicated enforcement action as lead trial counsel a mere ten days before trial at the request of the State of California. Working with the California Attorney General’s office, Mike and the team represented the California Air Resources Board in the trial of an enforcement action brought against a major vehicle and engine manufacturer. The manufacturer had brought a cross-claim against the agency, alleging regulatory and constitutional violations, and seeking sweeping injunctive and declaratory relief, including dismissal of the enforcement action. After multiple witnesses and days of trial, the manufacturer agreed to dismiss its cross-claim with prejudice and to pay CARB almost $2 million, plus an additional amount to be suspended conditioned upon the manufacturer’s future compliance with the engine emissions certification laws, thus resolving the case.{{ FIELD }}Obtained a defense verdict after a five-week jury trial in federal court in San Francisco. As lead trial counsel, Mike represented a multinational energy company against claims for compensatory damages of $25 million, as well as punitive damages, brought by a local governmental body that had been compelled to clean up wastes left over when its tenant, an oil recycler, went out of business. After only two hours of deliberation, the jury rendered a complete defense verdict in our client’s favor, awarding the plaintiff nothing. After the plaintiff appealed, Mike argued the case before the Ninth Circuit and won an opinion affirming the defense judgment in all respects.{{ FIELD }}Represented a large energy company in a ten-week jury trial involving claims by a land company for cleanup of hydrocarbon contamination after substituting into the action a mere three weeks before trial. Although the plaintiff went to the jury with a damages claim of almost $70 million—raised to more than $120 million at trial—and also asserted a claim for punitive damages, Mike won a nonsuit on the punitive damages claim and obtained a jury verdict for his client on two out of the three areas of contamination at issue. The award on the remaining plume—after the verdict was reduced by more than $14 million on Mike’s successful appeal—was $3.9 million, almost $20 million less than the plaintiff’s pretrial settlement demand.{{ FIELD }}Represented several California State agencies against an oil shipper and several other defendants who were involved in a spill of 400,000 gallons of Alaska North Slope crude oil onto Orange County beaches, forcing widespread beach closures. After extensive litigation leading to $11 million in settlements with three of the defendants and precedent-setting decisions from both the Ninth Circuit and the California Court of Appeal, Mike and his team recovered an $18 million jury verdict against the ship owner. This verdict was one of the first natural resource damage claims to go to trial and was reported as one of the ten largest jury verdicts that year.{{ FIELD }}Represented defrauded investors in a fraud and RICO action against the financiers, attorneys, and promoters of a failed residential housing development. After pretrial settlements with most of the defendants, Mike and the team tried the case to a multimillion-dollar jury verdict against one of California’s largest banks. The case then settled on favorable terms, resulting in complete recovery for the 62 plaintiffs.{{ FIELD }}Won summary judgment dismissing numerous tort, nuisance, and environmental claims brought by dozens of condominium owners and a condominium owners association on behalf of the client, a multinational oil company. The case arose out of a 110-unit condominium development built on a site that was a former terminal facility, which was sold by the client more than 25 years previously to another company. The plaintiffs presented a demand of more than $35 million, claiming property damage, diminution of value, nuisance damages, and emotional distress.{{ FIELD }}Won summary judgment in a major case on behalf of the client, a large energy company. The plaintiff, a large real estate developer, claimed that historical contamination by Mike’s client led to an alleged $50 to $100 million in lost sales, costs, and damages. After almost five years of discovery and motion practice, in which Mike successfully knocked out all of the fraud, nondisclosure, and punitive damage claims, Mike obtained summary judgment dismissing all of the negligence, nuisance, trespass, and other tort claims, and reducing the damages in the case from an alleged $50 to $100 million to a small breach of contract claim over environmental consulting costs, which subsequently settled.