John C. Steele

Mr. Steele is a trial attorney with extensive experience in state and federal courts.  Mr. Steele also has substantial experience arbitrating cases before FINRA, the American Arbitration Association, ADR Services, and JAMS.  Mr. Steele’s expertise includes the areas of complex commercial litigation, banking and securities litigation, employment and intellectual property matters, and real property disputes.  Mr. Steele has represented fortune 500 companies, officers and directors, and individuals through trial in a wide variety of disputes involving allegations of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, unfair competition, negligence, breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, trademark infringement, wrongful termination, sexual harassment and discrimination. 
Some of Mr. Steele’s prior notable matters include

• Obtained $1.6 million award in binding arbitration of partnership dispute on fraud, conversion and breach of fiduciary duty claims;
• Obtained defense judgments on behalf of brokerage firms in numerous FINRA arbitrations, including expungement of broker records;
• Defended general partner in multi-million dollar suit brought by limited partners of oil and gas partnership alleging fraud and breach of fiduciary duty;
• Represented corporation and its officers in various securities class actions and shareholder derivative suits pending in state and federal court;
• Obtained a $78 million jury verdict, including $30 million in punitive damages, on behalf of a start-up biotechnology company after a three-month jury trial involving unfair competition and misappropriation of trade secrets;
• Defended company in wage and hour class action trial;
• Obtained summary judgment on behalf of former officer of large feed and grain distributor in $30 million breach of fiduciary duty action;
• Represented accounting firm in securities fraud action alleging accounting violations;
• Represented small manufacturing company in prosecuting claims for misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of confidence and unfair competition;
• Defended software corporation in dispute alleging claims of false advertising and trademark infringement;
• Defended numerous companies and individuals in employment matters, including claims of wrongful termination, sexual harassment, and discrimination.

Mr. Steele is a magna cum laude graduate of Brigham Young University (B.A.), and a cum laude graduate of the J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University.  Mr. Steele is currently a member of the American Bar Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the Santa Clarita Valley Bar, and the Los Angeles Inns of Court.  Prior to joining PLD,  Mr. Steele was a partner at the national litigation firm of Zelle, Hoffmann, Voelbel, Mason & Gette LLP and was previously associated with Latham & Watkins LLP (Los Angeles, CA). 

Email: John C. Steele


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