Bernice Conn
Experience
- Trial and appellate practice involving complex, multi-district and class action litigation of commercial business disputes and consumer rights cases including misappropriation of trade secrets, unfair competition and antitrust on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants.
- Member of the Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. Pro Bono Committee (2000-2008)
- Hiring Partner, Los Angeles Office
Selected Results*
In Re Structured Settlement Litigation: As class counsel recovered $134 million on behalf of a class of 250 injured plaintiffs pursuing claims against major banks, financial institutions and brokerage houses for the loss of U.S. Treasury Bonds which were intended to fund structured settlements to be paid over a twenty-year span.
Represented a major medical device manufacturer in the binding arbitration of a breach of contract and antitrust dispute with a start-up company over development of new biomedical technology.
Advanced Bionics v. Medtronic, Inc. 29 Cal. 4th 697 (2002). Obtained a ruling from the California Supreme Court vacating an anti-suit injunction enjoining a parallel Minnesota lawsuit filed by a medical device manufacturer seeking to enforce a non-competition agreement in California, and ultimately obtained dismissal of the California lawsuit.
Represented British insurers and Japanese ship owners against the United States and the state of Oregon in both federal and state trial and appellate courts in claims for the recovery of natural resource damages and business losses arising from the wreck of a commercial freighter.
Following a federal bench trial of Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Claims, obtained a permanent injunction halting the development of a condominium project at Big Bear Lake and assessments of $1.3 million in federal fines levied against the developer. Center for Biological Diversity, et al. v. Marina Point Development Associates, et al. 434 F.Supp.2d 789 (C.D. Cal. 2006).
Recognition
- 2007 and 2008, Named a “Super Lawyer” by Law & Politics **
- 2006, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. Pro Bono Award Recipient
- 2000, Public Counsel Law Center Volunteer Recognition Award as Adoptions Project Coordinator
- 1994, The State Bar of California Wiley W. Manual Award for Pro Bono Legal Services
Memberships
Los Angeles County Bar Association, Litigation Section
Women Lawyers of Los Angeles, Chair, Litigation Section (1997 - 1998); member, Board of Governors (1997 - 1999); member, Judicial Nominations Committee
(2003 - present)
Member, Executive Committee - California State Bar Antitrust and Unfair Competition Section (2004 - 2007)
Member, Steering Committee, Break the Cycle’s Women Leadership Forum
(2004 - present)
Member, Board of Directors, Western Center on Law & Poverty (2004 - present); Vice-Chair, Board of Directors (2007-present)
Bar Admissions
- California
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Minnesota
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
Education
- Loyola Law School of Los Angeles, J.D.
- University of California at Los Angeles, B.A.
Selected Speeches
-
CAFA and Class Action Case Law Update
Bridgeport Continuing Legal Education, University of California - Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
(Scheduled for May 29, 2008)
-
California Unfair Competition Law Seminar: Panel Discussion - Recent Developments Since Prop. 64 and CAFA: Federal Courts' Perspective
State Bar Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Section
(May 19, 2006)
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