Source: https://www.kbslaw.com/News/
Timestamp: 2019-04-26 01:41:28+00:00

Document:
January 2019 Los Angeles, CA - In recognition of his talent and success, KBS partner Majed Dakak again has been named a Rising Star Super Lawyer in Southern California by this Thomson Reuters rating service. Mr. Dakak, a firm founding partner, whose practice includes all types of complex business litigation, was named a Rising Star Super Lawyer in the Antitrust Law practice area.
January 2019 Los Angeles, CA - In recognition of their talents and success, KBS partners Amy Brantly, David Kesselman, and Trevor Stockinger again have been named Super Lawyers in Southern California. The firm founding partners, whose practices include all types of complex business litigation, were recognized for their expertise in Antitrust Law by this Thomson Reuters rating services.
November 2018 – Amy Brantly, representing the Bankruptcy Estate of Aloha Sports, Inc. ("Aloha Sports"), successfully argued to the Hawaii Supreme Court that summary judgment should not have been granted on Aloha Sport’s Hawaiian state law antitrust claim against the National Collegiate Athletic Association ("NCAA"). The opinion clarified the proof necessary for a plaintiff to succeed on an antitrust claim under Hawaii law. In a unanimous, 39-page, published opinion, the Supreme Court held that the lower courts erroneously required Aloha Sports to prove that the NCAA – while engaging in an unfair method of competition resulting in injury to Aloha Sports – actually harmed competition. The Hawaii Supreme Court also reaffirmed that a plaintiff may generally describe the relevant market without resort to expert testimony. A copy of the opinion can be found at http://www.courts.state.hi.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SCWC-15-0000663.pdf. The Supreme Court remanded the case to the circuit court for trial. Amy Brantly and David Kesselman, along with local counsel Fritz Rohlfing, are expected to represent Aloha Sports in the trial.
October 2018 – Amy Brantly and David Kesselman won an appeal decided in favor of KBS client Earth Fare, Inc. Plaintiff Jalen Epps appealed the district court’s dismissal of a Telephone Consumer Protection Act ("TCPA") case against organic grocery store chain Earth Fare. The Ninth Circuit affirmed the dismissal holding that plaintiff did not reasonably revoke consent to receive text messages from Earth Fare. The case is Jalen Epps v. Earth Fare, Inc., Case No. 17-55413 (9th Cir.).
David Kesselman, Amy Brantly and Trevor Stockinger were again chosen as Southern California Super Lawyer in Antitrust for 2018.
April 2018 - David Kesselman and Trevor Stockinger, with co-counsel Julie Greathouse of PPGMR Law, have successfully defeated motions to dismiss federal antitrust claims. KBS represents plaintiff Sumotext Corporation against defendants Zoove Corporation, Virtual Hold Technology, LLC, and StarSteve LLC. The case involves the market for mobile dial codes (often referred to as mobile Star Star numbers). Sumotext alleges that StarSteve and VHT embarked upon an anticompetitive scheme to control and monopolize the national registry for mobile dial code numbers, controlled by Zoove. Sumotext alleges that defendants engaged in, among other things, an illegal boycott and an unlawful refusal to deal. After extensive briefing and oral argument, the district court rejected defendants’ motion to dismiss and held that Sumotext had properly alleged facts to support claims under both Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act. The case is Sumotext Coropration v. Zoove, Inc., et al., Case No. 5:16-cv-01370-BLF-NMCx (N.D. Cal.).
November 2017 - David Kesselman and Kara McDonald, with co-counsel Steven Schear, successfully secured complete reversal of a trial court's anti-SLAPP ruling on a physician whistleblower claim. KBS client and neurosurgeon, Dr. Kofi Kessey, filed suit against Los Robles Regional Medical Center, and its parent corporation, alleging unlawful retaliation for raising concerns about patient safety at the hospital. The California Court of Appeal ruled that the trial court erred in finding that the conduct at issue arose out of protected activity, and therefore the trial court should not have applied the anti-SLAPP statute. The case is Kofi Kessey, M.D. v. Los Robles Regional Medical Center, et al., Case No. B270156, in the Court of Appeal of the State of California, Second Appellate District.
June 2017 - Founded in 1925, the Chancery Club of Los Angeles is composed of distinguished lawyers who are active in professional, civic, and philanthropic organizations. Its members have held positions of honor and responsibility in important legal, judicial, academic, governmental and civic organizations. Membership in the Chancery Club is by invitation only and many of the current members are former federal and state judges. The induction for all new members was held at the California Club on June 8, 2017.
