John is an aggressive and skilled litigator who focuses on high-stakes disputes related to breach of contract, founders’ disputes and cases relating to executive fiduciary duties, insider trading and other claims involving equity-related transactions, employee mobility and trade secret issues, and cases involving business disputes involving fraud, negligence, and complex commercial issues.  Named a Northern California Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine for four consecutive years, John is also a generalist and problem solver with a reputation for handling his clients’ most sensitive information and complicated cases.  For example, John has developed particular expertise in nonparty discovery in federal state courts, representing companies and individuals in responding to subpoenas and other requests for information in civil and criminal matters, as well as navigating challenging disputes involving California’s Unfair Competition Law and Consumer Legal Remedies Act.

John practices in federal and state courts throughout the country, and he frequently litigates bet-the-company arbitrations.  In that practice, John represents a variety of clients, including some of the largest companies in the world and other major technology companies and financial institutions.  He also represents venture capital firms, their general partners, and various individual investors and shareholders.  He also routinely represents startups, their founders and executives, and early startup employees.

Before joining Lewis & Llewellyn, John served as a judicial fellow for the Honorable Joseph C. Spero, Chief Magistrate Judge of the Northern District of California.  His past professional experience also includes serving as a Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice, where he prosecuted criminal cases in the California Courts of Appeal, and as a post-bar judicial fellow in the California Superior Court, County of Kern.

John graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School magna cum laud.  While there, focused on gaining broad litigation experience, which included serving as a law-student intern for the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota, and the Department of Homeland Security, Minnesota Office of Chief Counsel.  He also served as a certified law-student attorney, prosecuting offenses in his law school’s misdemeanor prosecution clinic and providing counsel to local governments and nonprofit organizations in its environmental clinic and nonprofit externship programs.  Beyond his law school curriculum and related experience, he volunteered as a board member and treasurer for a neighborhood revitalization committee.

When he’s not working, John enjoys outdoor adventures, live comedy and music, and spending time with his family.