Litigation

The litigation team you want in your corner

Disputes, handled. Conflict, resolved. Cases, won. At Brownstein, we’re committed to defending your best interests—whether that’s in or out of the courtroom, through trial or appeal, in federal or state court. With a strong track record, senior representation and extensive geographic reach, there’s no better litigation team to tackle your biggest challenges.

Litigation is often seen as a last resort. But when it’s necessary, you want the most prepared advocate by your side. At Brownstein, we approach every case with a strategy that meets the client’s needs and expectations. Depending on our early case evaluation and litigation risk analysis, we can determine if pre-litigation dispute resolution is the best route forward. But when a case does progress to the courtroom, it’s our preparation and experience that help us achieve the right results.

Moreover, with backgrounds as former in-house counsel, prosecutors, government attorneys and business owners we bring a unique perspective to every case that others may not see. And with experience working on issues across a wide range of practice areas—from real estate to bankruptcy—we’re well-equipped to manage your every litigation need.

Areas of focus

Recognition

A Nonpartisan Victory for the Nation’s Voters

Dominion Voting Systems, a provider of voting technology in 28 states, faced baseless allegations of fraud in the 2020 election. They needed a defense team with not only a strong reputation but the ability to manage the lawsuit while maintaining a nonpartisan stance. Dominion turned to Brownstein. Our team secured a quick dismissal. The federal judge subsequently awarded attorneys fees and costs to the defendants and imposed sanctions on the plaintiffs’ attorneys who brought the frivolous and politically motivated lawsuit purportedly on behalf of all registered voters. This comprehensive resolution was not only crucial in maintaining Dominion’s ability to support elections and rebuking threats against its employees, but also in correcting misinformation propagated to the general public.

Litigation

A Nonpartisan Victory for the Nation’s Voters

Delivering a Significant Victory for San Diego County

A trusted advisor to the San Diego County Water Authority for more than two decades, we handle all Colorado River and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) matters, serving as special counsel on program, strategy and rate litigation issues. Our unmatched understanding of the complexities of this client and its business positioned our team to deliver a significant victory for the Water Authority in 2020 when a San Francisco Superior Court awarded $44.4 million in a final judgment for two cases covering 2011-2014 rates paid by San Diego County ratepayers. The case rectified improper charges—which had they continued, would have cost San Diego County residents more than $500 million. The judgment also awarded a 100,000 acre-feet per year increase in the Water Authority’s preferential right to MWD water.

Resolving Water Disputes for a New Residential Development

Tenacious in our pursuit of your goals—inside and outside the courtroom. That’s why, when Serratoga Falls, LLC, needed to place an underground pipeline through a 500-home subdivision development and immediately encountered a complicated lawsuit, they called in our litigation team. They faced 17 claims seeking over $750,000 in damages, disgorgement of profits and injunctions preventing water use and property development. We handled all aspects of the case including filing a counterclaim to obtain court permission to underground an open ditch running through the property. After a seven-day bench trial, the court dismissed all claims, approved the proposed underground pipeline and awarded attorneys’ fees and costs. The Colorado Supreme Court affirmed the lower court’s decision and also awarded partial appellate attorneys’ fees, a complete victory for our client.

Securing California’s Water Supply

The 2003 Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA) was the cornerstone of a Colorado River Basin states water supply solution, giving California the ability to implement major Colorado River water transfers and allowing the state to live within its 4.4 million acre-foot basic annual water apportionment. Given historical disputes between diverse parties and what was at stake, a decade of litigation followed. The San Diego County Water Authority relied on Brownstein’s natural resources team during the initial negotiation of QSA and it later led the defense of QSA in litigation, ultimately securing a momentous victory for California—validation of QSA and its 11 related agreements and successful defense of all outstanding legal challenges. For San Diego County, the stakes were particularly important: providing long-term water security for the region’s $245 billion economy and quality of life for its 3.3 million residents.