May 2017 – Trevor Stockinger and David Kesselman, on behalf of their client Operation Technology Inc. ("Etap"), secured dismissal of Plaintiff Power Analytics Corp.’s antitrust claims brought under section 1 of the Sherman Act, Section 2 of the Sherman Act, and Section 3 of the Clayton Act, as well as related claims for violation of the Lanham Act, trade theft, and tortious interference with contract. This suit alleged anticompetitive exclusive dealing agreements and monopolization in the market for software used to design and monitor nuclear power plants and high-reliability data centers. Among other things, Hon. John A. Kronstadt dismissed the Section 1 and 2 claims without prejudice for failure to plausibly allege, among other things, the existence of an exclusive dealing agreement, a relevant market, foreclosure from that market, and antitrust injury. The Section 3 claim was dismissed with prejudice on grounds that Section 3 applies only to tangible goods and not software. The case is Power Analytics Corp. v. Operation Technology, Inc., et al., Case No. 8:16-CV-1955-JAK-FFM (C.D. Cal.).
March 2017 – David Kesselman and Amy Brantly successfully obtained writ relief for a defendant law firm on a plaintiff’s Cartwright Act claim. After the Superior Court overruled a demurrer to the Cartwright Act claim, the Court of Appeal granted writ relief holding that the complaint failed to include allegations that are essential to a Cartwright Act claim, including the relevant market, market power within the relevant market, and harm to competition.
February 2017 - David Kesselman, Amy Brantly and Kara McDonald, on behalf of their client ZA Central Registry, NPC ("ZACR"), succeeded in again defeating Plaintiff DotAfricaConnect Trust’s ("plaintiff DCA") second motion for preliminary injunction in Los Angeles Superior Court. This case arises out of a dispute over the award of the generic top level domain name .Africa. ZACR prevailed in the competition for .Africa but plaintiff DCA filed suit and sought to prevent ICANN (represented by Jones Day) from delegating .Africa to ZACR. The Court again denied plaintiff DCA’s request. Earlier, KBS succeeded in obtaining a dismissal of the claims against ZACR who is now an intervenor in the case. The case is DotConnectAfrica Trust v. Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, et al., Case No. BC607494 (L.A. Superior Court).
February 2017 – David Kesselman and Amy Brantly won dismissal of a Telecommunications Consumer Protection Act ("TCPA") case filed by Jalen Epps against grocery store chain Earth Fare, in the Central District of California. Judge James Otero dismissed the case without leave to amend holding that plaintiff did not successfully revoke consent to receive text messages and that even if she did, plaintiff failed to plausibly allege that Earth Fare’s messages were sent using an automatic telephone dialing system. The case is Jalen Epps v. Earth Fare, Inc., Case No. 2:16-cv-08221-SJO-SSx (C.D. Cal.).
March 2017 Los Angeles, CA - In recognition of their talents and success, KBS partners David Kesselman, Amy Brantly and Trevor Stockinger have been named Super Lawyers in Southern California, and Ms. Brantly also received the distinction of being named a Top Woman Attorney in Southern California by this Thomson Reuters rating services. Mr. Kesselman and Mr. Stockinger were named Super Lawyers in the Antitrust practice area and Ms. Brantly in the Business Litigation practice area.
September 2016 Los Angeles, CA - KBS partner Amy Brantly has the honor of serving as the President-Elect of Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles in 2016-2017. WLALA is the leading bar organization for women attorneys in Southern California and works to support the promotion and retention of women attorneys and judges in Los Angeles. WLALA provides support and resources to local practitioners on an array of legal issues, puts on important continuing education programs and seminars throughout the year, and works with several pro bono organizations to provide services to women in need. Ms. Brantly previously served as First Vice President of WLALA.
July 2016 Los Angeles, CA - KBS partner David Kesselman has the honor of serving as the Chair of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Antitrust and Unfair Business Practices Section for 2016-2017. The Section provides support and resources to local practitioners on all types of antitrust and unfair competition issues, and puts on a number of important continuing education programs and seminars throughout the year. Mr. Kesselman previously served as Vice Chair of the section.
June 2016 Los Angeles, CA - In recognition of his talent and success, KBS partner Majed Dakak has been named a Rising Star Super Lawyer in Southern California by this Thomson Reuters rating service. Mr. Dakak, whose practice includes all types of complex business litigation, was named a Rising Star Super Lawyer in the Antitrust practice area.
February 2016 Los Angeles, CA - In recognition of their talents and success, KBS partners David Kesselman and Amy Brantly have been named Super Lawyers in Southern California, and Ms. Brantly also received the distinction of being named a Top Woman Attorney in Southern California by this Thomson Reuters rating services. Mr. Kesselman was named Super Lawyer in the Antitrust practice area and Ms. Brantly in the Business Litigation practice area.
Big law experience, small firm perspective March 18, 2016 The Daily Journal chronicles KBS's successful year.
California Cipro Case Puts Pay-For-Delay Deals Under Scrutiny February 11, 2015 David Kesselman quoted as an expert on the status of the California Supreme Court case concerning pay-for-delay settlements.
Ordered recusal of immigration judge boggles the mind December 10, 2014 KBS partner Majed Dakak co-authors op-ed concerning U.S. Immigration Judge Ashley Tabbador being ordered to indefinitely recuse herself.

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