Michael O'Connor is a partner in the firm's Los Angeles office. In over 32 years of practice as a commercial trial lawyer, Mr. O'Connor has successfully prosecuted and defended claims in a wide variety of commercial cases including entertainment, First Amendment and insurance-related litigation. Mr. O'Connor has secured significant verdicts and settlements for clients ranging from well-known Fortune 500 companies to individuals, including claims for copyright and trademark infringement, idea submission, distribution and profit participation, news gathering and First Amendment, as well as insurance coverage and bad faith litigation.
Mr. O'Connor is a frequent speaker before Bar groups and continuing legal education seminars. He has been featured as an expert commentator in national publications including The Today Show and The New York Times.
Representative Experience
Mr. O'Connor's trial victories include multimillion dollar judgments and recoveries on behalf of policyholders against insurance companies. In addition to insurance coverage matters, Mr. O'Connor has represented a number of entertainment companies and broadcasters in claims ranging from copyright and trademark claims to profit participation and contract disputes. His landmark First Amendment victories include McCollum v. CBS, et al., a leading case establishing a First Amendment defense to the wrongful death claim filed by the family of a teenager who committed suicide while listening to rock lyrics.
Defending a profit participation claim arising from the foreign distribution of an Academy Award winning motion picture.
Representative Cases
Representing one of the nation's top ten commercial construction companies in coverage disputes nationwide, Mr. O'Connor has recovered tens of millions of dollars in settlements of bad faith and other insurance claims concerning builder's risk, property insurance, and other construction-related policies in the last ten years.
Securing judgment on a multi-million dollar claim for bad faith denial of insurance coverage arising from an underlying claim of copyright infringement concerning the motion picture "Contact."
On behalf of a California trade association, securing a judgment following trial against several insurance companies for breach of contract and bad faith arising out of a claim brought by members of the trade association.
On behalf of a real estate investment group, securing a bad faith verdict after trial against insurance companies over claims arising out of the purchase and sale of investment properties.
A precedent-setting decision from the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, confirming a $2.7 million judgment against an insurance carrier for the carrier's failure to defend its insureds in a lawsuit for intentional interference with prospective economic advantage, intentional interference with contract, and slander of title brought by Francis Ford Coppola.
In a record-setting result on behalf of national hotel chain, American Motor Inns, Mr. O'Connor secured a $23 million jury verdict for insurance bad faith claims against Harbor Insurance Co., then one of the largest insurance bad faith awards in California history. See "Jury Hits Insurer Hard for Putting Blame on Uninsured Subsidiary," 2-4 Inside Litigation at 3 (Prentice Hall Law & Bus. 1988).
On behalf of major motion picture companies and broadcasters, successfully defending profit participation claims brought by participants. Most recently, in December 2010, Mr. O'Connor secured a judgment after trial in a profit participation case brought by a producer against a major motion picture company over the picture "Mortal Kombat."
On behalf of a motion picture production company, a defense judgment after trial over rights disputes with a best-selling author over motion pictures based upon the "Left Behind" series.
On behalf of major motion picture companies and broadcasters, successfully defending "idea submission" and copyright cases, including disposing of matters on summary judgment and through trial.
On behalf of a national radio group, securing a defense verdict after trial in an age-discrimination case, brought by an on air radio personality.
On behalf of a commercial production company, securing a defense verdict after trial in an action for interference with contract involving the services of a director.
Honors & Awards
Mr. O'Connor consistently has been named as a Southern California "Super Lawyer" by Los Angeles Magazine, one of "Southern California's Best Lawyers" and has been honored by his peers in the specialties of Commercial Litigation and Entertainment Law as one of "The Best Lawyers in America."