{{ FIELD }}Represented a group of investors who were defrauded by the registered financial representative of a large independent brokerage. After defeating the brokerage’s effort to force the case into a FINRA arbitration—including obtaining an opinion by the court of appeal affirming the trial court’s ruling denying arbitration—the team successfully litigated the case, ultimately settling the investors’ claims on the eve of trial for the majority of their investment losses.{{ FIELD }}In a case alleging fraud in the sale of an oil field in Santa Barbara County, where the plaintiff sought millions of dollars in compensatory and punitive damages against our client, Mike obtained summary judgment on the eve of trial dismissing all of the plaintiff’s claims. Mike then defended plaintiff’s appeal of the summary judgment, winning an affirmance of the summary judgment from the court of appeal, ending the litigation.{{ FIELD }}Regularly represents potentially responsible parties (“PRPs”) in the prosecution and defense of CERCLA contribution actions, federal and state environmental investigations, and complex multi-plaintiff and multi-defendant toxic tort actions, such as those involving the Burbank Operable Unit of the San Fernando Valley Groundwater Superfund Site and the El Monte Operable Unit of the San Gabriel Valley Groundwater Superfund Site.{{ FIELD }}Mike Leslie is an accomplished trial lawyer and negotiator who focuses on complex environmental litigation, including litigation brought under CERCLA, CEQA, common law environmental torts, and California’s Proposition 65. Mike is a leader in the fields of ESG, \"Greenwashing,\" and state and federal Environmental Justice issues and has published and spoken widely on these topics. Mike also has deep expertise in complex commercial litigation, having prevailed in cases involving real estate, class actions, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, misappropriation of trade secrets, and Section 17200, California’s unfair business practices statute. \nMike has a long-standing record of successfully representing clients in the litigation and trial of high-stakes complex actions. Mike regularly represents Fortune 500 corporations, multinational energy companies, governmental agencies, and small businesses. He has tried numerous cases to verdict, negotiated complex multi-party consent decrees with state and federal agencies, and won both significant plaintiff and defense verdicts. In addition to his busy trial practice, he has also won important appeals for his clients before the California Court of Appeal and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.\nMike is a leader in many of the leading environmental bar organizations and is also a frequent speaker on complex litigation and trial practice:\n\nSpeaker, \"ESG and EJ at the Crossroads,\" American Bar Association, Environmental \u0026amp; Energy Litigation, Mass Torts, Products Liability Seminar (January 2025)\nSpeaker, \"The Rise of ESG in Litigation: Impacts and Implications for Environmental Litigation, Products Liability and Mass Torts,\" American Bar Association, Environmental \u0026amp; Energy Litigation, Mass Torts, Products Liability Seminar (February 2023)\nModerator, \"EJ Toolkit: State \u0026amp; Federal Policies and Initiatives,\" California Lawyers Association, 31st Annual Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite (October 2022)\nSpeaker, \"Water Justice and Water Equity: Environmental Justice Issues in Water Law,\" Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law, 68th Annual Natural Resources and Energy Law Institute (July 2022)\nModerator, \"Environmental Justice Rises to the Forefront: Litigation, Regulatory and Legislative Impacts,\" ABA Environmental \u0026amp; Energy, Mass Torts and Products Liability Litigation Committees' Joint CLE Seminar (January 2022)\nModerator, \"Burning Issues in Climate Change: Litigation and Legislation in 2021 and Beyond,\" ABA Environmental \u0026amp; Energy Litigation, Mass Torts and Products Liability Committees' Joint CLE Seminar (January 2021) \nModerator, \"Impacts of COVID-19 on Federal and State Enforcement Actions and Clean-Ups: Force Majeure in the COVID Era,\" ABA Environmental \u0026amp; Energy Litigation, Mass Torts and Products Liability Committees' Joint CLE Seminar (January 2021) \nSpeaker and Moderator, \"Groundwater as a Resource and Emerging Contaminants,\" 2017 Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite, California State Bar Environmental Law Section (October 2017)\nSpeaker and Organizer, \"Private Enforcement of Environmental Law: Key Developments, Trends and Tactics,\" California State Bar Environmental Law Section (May 2016)\nModerator, \"Report from the Paris Climate Change Conference: Decisions