Author: Caroline Recupero

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Awards & Recognition

Lewis & Llewellyn Attorneys Selected in Benchmark Litigation’s 2026 Guide

Lewis & Llewellyn is also proud to be recognized in the Benchmark Litigation 2026 guide as a recommended firm for dispute resolution.  In addition to the firm’s recognition, several of our attorneys were honored for their exceptional work.

 

Marc Lewis was named a Litigation Star in the United States and California for his work in labor and employment and commercial litigation.  Paul Llewellyn was also recognized as a Litigation Star in the United States and California for his achievements in commercial litigation.  And Partners Evangeline Burbidge and Ryan Erickson were each named as Future Stars.

 

These rankings are based on extensive interviews with litigators, dispute resolution specialists, and clients as well as analysis of the market’s most important cases and firm developments.  As the definitive guide to the world’s leading litigation firms and lawyers, Benchmark recognizes attorneys who have demonstrated the ability to reliably handle complex, high-stakes cases in multiple jurisdictions.

 

Congratulations to the Lewis & Llewellyn attorneys selected!

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Awards & Recognition

Lewis & Llewellyn Selected by Best Lawyers as a Best Law Firm for 2026

Lewis & Llewellyn is excited to announce its recognition in the 16th edition of Best Lawyers’ Best Law Firms 2026 list.

 

The Best Law Firms rankings honor firms that consistently showcase exceptional legal expertise and industry insight.  Each recognized firm has undergone a thorough evaluation, incorporating client feedback, peer recommendations, leadership interviews, and the depth of their practice areas.  We are honored to be selected among other top-tier law firms in the United States.

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Announcements

Lewis & Llewellyn Welcomes Saad Rizwan to the Firm

Lewis & Llewellyn is thrilled to welcome our newest attorney, Saad Rizwan, to the firm!

 

Before joining Lewis & Llewellyn LLP, Saad practiced in the litigation departments at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati P.C. in Palo Alto and at Covington & Burling LLP in New York, where he represented companies and individuals in securities actions, trade secrets matters, founder disputes, and other complex commercial cases.  Saad also clerked for the Honorable Theresa L. Springmann of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana.

 

We are excited to have Saad join our firm’s bench of elite litigators.

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Recent Wins

Ninth Circuit Victory for Lewis & Llewellyn Client, EchoSpan, in Trade Secret Case

Lewis & Llewellyn LLP is proud to announce a significant appellate victory on behalf of its client, EchoSpan.   The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recently ordered a reinstatement of EchoSpan’s $25.7 million jury verdict, which was awarded after the jury found in favor of our client, concluding that Medallia willfully and maliciously misappropriated EchoSpan’s trade secrets.

 

After trial, the district court vacated the jury’s damages award for an alleged failure to apportion the award between the trade secrets.  On October 31, 2025, the Ninth Circuit reversed that ruling, holding that the jury had a sufficient basis to award damages to EchoSpan and ordering reinstatement of the full verdict.  Congratulations to EchoSpan and our team.

 

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Litigation Tips

Ninth Circuit Eases Pleading Standard for Trade Secret Claims

A hurdle for plaintiffs in trade secrets cases can be describing the trade secrets in sufficient detail to survive dismissal.  In Quintara Biosciences, Inc. v. Ruifeng Biztech, Inc., the Ninth Circuit clarified that plaintiffs suing under the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) in California federal courts are not bound by California’s strict “reasonable particularity” disclosure requirement (Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 2019.210).  The court held that DTSA claims should be evaluated under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, not California’s heightened pleading standard.

 

Plaintiffs may find it easier to advance DTSA claims in California federal courts, and pursue discovery, without early dismissal for lack of specificity.  Defendants, meanwhile, should be prepared to challenge trade secret identifications through summary judgment or at trial, rather than at the pleading stage.

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Announcements

Lewis & Llewellyn Team Attends the Golden State Valkyries Game!

Earlier this month, a group of Lewis & Llewellyn team members, clients, and friends of the firm celebrated the last Golden State Valkyries regular season home game.  It was a great opportunity to connect outside the office and cheer on the Bay Area’s newest team.  We’re proud to support the growth of professional women’s sports, grateful to our clients for joining us, and look forward to more moments like these.

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Announcements

Lewis & Llewellyn Clients Sue Oakland School Over Alleged Sexual Abuse

The San Francisco Chronicle recently featured Lewis & Llewellyn’s lawsuit against Pacific Boychoir Academy and its longtime artistic director, Kevin Fox.  The article details allegations from our clients, former students, who allege that Fox engaged in years of sexual harassment and abuse while administrators repeatedly ignored or dismissed complaints.

 

The full article can be read here.

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Announcements

Lewis & Llewellyn is Hiring

Lewis & Llewellyn is once again looking to bolster our ranks!

 

We are looking for an experienced associate to dive deeply into our complex and interesting portfolio of matters and take their practice to the next level. As always, we are looking for attorneys with top-flight credentials coupled with the passion to litigate.  The ideal candidate would have impeccable educational credentials, three to five years’ experience at an AmLaw 100 or elite plaintiff’s firm, and be ready to develop an exciting practice in both state court, federal court, and arbitration.

 

Lewis & Llewellyn deeply values diversity and we encourage applications from diverse candidates.  If you are interested in joining a team of world class attorneys, practicing at the cutting edge of litigation, and who love what they do, send your resume to careers@lewisllewellyn.com.

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Announcements

Lewis & Llewellyn Welcomes DeShawn Carter as our 2025 Law Clerk

We are pleased to welcome DeShawn Carter to the firm as our law clerk for 2025.

 

DeShawn is a second-year law student at the University of California, Berkeley, where he serves on the Board of Advocates and Negotiations Team and is a member of the Family Defense Project and Law Students of African Descent.  He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, magna cum laude, from Howard University.  While at Howard, DeShawn was selected as a congressional intern for Congressman Eric Swalwell.  This summer, he worked as a law clerk for the Alameda County Public Defender’s Office.

 

We are thrilled to have DeShawn as a part of our team, and we look forward to continuing to provide a space for young adults to explore their interest in the law.