Belinda Martinez Vega

Vega describes herself as a litigation generalist. Having worked at a very large law firm and at small firms, she is equally comfortable with tangled financial arbitrations, securities litigation, probate battles and auto accident defense.

“I just do a little bit of everything,” she said. “[It takes] understanding the facts, and then litigation is litigation.”

In November, she defeated a multimillion-dollar securities fraud and breach of contract action brought by a group of investors against her client, the owners of the Sahara Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. Qu v. Henry Global Consulting Inc., BC685035 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed Nov. 30, 2017).

Vega first moved the case to arbitration, and then, through five motions for summary judgment, whittled it down from 10 claims for $135 million to one claim for $35 million. Finally, three years to the day after the lawsuit was filed, the arbitration panel dismissed the remaining claim.

“It was a great experience in terms of how we can use alternative dispute resolution proceedings … and still be able to exercise our rights in terms of filing motions for summary judgment,” she said. “So that was really fun.”

In another matter, Vega represents an investment company seeking to collect on a loan and profit-sharing agreement from an individual who put up a charcoal print by a world-renowned pop star as collateral. She won’t name the star. Clearview Financial LLC v. Rideaux, 30-2018-01026869 (O.C. Super. Ct., filed Oct. 19, 2018).

As an appointed member of the Los Angeles Fire and Police Pensions board, Vega deals with institutional investors and private equity firms from a different perspective. The board oversees the $27 billion pension fund and hears disability matters, she said.

Vega also is on the board of the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust, a nonprofit that acquires small plots of underused land, where it builds parks and gardens for inner-city communities. “We get the community involved, and the community is very proud of their work,” she said.

Finally, she writes and speaks often about expanding diversity and inclusion in the legal and business worlds. Community involvement “feeds my soul,” she said. “I’m a daughter of immigrants, so it’s something that I value.”

— Don DeBenedictis