Reached, Open Issues and the Path Forward,\" California State Bar Environmental Law Section (April 2016)\nSpeaker, \"Strategies for Managing Complex Environmental Matters,\" Los Angeles County Bar Association, Spring Environmental Law Symposium (March 2015) \nSpeaker, “Environmental Due Diligence: What Really Matters,” California State Bar Real Estate Section Retreat (May 2015)\nSpeaker, “Impacts of the U.S. Supreme Court's Ruling in CTS Corp. v. Waldburger on CERCLA’s Preemption of State Limitations Periods for Property and Personal Injury Claims,” Los Angeles County Bar Association (August 2014)\nSpeaker, \"California's Revised Industrial Stormwater Regulations,\" Los Angeles County Bar Association (December 2013)\nSpeaker, “CERCLA's Mid-Life Crisis: How Best to Navigate Cost Recovery Actions,” 2013 Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite, California State Bar Environmental Law Section (October 2013)\nSpeaker and Moderator, “Lessons Learned From the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill,” 2011 Fall Environmental Law Symposium, Los Angeles County Bar Association Environmental Law Section (March 2011)\nChair, “The Greening of California: Achieving Green Goals in a Time of Limited Financial Resources,” 2011 Spring Super Symposium, Los Angeles County Bar Association Environmental Law Section (March 2011)\nSpeaker, “Greenhouse Gases: Cap and Trade, Regulatory Strategies, and Impacts on Our Economy and Environment,” Los Angeles County Bar Association (April 2011)\nSpeaker, “Effective Opening Statements and Closing Arguments,” 2005 Environmental Trial Academy, California State Bar Association\nSpeaker, “Seminar with Complex Court Judges and Selected Counsel Concerning Creative Techniques and Complex Case Management for Trials and Fact-Finding,” Los Angeles County Bar Association Litigation Section (2002)\n Michael Leslie lawyer Partner Best Lawyers in America – Environmental Litigator of the Year – Los Angeles 2016, 2024 Best Lawyers in America – Environmental Litigation 2013–present Chambers USA--Ranked lawyer in Environmental Litigation Band 3 Benchmark Litigation – National and California Litigation Star, Environmental, General Commercial 2018-present Southern California Super Lawyers  2004–present Martindale-Hubbell  AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated Dartmouth College  Stanford University Stanford Law School U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit U.S. District Court for the Central District of California U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California California Co-Chair, American Bar Association Litigation Section's Mass Environmental/Toxic Torts Subcommittee (2009–present) Executive Committee, California State Bar Environmental Law Section (2014–2017); Treasurer (2016–2017); Advisor (2017-present) Chair, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Environmental Law Section (2018); Vice-Chair, Treasurer (2014-2017); Executive Committee (2006–present) Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association – Litigation and Environmental Law Sections Member, American Bar Association – Litigation Section Member, Federal Bar Association Member, California Lawyers Association Executive Committee, American Bar Association, Energy \u0026amp; Environmental Litigation Committee (2009-present) Judicial Clerk, Hon. A. Wallace Tashima, Central District of California Substituted into a complicated enforcement action as lead trial counsel a mere ten days before trial at the request of the State of California. Working with the California Attorney General’s office, Mike and the team represented the California Air Resources Board in the trial of an enforcement action brought against a major vehicle and engine manufacturer. The manufacturer had brought a cross-claim against the agency, alleging regulatory and constitutional violations, and seeking sweeping injunctive and declaratory relief, including dismissal of the enforcement action. After multiple witnesses and days of trial, the manufacturer agreed to dismiss its cross-claim with prejudice and to pay CARB almost $2 million, plus an additional amount to be suspended conditioned upon the manufacturer’s future compliance with the engine emissions certification laws, thus resolving the case. Obtained a defense verdict after a five-week jury trial in federal court in San Francisco. As lead trial counsel, Mike represented a multinational energy company against claims for compensatory damages of $25 million, as well as punitive damages, brought by a local governmental body that had been compelled to clean up wastes left over when its tenant, an oil recycler, went out of business. After only two hours of