We prepare for trial from the onset of representation, and have a reputation for aggressively pursuing our clients’ interests. Though the vast majority of cases resolve before trial, clients get the best results when attorneys focus from the start on what it takes to win.

We have handled every kind of litigation, for individuals and institutions alike, with a particular emphasis on preparing and taking cases to trial. Subject matter areas where our lawyers have extensive experience include arbitration, commercial litigation, insurance policyholder disputes, trade secrets, copyright and trademark litigation, shareholder disputes and corporate governance, real estate, and contested trust litigation. The firm's attorneys appear in state and federal trial and appellate courts nationwide.

Sawyer & Labar LLP represents plaintiffs and defendants in a wide array of complex business and commercial litigation, including disputes among partners and LLC members, trade secrets and employee mobility litigation, and copyright and trademark matters.

We work to understand our clients and their business needs, and tailor our approach to those needs. Our clients trust us with their high-stakes litigation, and we take that trust seriously: for each case, we develop a coherent strategy and consistently focus on preparing for trial or other final resolution.

Sawyer & Labar LLP has broad experience litigating individual and class action cases involving claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, whistleblower protections and wage and hour violations. The firm has successfully resolved complex matters involving simultaneous, overlapping class and PAGA claims spanning multiple jurisdictions, saving years of litigation and allowing clients to return to their core business. We also have represented numerous companies in cases alleging wrongful employee poaching, theft of trade secrets, and breach of restrictive covenants in state and federal courts in California and across the country.

Sawyer & Labar LLP provides legal counsel to individuals and business owners who are being treated unfairly by their insurance company. Regardless of the type of dispute, our goal is to provide insurance policyholders with all of the benefits that their insurance companies promised.

Our attorneys represent insurance policyholders in actions against their insurers for breach of contract, bad faith, misrepresentation, reformation, and other legal claims. We also represent policyholders on appeal and in class actions.

Our experienced team can also assist you with pre-litigation matters such as claim negotiation, examinations under oath (“EUO”) and appraisals. Indeed, because insurance companies know of our tenacity and willingness to take cases to trial, we are often successful in resolving disputes without litigation.

Sawyer & Labar LLP has successfully litigated against insurance companies on claims arising from:

• Business and residential property insurance

• Comprehensive general liability (“CGL”) insurance

• Directors and officers liability insurance

• Errors and omission insurance

• Disability and life insurance

Sawyer & Labar LLP’s attorneys represent securities firms and their registered professionals in a broad range of investigations and proceedings before financial regulators, including FINRA, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the California Department of Business Oversight, the PCAOB, and state boards of accountancy. Registered securities professionals are subject to stringent examination and disclosure requirements, which can have cascading effects in the overlapping regulatory environments that these professionals operate. Sawyer & Labar LLP knows how to navigate these spheres, from investigations through enforcement litigation, to help individual clients preserve their licensing and careers. The firm’s lawyers also have years of experience helping financial institutions respond to and manage regulatory examinations and responses.

Sawyer & Labar LLP also has expertise in defending against customer complaints and litigation, including claims relating to the standard of care and specific products. The firm’s lawyers have litigated these cases in state and federal court as well as multiple arbitration forums, including FINRA, AAA and JAMS.

We frequently represent dissenting shareholders or company management in cases involving allegations of mismanagement, misappropriation, and breaches of fiduciary duty. We have pursued and defended shareholder derivative actions, and have represented clients in SEC investigations and enforcement actions, including at trial against the SEC.

Sawyer & Labar LLP has litigated trust disputes with hundreds of millions of dollars in dispute, taking the cases through trial or successfully resolving them prior to trial. We have represented trustees, beneficiaries, and disinherited heirs alike. Our practice encompasses the wide range of claims and practical nuances encountered in these types of cases, and where appropriate we partner with attorneys experienced in trust administration to further our clients’ interests.