Daniel DeCarlo Named by LABJ As One Of The 75 Most Outstanding Trial Lawyers In Los Angeles In Its “Leaders of Influence: Top Litigators & Trial Lawyers” Feature

Los Angeles, Calif. (July 14, 2020) - Los Angeles Partner Daniel C. DeCarlo has been named to the Los Angeles Business Journal’s (LABJ) "Leaders of Influence: Top Litigators & Trial Lawyers in Los Angeles" list. In receiving this recognition, Mr. DeCarlo joins 75 of the Los Angeles region’s “most outstanding litigators”. Said LABJ Publisher and CEO Josh Schimmels: “These are lawyers you want in your corner in court.” They are “trailblazing courtroom stewards” who “keep the people and businesses of Los Angeles on track.”

Mr. DeCarlo currently serves as the chair of Lewis Brisbois’ Intellectual Property & Technology Practice and has nearly three decades of experience in the intellectual property arena. He focuses his practice on complex business litigation matters including the Lanham Act, trademarks, false advertising, copyright, unfair competition matters and other related intellectual property claims. Regularly serving as lead counsel in both bench and jury trials, Mr. DeCarlo has extensive experience in all aspects of federal court litigation.

Mr. DeCarlo is known as a respected and aggressive litigator that quickly sets out a course at the onset of a matter for success. Never was that more evident than in a case last year in which Mr. DeCarlo was retained to defend a physician who was accused by his adversary of statutory rape as a means of gaining leverage in a trademark, Lanham Act, and franchising dispute. The stakes were exceedingly high as the allegations cut to the core of Mr. DeCarlo’s client’s reputation, along with potentially impacting his license as a physician. With the unwavering commitment of his client, Mr. DeCarlo doggedly pursued every avenue of evidence, eventually leading to a trial that resulted in a complete exoneration of Mr. DeCarlo’s client, a complete victory at trial, and a $1.3 million dollar sanction award against the plaintiff who sought to destroy Mr. DeCarlo’s client’s life and career.

Said Dr. Kristopher Rinehart M.D., Mr. DeCarlo’s client and against whom the false statutory rape allegations were made: “My father was a lawyer and I have known many. It is unique to find a supremely knowledgeable lawyer and fierce litigator with such versatility that he is able to go from Lanham Act expert to criminal defense to criminal prosecutor to civil justice all in one case. Dan DeCarlo did all that, and he did it in front of the most no-nonsense judge on the federal bench when he did it in front of The Honorable David Carter.” The court’s order can be read here.

Other significant recent victories include a successful appeal in the Ninth Circuit in a long-running and hotly-contested trademark infringement dispute. In that case, Mr. DeCarlo’s client had knowingly adopted the trademark of another and the plaintiff sought to force the disgorgement of all of Mr. DeCarlo’s client’s $4.2 million in sales related thereto. After a trial and two trips to the Ninth Circuit, Mr. DeCarlo’s client was ordered to pay nothing for damages, profits or attorneys’ fees. In another significant trial last year, Mr. DeCarlo obtained a sweeping injunction for his client in a false advertising Lanham Act case. Read the injunction order here.

“It is an honor to make this list, and a privilege to be named among the many other superb lawyers recognized by the LABJ this year," said Mr. DeCarlo. "While I appreciate the award, I also must share it with the other talented lawyers at Lewis Brisbois who work alongside me in these successes. As every good trial lawyer knows, litigation is the ultimate team sport."

See the full Leaders of Influence list here (subscription required).

Please join us in congratulating Mr. DeCarlo on this recognition.