Ellis George Cipollone Ross O’Brien Annaguey LLP

From its earliest days as Browne George Ross, the raison d’être of this firm has been to actually try business cases, managing partner Keith Wesley said. Even these days, when most litigation settles short of trial, that purpose is being carried out.

“We go to trial multiple times each year,” Wesley said. Several of the firm’s lawyers have each put on more than 100 jury trials. “I think the per capita trial experience is second to none.”

Further, he said, Ellis George Cipollone attorneys try most every type of civil litigation, plus white-collar criminal matters.

One of its very newest partners handled a case like very few others. Pat Cipollone successfully defended former President Donald J. Trump in his first impeachment trial. The former White House counsel joined the firm earlier this month to open its Washington, D.C., office along with four other partners and an of counsel.

“There are simply no finer lawyers,” name partner Eric George said about his new colleagues in an announcement. “We have created a special, unique firm, and I couldn’t be more proud.”

The addition of Cipollone and several of his colleagues expands the firm’s connection to Republican officials and issues. Former Gov. Pete Wilson is of counsel to the firm, and George was counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1999-00. Thomas O’Brien was the Los Angeles area U.S. Attorney under President George W. Bush.

But the firm definitely takes on cases from both sides of the aisle, Wesley said.

On the litigation side, George in August won dismissal of a $250 million defamation action brought by controversial attorney Michael J. Avenatti against Fox News. Avenatti v. Fox News Network LLC, 1:20-cv-01541 (D. Del., filed Nov. 16, 2020).

In February, the firm won an injunction blocking several directives by new Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón that would have scaled back prosecutors’ use of some sentencing enhancements and the three-strikes law. Association of Deputy District Attorneys v. Gascón, 20STCP04259 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed Dec. 30, 2020)

In a different vein entirely, partner Peter Ross won a ruling for client Nicki Minaj last September on an unusual copyright issue in a lawsuit brought by singer songwriter Tracy Chapman. The case settled in January. Chapman v. Maraj, 2:18-cv-9088 (C.D. Cal., filed Oct. 22, 2018)

George and partner Carl Alan Roth are continuing to represent a group of landlords suing against restrictions Santa Monica has placed on short-term rentals. NMS 1539 LLC v. City of Santa Monica, 2:20-cv-11318 (C.D. Cal., filed Dec. 14, 2020)

In April, Wesley won a federal appellate decision about reverse trademark confusion, in which a smaller company sues a larger one. Ironhawk Technologies Inc. v. Dropbox Inc., 2021 DJDAR 3615 (9th Cir., April 20, 2021).

He will go to trial this month in a copyright infringement case on behalf of Atari, which will be his second trial against the same defendant since the pandemic eased. Atari Interactive Inc. v. Redbubble Inc., 4:18-cv-3451 (N.D. Cal., filed June 11, 2018)

“We pride ourselves on being able to handle any type of matter,” Wesley said.

— Don DeBenedictis