Frank Gooch III

Obtained a significant recovery for a commercial landlord in an arbitration proceeding against a national gym tenant that failed to abide by its obligation to vacate the client’s premises at the end of its lease “in good condition reasonable wear and tear excepted.”

Successfully represented a prominent social media edutainer (“educator and entertainer”), who is also a former attorney, against a former celebrity conservator (“Petitioner”) who filed a civil harassment restraining order (“CHRO”) against our client in Los Angeles County Superior Court. In response, we filed a successful anti-SLAPP motion, a successful Motion for Attorneys’ Fees, and a successful Motion for Sanctions, totaling a nearly $100,000 award for our client. We then successfully opposed a barrage of 10 different motions that sought to infringe on our client’s free speech. Additionally, we filed a successful anti-SLAPP motion and Motion for Attorneys’ Fees against Petitioner’s sister, who also filed a CHRO against our client in Orange County Superior Court, and also prevailed when a supporter of Petitioner sought a restraining order in Georgia. 

Secured a favorable decision for the client seller from the California Court of Appeal in a years-long dispute arising from the failed purchase and sale of a retail shopping center in Los Angeles. The prospective purchaser's failure to follow through with the purchase caused our client to sustain, among other harm, consequential damages including lost rental income and triple net expenses. The parties pursued competing claims for breach of contract and fraud after the purchaser refused to authorize the release of the earnest money deposit. At the conclusion of the arbitration hearing, our client was granted its consequential damages, attorneys' fees, and the earnest money deposit that remained in escrow. In seeking to confirm the arbitration award in California State Court, the trial judge vacated our client's recovery of consequential damages but entered judgment in our client's favor with respect to the recovery of attorneys' fees. On appeal and after extensive briefing, the Court of Appeal reinstituted the arbitrator's award of full consequential damages and affirmed the entire amount of the the trial court's judgment of attorneys' fees in our client's favor.

Represented owners of real property in negotiations with tenants dealing with lease terminations, preparing lease termination  agreements, including resolving issues dealing with COVID-19 governmental regulations.

Represents a major life insurance company in bad faith and antitrust litigation.

Represented a major Los Angeles daily newspaper in defense of its First Amendment rights in a number of defamation and invasion of privacy cases brought by public officials and public figures, as well as by a professional sports team.

Advised a private school regarding litigation arising out of compliance with the Child Abuse Reporting Act.

Testified as an expert witness on an issue regarding the reasonableness of attorneys' fees in Los Angeles County Superior Court Case No. BC 237 396, Washington Mutual v. Cen Fed Ltd.

Represented an owner of a professional sports team in a breach of contract action and tort claims filed by an agent for a player on the team.

Represented building owner in a suit for breach of contract filed against the State of California which resulted in a substantial jury trial verdict and, as a result thereof, represented the judge and several other judges in a real estate dispute with their own homeowner's association.

Represented homeowner in dispute with neighboring homeowner's association establishing equitable, prescriptive, and express easement claims against the HOAs.

Represented numerous homeowners in easement claims with adjoining neighbors.