deliberation, the jury rendered a complete defense verdict in our client’s favor, awarding the plaintiff nothing. After the plaintiff appealed, Mike argued the case before the Ninth Circuit and won an opinion affirming the defense judgment in all respects. Represented a large energy company in a ten-week jury trial involving claims by a land company for cleanup of hydrocarbon contamination after substituting into the action a mere three weeks before trial. Although the plaintiff went to the jury with a damages claim of almost $70 million—raised to more than $120 million at trial—and also asserted a claim for punitive damages, Mike won a nonsuit on the punitive damages claim and obtained a jury verdict for his client on two out of the three areas of contamination at issue. The award on the remaining plume—after the verdict was reduced by more than $14 million on Mike’s successful appeal—was $3.9 million, almost $20 million less than the plaintiff’s pretrial settlement demand. Represented several California State agencies against an oil shipper and several other defendants who were involved in a spill of 400,000 gallons of Alaska North Slope crude oil onto Orange County beaches, forcing widespread beach closures. After extensive litigation leading to $11 million in settlements with three of the defendants and precedent-setting decisions from both the Ninth Circuit and the California Court of Appeal, Mike and his team recovered an $18 million jury verdict against the ship owner. This verdict was one of the first natural resource damage claims to go to trial and was reported as one of the ten largest jury verdicts that year. Represented defrauded investors in a fraud and RICO action against the financiers, attorneys, and promoters of a failed residential housing development. After pretrial settlements with most of the defendants, Mike and the team tried the case to a multimillion-dollar jury verdict against one of California’s largest banks. The case then settled on favorable terms, resulting in complete recovery for the 62 plaintiffs. Won summary judgment dismissing numerous tort, nuisance, and environmental claims brought by dozens of condominium owners and a condominium owners association on behalf of the client, a multinational oil company. The case arose out of a 110-unit condominium development built on a site that was a former terminal facility, which was sold by the client more than 25 years previously to another company. The plaintiffs presented a demand of more than $35 million, claiming property damage, diminution of value, nuisance damages, and emotional distress. Won summary judgment in a major case on behalf of the client, a large energy company. The plaintiff, a large real estate developer, claimed that historical contamination by Mike’s client led to an alleged $50 to $100 million in lost sales, costs, and damages. After almost five years of discovery and motion practice, in which Mike successfully knocked out all of the fraud, nondisclosure, and punitive damage claims, Mike obtained summary judgment dismissing all of the negligence, nuisance, trespass, and other tort claims, and reducing the damages in the case from an alleged $50 to $100 million to a small breach of contract claim over environmental consulting costs, which subsequently settled. Represented a group of investors who were defrauded by the registered financial representative of a large independent brokerage. After defeating the brokerage’s effort to force the case into a FINRA arbitration—including obtaining an opinion by the court of appeal affirming the trial court’s ruling denying arbitration—the team successfully litigated the case, ultimately settling the investors’ claims on the eve of trial for the majority of their investment losses. In a case alleging fraud in the sale of an oil field in Santa Barbara County, where the plaintiff sought millions of dollars in compensatory and punitive damages against our client, Mike obtained summary judgment on the eve of trial dismissing all of the plaintiff’s claims. Mike then defended plaintiff’s appeal of the summary judgment, winning an affirmance of the summary judgment from the court of appeal, ending the litigation. Regularly represents potentially responsible parties (“PRPs”) in the prosecution and defense of CERCLA contribution actions, federal and state environmental investigations, and complex multi-plaintiff and multi-defendant toxic tort actions, such as those involving the Burbank Operable Unit of the San Fernando Valley Groundwater Superfund Site and the El Monte Operable Unit of the San Gabriel Valley Groundwater Superfund Site.","searchable_name":"Michael R. 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