Patricia L. Glaser 

Patricia L. Glaser is the lead name partner and chair of the litigation department at Glaser Weil Fink Howard Jordan & Shapiro LLP, a 75-attorney full-service firm that bills itself as “Your Powerhouse.”

She’s been with the firm — which has carried an assortment of monikers — since 1988. This year, following the March 2022 death of name partner Terry D. Avchen, an environmental law authority, the partners added real estate department chair Daniel G. Jordan, another 1988 founder, to the letterhead.

“Terry was like family, and we miss him terribly,” Glaser said. “Dan is another hugely talented lawyer who deserves to have his name on the door.”

Glaser has an eclectic docket, reflecting her love of courtroom battles. In early June, she was awaiting a verdict in a bench trial over the ownership of a 1964 Ferrari. She represents a man who bought the rare prototype of the 275 GTB model sports car at a Scottsdale, Arizona, auction for $5.175 million, only to have the seller back away from the deal and retain possession. Alpine Group v. Gooding & Co. Inc., 19STCV02637 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed Jan. 28, 2019).

“One of our strengths is that we’re known as trial lawyers, not just litigators,” Glaser said. “As in this case, it’s not unusual for us to step in when prior counsel loses a summary judgment motion. To me, that’s a big so what. So we parachute in because I love trying cases. I can get away from the phone and completely focus. It’s fun for me.”

Glaser said while she doesn’t have the opportunity to do much pro bono work, she eagerly took on the cause of a Lebanese man who was beaten outside a restaurant in West Hollywood by people waving Palestinian flags and shouting antisemitic slurs.

She and her team filed a civil suit against the alleged attackers alleging civil rights violations, conspiracy, battery, assault, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. It seeks monetary and punitive damages. Hagopian v. Jayylusi et al., 22STCV08976 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed Mar. 14, 2022).

The matter is on hold while parallel criminal charges proceed against two men accused in the attack.

“They beat this kid up as he was trying to protect his friends,” Glaser said. “It was a hate crime, part of the worst outbreak of anti-Semitism I’ve seen as an adult. I’m a Republican, but not a Trumpy. The ex-president’s hate speech opened the door for this kind of behavior. Hatemongers feel they have a license to go after African Americans, Asians, gays, Jews. Enough is enough. To sit on the sidelines is unacceptable.”

— John Roemer