Patricia L. Glaser

Seldom far from the headlines, Glaser represents "bond king" William H. Gross, former chairman of Newport Beach-based Pacific Investment Management Co. LLC, in his lawsuit against the company he founded for allegedly forcing him from office. She's also lawyer for former Disney executive David Neuman in his successful defense against sexual abuse claims by actor and model Michael Egan.

In the Neuman case, Glaser went on the offense with a rarely successful malicious prosecution countersuit, accusing the plaintiff and his lawyers of abusing the legal process. That effort to restore Neuman's livelihood and reputation settled in weeks for an undisclosed sum -- and letters of apology from Egan's attorneys for knowingly bringing a meritless and damaging lawsuit.

The case turned on Glaser's discovery -- while investigating the original suit -- of sworn statements by Egan acknowledging Neuman was guiltless of the alleged abuse.

Perhaps the most startling complaint Glaser filed was a breach of contract lawsuit in March for client Amber Laurel Baptiste accusing prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalist Michael Goguen of Sequoia Capital Operations LLC of breaking a signed 2014 promise to pay her $40 million for "the horrors she suffered at his hands" during years of alleged sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Goguen left Sequoia after the complaint became public.

The deal was said actually to be a settlement agreement drafted by Goguen's lawyers designed to pay Baptiste to keep their lengthy affair out of the public eye. Goguen has countersued to recover the first $10 million installment he paid her, alleging that she defaulted on the contract by harassing him. Goguen has denied Baptiste's allegations.

"The conduct here was beyond the norm," Glaser said, with lawyerlike understatement. "I've never seen a $40 million settlement agreement like this." Goguen, through his lawyer, called Baptiste a vengeful former lover.

Glaser said the case, filed in San Mateo County Superior Court, is simple. "The guy begs a young woman to enter into a contract his lawyer drafted," she said. "Then he reneges. Law students say contract class is boring. They're wrong."

? John Roemer