Jeffrey Brown crafts powerful litigation strategies to resolve complex disputes. His sophisticated solutions for clients minimize exposure and maximize recovery.
Typically engaged to handle complex and unusual matters, Jeff’s diverse work ranges from repossessing a commercial passenger airplane in Toronto to a $6 million disclosure claim arising from a tax dispute over massive advertising space on Sunset Boulevard. Throughout Jeff’s 30-plus years of practice, he has consistently delivered favorable results in the state and federal trial and appellate courts, as well as in arbitration.
Both buyers and sellers turn to Jeff when buying and selling commercial real estate. With experience that outpaces others, he is sought by joint venturers, partners, LLC members, and investors in real estate funds to litigate and arbitrate everything from operating agreement breaches to common law fiduciary duty matters. Should high-stakes claims against real estate brokers arise, Jeff handles dual agency, disclosures and other alleged breaches of fiduciary duty. And if it’s complex construction disputes, Jeff knows the best approaches to resolve mechanic’s liens and defect litigation cases. Because of his reputation and expertise, national real estate companies, funds, and shopping center owners hire Jeff to provide advice and, if necessary, handle significant litigation. His extensive experience also extends to counseling lenders and borrowers in unsecured and secured debt disputes, as well as in California’s complex foreclosure and receivership procedures, pre-judgment attachment, and judgment enforcement.
With a wealth of knowledge to share, Jeff is the editor of Thompson Coburn’s commercial real property blog, The Ground Floor. He covers critical issues surrounding California’s complicated legal environment.
experience
Real Estate:
- Represented seller of partially developed housing tract in claim for return of deposit and defense of failure to disclose claim.
- Represented seller of high-end residential property, expunging lis pendens following the buyer’s failure to comply with the purchase and sale agreement.
- Represented office building owner with respect to claim of construction mismanagement.
- Defended HOA developer against claims of construction defects.
- Defended a seller of a mixed-use project from a claim of failure-to-disclose in a binding arbitration
- Represented school district in defense of CEQA claims by municipality with respect to regional high school.
- Represented real estate fund with respect to enforcement of capital contribution provision and defense of claims of breach of fiduciary duty.
- Represented investor member with respect to enforcement of buy-back provision in limited liability operating agreement.
- Represented investor member with respect to removal of general partner.
- Represented investor member with respect to dispute concerning buy/sell provision.
- Represented buyer with respect to defense of broker’s claim for commission and prosecution of claim for breach of fiduciary duties concerning large collection of single-family homes.
- Represented school district in CERCLA cost recovery action concerning future home of elementary school.
- Represented ground lessees with respect to disputes concerning purchase option price and rental for lease option.
- Represented commercial landlords and tenants with respect to disputes concerning “use” provisions.
- Represented limited partner in dissolution actions.
Product Liability:
- Obtained a dismissal of an agribusiness client from a product liability case involving the labeling of one of its products.
- Defended label manufacturer with respect to series of hundreds of claims regarding alleged groundwater contamination in the San Gabriel Valley.
- Multiple defenses of product liability claims involving alleged asbestos exposure.
- Defense of warranty claim with respect to agricultural pesticides.
- Successful defense of product liability claims with respect to anti-cancer drugs.
- Favorable settlement of product liability case with respect to petroleum products.
Complex Commercial:
- Successfully enforced covenant not to compete.
- Favorable settlement of insurance bad faith claim with respect to theft at petroleum refinery.
- Favorable settlement of claims by client that defendant’s products caused contamination of computer hard disks during manufacturing process.
- Favorable settlement of breach of fiduciary duty action with respect to control of family-owned business.
- Prosecution of lease claims against passenger airline, resulting in repossession of aircraft in Toronto.
- Prosecution of breach of warranty action with respect to underground tunneling equipment.
- Defense of software company in 800,000-member class action involving homeowners’ insurance policies in California.
- Favorable settlement of breach of warranty action with respect to alleged contamination of wine bottles.
Intellectual Property:
- Defense of toy manufacturer in trademark infringement action in which client obtained a dismissal at trial.
- Defense of copyright/trademark infringement action in which summary judgment was granted in toy manufacturer’s favor.
- Favorable settlement of trade secret action involving seed manufacturer.
Professional
- Accredited attorney with respect to Veterans’ benefit claims regarding the Veterans Administration.
- Top 10 Honoree, Best Legal Blog Contest (by The Expert Institute), 2017
I’m an amateur pizza maker with my own pizza oven. I also enjoy hiking at nearby mountains and beaches.