ROBERT L. MEYLAN

Partner

Email: rmeylan@mdjalaw.com
Direct: (213) 225-6001
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Education

  • J.D., University of California, Hastings College of Law, 1989
    Thurston Honor Society (Top 10 Percent of Class)
  • B.A., Economics and Business, University of California at Los Angeles, 1983

Professional Experience

Robert Meylan is an experienced business litigator and trial lawyer.

He represents clients in state and federal courts in a broad variety of commercial matters including trademark and copyright infringement actions, defamation and First Amendment actions, partnership and corporate disputes, entertainment, including film financing, disputes, legal and professional malpractice, business fraud, insurance coverage and other business torts.

He has tried over thirty civil and criminal jury trials to verdict, as well as numerous arbitrations, including seven in which his clients obtained verdicts in excess of $1.0 million. He has also successfully represented clients in arbitration proceedings. Los Angeles Magazine has named Mr. Meylan one of Southern California’s Super Lawyers.

Additionally, as a former practicing Certified Public Accountant and forensic accountant, Mr. Meylan has expertise handling complex financial disputes involving partnership dissolutions, accountings and financial fraud.

Mr. Meylan’s most significant representations include:

  • In 2019, on behalf of a Fortune 100 company, obtained a $19.6 million jury verdict in Los Angeles Superior Court against the CFO of a precious metals company in a dispute arising out of a joint venture to recycle platinum group metals.
  • In 2017, obtained a $7.1 million dollar award after a two-week arbitration on behalf of R. Neil Malik against Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors on claims of breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty.
  • In 2018, on the eve of trial settled a legal malpractice action for $3.0 million on behalf of a real estate developer in a transactional malpractice action.
  • Successfully represented a well-known spice company in a trade dress action. The action was settled on the eve of trial.
  • Obtained a complete defense verdict in favor of Realtoy International Limited, a Hong Kong toy company, in a two-week federal court jury trial brought by Mattel, Inc. Mattel, which alleged claims for trade dress infringement, false designation of origin, common law passing off and disparagement, and unfair competition, sought damages in excess of $20 million. In 2005, the Los Angeles Daily Journal selected the case as one of the Top Ten Defense Verdicts of the year in California.
  • Successfully prosecuted a trade secrets case in federal court on behalf of the largest provider of language interpretation services against a competitor who solicited away several of his client’s employees and misappropriated extremely sensitive trade secret information. The Honorable James Ware of the Northern District of California issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the competitor from soliciting the client’s customers or using the trade secret information. After an extensive motion for reconsideration was denied, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the granting and continuation of the injunction, which remained in place for three years. After the Ninth Circuit’s decision, the case settled on confidential terms.
  • Successfully prosecuted a trade secret case in federal court on behalf on behalf of an insurance and reinsurance company against a former executive who went to work for a competing insurer.
  • Successfully handled many “Anti-SLAPP” (Strategic Litigation Against Public Policy) motions on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants, including Guessous v. Chrome Hearts, LLC, 179 Cal.App.4th 1177, 102 Cal.Rptr.3d 214 (2009), in which the California Court of Appeal found that a U.S. Citizen does not have a right under the U.S. Constitutional right to file a lawsuit in a foreign country.
  • Successfully represented the general partner of a family-owned real estate business which was comprised of many corporations and partnerships. After two partners sued for disassociation under the Revised Uniform Partnership Act, Mr. Meylan represented the general partner in a six-week trial which involved numerous complex legal, accounting and valuation issues.
  • Obtained a favorable trial verdict and subsequent judgment on behalf of the heirs of the late singer, Eva Cassidy, against the record label owning the rights to Eva Cassidy’s songs in a dispute concerning the distribution of royalties and the scope of rights granted under a license agreement. Mr. Meylan successfully defended the judgment on appeal which was affirmed in full in a published decision.
  • Represented BearingPoint, Inc. in a contract dispute with the County of San Diego over the installation of a $30 million property tax computer system. The matter settled on confidential terms.
  • Represented IXL Learning, Inc. in a trademark action against Mattel Inc. and Fisher-Price, Inc. which arose out of Fisher-Price’s 2010 release of a hand-held learning device called “iXL.” The matter settled on confidential terms.
  • Represented Aurora World International in a trademark action against Ty Inc. which arose out of Ty’s release of a line of plush toys called “Beanie Boos” which competed with Aurora’s line of YooHoo plush toys. The matter settled on confidential terms.
  • Represented the trading subsidiary of a major automobile manufacturer in a dispute arising out of a failed joint venture with a seafood trading company. The trading company sought damages in excess of $8.0 million. After filing a motion for summary judgment, Mr. Meylan negotiated the dismissal with prejudice of the plaintiff’s claims. Thereafter, Mr. Meylan obtained a $5.0 million judgment in favor of his client following a bench trial.
  • Obtained a $5.0 million federal court jury verdict, including a substantial award of punitive damages, for an independent film company executive in a fraud action against a major brokerage firm arising out of a failed private placement offering.
  • Represented a Fortune 100 retailer in a $35 million insurance coverage and bad-faith action, which resulted in a favorable settlement in favor of his client.
  • Defended “Big Four” accounting and consulting firms in a complex negligence and fraud action brought by a retailer over the selection and installation of a Customer Relationship Management computer system. Following extensive discovery, Mr. Meylan successfully moved for summary adjudication of the plaintiff’s ten fraud-based claims. The case then settled on terms favorable to Mr. Meylan’s clients.
  • Represented the owner of Sony Corporation’s corporate headquarters in an insurance coverage and construction defect action. Following an eight-week bifurcated trial, the jury awarded Mr. Meylan’s client $7.1 million in damages.
  • Obtained a $1.0 million federal court jury verdict on behalf of two prominent former federal prosecutors in a defamation action against The Arizona Republic newspaper and a well-known investigative reporter. Mr. Meylan also successfully represented the plaintiffs on the defendants’ appeals to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals which affirmed the judgment in full.
  • Since handling The Arizona Republic action, Mr. Meylan has handled over ten defamation actions in state and federal courts.
  • Meylan was a member of a team of lawyers which represented a major automobile manufacturer in federal Multi-District Litigation and in several state court cases at the trial and appellate levels arising out of a commercial bribery scandal.
  • Prosecuted a fraud and breach of contract action on behalf of the Brazilian MMA Star, Wallid Ismail against ProElite, Inc. arising out of a reverse merger transaction.

