Amnon Z. Siegel

With over $200 million at stake, Siegel of Miller Barondess prevailed in a civil trial which an Orange County jury at first ruled in favor of his opponent, Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp. Siegel and his team eventually secured a reversal in the 4th District Court of Appeal, obtaining a $256.4 million jury award for his client Superior Automotive Group. Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation v. Superior Auto of Fremont, LLC, 30-2009-00305125-CU-BC-CJC, JCCP 4613 (Orange Super. Ct., filed April 7, 2009).

“That case is emblematic of my approach and our approach as a firm to litigation,” Siegel said. “We are tough and we stick with it...It’s a whatever-it-takes mentality.”

Siegel was made a partner at Miller Barondess in 2014. With his practice focusing on civil litigation matters across a wide range of industries, Siegel has represented both employers and employees, big businesses and individuals in trade secret and non-compete/non-solicit matters, as well as partnership dissolutions.

While his expertise is not limited to the automotive industry, Siegel continues to make his presence known by holding companies accountable to their dealers and customers. Siegel’s services were retained by Roger Hogan, an owner of two Toyota dealerships, to sue Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc. over an alleged fraud of concealment of safety defects and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. Siegel defeated a demurrer and motion to strike by Toyota. The case is scheduled for trial in January 2019. Hogan v. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., 30-2017-00933647-CU-FR-CJC (Orange Super. Ct., filed July 25, 2017).

“I’m helping Mr. Hogan, but I’m also helping Toyota consumers, because Toyota consumers are affected by Toyota’s decisions, in respect to safety,” Siegel said.

Siegel recalled arguing in front of hundreds of law students at the moot court finals in his third year of law school at New York University before Judge Alex Kozinski of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

“It was a very exciting moment,” Siegel said. “I love the rush and adrenaline of being able to talk to people and convince them of my position.”

Siegel, who started his career at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Los Angeles, said he enjoyed his time there and learned a lot from their impressive litigation department. However, he said that after a few years, he wanted a more hands-on experience.

“I wanted to be taking the depositions, not just preparing the deposition outlines...arguing the motions, not just preparing the motions,” said Siegel. “I needed a firm that would afford me those opportunities.”

— Blaise Scemama