Published Decisions

  • Appel v. Superior Court, 214 Cal.App.4th 329 (2013);
  • Blix Street Records, Inc. v. Cassidy, 191 Cal.App.4th 39, 119 Cal.Rptr.3d 574 (2010);
  • Guessous v. Chrome Hearts, LLC, 179 Cal.App.4th 1177, 102 Cal.Rptr.3d 214 (2009);
  • Delaney v. Dahl, 99 Cal.App.4th 647, 121 Cal.Rptr.2d 663 (2002);
  • Hardin Oldsmobile v. New Motor Vehicle Board, 52 Cal.App.4th 585, 60 Cal.Rptr.2d 583 (1997);
  • Miller v. Superior Court, 50 Cal.App.4th 1665, 58 Cal.Rptr.2d 584 (1996);
  • Chemstar, Inc. v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, 797 F.Supp. 1541 (C.D. Cal. 1992)

Other Professional Activities

  • Member, State Bar of California
  • Member, American Business Trial Lawyers Association
  • Constitutional Rights Foundation, Lawyer in the Classroom instructor
  • Pro Bono representation of several California death row inmates in connection with their federal habeas corpus petitions.

Prior Professional Experience

  • Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig LLP
  • Partner, O’Neill, Lysaght & Sun LLP
  • Associate, Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker LLP
  • Certified Public Accountant, California (1986-1991)
  • Consultant, Price Waterhouse & Co. As a consultant in Price Waterhouse’s Litigation Consulting Department, Mr. Meylan specialized in the measurement of damages in complex business litigation. (1984-1986)

Other Activities

  • Six-time finisher (most recently in 2019) of the California Classic Paddleboard Race, a 32 mile open ocean prone paddleboard race from the Isthmus on Catalina Island to the Manhattan Beach Pier.