Hon. Lee R. Bogdanoff (Ret.) joins JAMS following a distinguished career as a judicial officer in probate and, before that, as a nationally recognized practitioner in bankruptcy, reorganization and business/commercial disputes. In his brief time at JAMS, Judge Bogdanoff already has established a profound record of successfully mediating a variety of difficult business, commercial and estate and trust disputes. Judge Bogdanoff brings wide experience in both federal and state courts, a well-honed business acumen developed through his nationally recognized practice, and a practical approach to disputes. Before joining JAMS, he served as a superior court judge in Los Angeles County, handling estate, trust, conservatorship, guardianship and related civil matters; presiding over numerous trials and issuing statements of decisions and rulings that were widely circulated among judicial officers and the bar; and serving as a settlement judge. He developed a reputation as a judicial officer who did his homework and brought a direct, commonsense approach to disputes. During his tenure, Judge Bogdanoff had a unique ability to resolve disputes, even on the eve of trial. He understands the dynamics of family disputes that often characterize probate litigation and has written extensively about this topic in his decisions.
Before serving as a judicial officer, Judge Bogdanoff spent over 30 years as a leader in the areas of bankruptcy, reorganization and business/commercial, working on many of the largest and most complex cases at the time, including representing the Enron, Washington Mutual and IndyMac estates in groundbreaking commercial litigation. He also served as one of the lead counsel in the chapter 9 cases of Orange County, California, and Jefferson County, Alabama, among other matters. His experience involves an array of industries, including agribusiness, construction, energy, entertainment, gaming, health care, manufacturing, real estate, telecommunications and technology. As a practitioner, he served as a private mediator in business/commercial and bankruptcy disputes. In his practice, Judge Bogdanoff was known nationally for putting together complex, multiparty settlements of what appeared to be otherwise intractable disputes and for being deal oriented.
Now, Judge Bogdanoff brings his detail-oriented and practical approach as a dedicated dispute resolution practitioner. For probate practitioners, he offers a deep knowledge of the law of estates, trusts and all related probate matters, as well as an understanding of the dynamics that can lead to the successful resolution of probate disputes. For bankruptcy, reorganization and business/commercial practitioners, he offers years of experience and an in-depth knowledge of fraudulent transfer, preference, valuation and other issues arising in bankruptcy and reorganization cases and in successfully putting together deals against the backdrop of his experience as a judicial officer.
As a practitioner, Judge Bogdanoff was an accomplished trial attorney. As a judicial officer, he conducted multiple trials efficiently and effectively, bringing to the fore skills that will serve him well as an arbitrator.
ADR Experience and Qualifications
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At JAMS, successfully mediated commercial and estate and trust disputes involving an array of contested legal and business issues involving commercial real property, the cannabis industry, and closely held limited partnerships, corporations, trusts and probate estates
- As a mandatory settlement judge, handled mandatory settlement conferences; Sometimes, parties stipulated to Judge Bogdanoff serving as a mandatory settlement judge while continuing as the assigned judicial officer, and in other cases, he served as a mediation judge for case assigned to another officer
- As a private practitioner, participated in many mediations and served as a private mediator at the request of parties
- As a private practitioner, engaged in prodigious negotiations in insolvency and reorganization and was a master at structuring deals
Representative Matters
- Estate Probate Trusts
- At JAMS, successfully mediated multi-family disputes involving contested administration of trusts and administration of the related estate
- At JAMS, successfully mediated complex multi-party disputes involving the validity of trust transfers and administration of the related probate estate
- At JAMS, successfully mediated contested guardianship disputes involving high net worth parties
- As a judge, decided multiple contested matters, including motions and evidentiary hearings
- As a judge, conducted trials involving issues arising under trusts, including breach of fiduciary duty, the scope of a trustee’s powers under trust instruments, capacity, undue influence and standing
- As a judge, conducted trials involving issues arising in connection with the administration of estates, including breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, forgery, testamentary capacity, undue influence and elder abuse
- As a judge, conducted trials involving conservatorship and guardianship appointments, petitions for removal and petitions to terminate proceedings
- As a mandatory settlement judge in a case presided over by another judicial officer, resolved disputes involving claims by a trust beneficiary against a trustee alleging breach of duty against the trustee and asserting rights to additional financial support from the trust; matter was resolved in a one-day mandatory settlement conference
- As a mandatory settlement judge, resolved multiyear litigation involving claims for breach of fiduciary duty for improvement investments by the trustee and failure to account; matter was resolved in lieu of trial that had begun
- As a mandatory settlement judge, resolved disputes involving a trust accounting that had languished for years before he took the bench; dispute was resolved on the eve of trial through the parties’ acceptance of a mediator’s proposal
- As a mandatory settlement judge, resolved disputes among competing petitioners seeking to serve as estate administrator
- Bankruptcy
- As a practitioner, represented companies, creditors’ committees, equity committees, creditors, acquirers and interested parties in midsize and large chapter 11 and chapter 9 cases across the United States
- As a practitioner, represented estate representatives as well as defendants in preference and fraudulent transfer litigation
- As a practitioner, represented estate representatives, creditors and interested parties in valuation and allocation issues
- As a private mediator selected by the parties, resolved a contested reorganization case involving commercial properties and valuation disputes
- As a private mediator selected by the parties at the urging of the bankruptcy court, resolved disputes involving a municipal financing transaction
- As a private mediator selected by the parties, resolved a contested reorganization case involving a company engaged in manufacturing and disputes regarding collective bargaining agreements
- Business Commercial
- As a judge, conducted trial involving breach of contract and fraud claims arising from commercial transaction
- At JAMS, successfully mediated breach of contract action involving commercial real property transaction
- At JAMS, successfully mediated partnership disputes involving retail cannabis business and related real property holdings
- As a judge, conducted trial involving breach of contract and fraud claims arising from commercial transaction
- As a judge, decided contested matters relating to the purchase and sale of real property, corporate governance and shareholders’ rights arising in the context of trust cases
- As a practitioner, involved in multiple disputes and actions relating to corporate governance, breach of fiduciary duty, executive compensation, insurance, shareholder derivative actions, usurpation of corporate opportunities and alter ego actions arising in the context of insolvency and reorganization cases
Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities
- Fellow, American College of Bankruptcy, 2003 (inducted)
- Volunteer, Domestic Violence Project, Legal Aid Foundation, 2017–2020
- Bankruptcy Litigator of the Year, Best Lawyers, 2014 and 2016
- Top 500 Lawyers Global, Intercontinental Finance Magazine, 2010–2011
- K&A Restructuring Register (top 75 restructuring lawyers nationally and top 16 nationally from 2001 to 2009 (duration of publication))
- Bankruptcy Lawyer of the Year, Century City Bar Association, 2007
- Chambers USA Bankruptcy/Restructuring California (Band 1 California, Band 2 National), 2010–2017
- Member, American Bar Association, 1986–2019
- Electronic Discovery Subcommittee, 2015–2016
- Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association, 1986–2019
- Member Financial Lawyers Association, 1986–2017
Background and Education
- Superior Court Judge, County of Los Angeles, 2020–2024
- Temporary Judge, County of Los Angeles Superior Court, 2017–2020
- Co-Founding Member; Klee, Tuchin, Bogdanoff & Stern; 1999–2017
- Of Counsel, 2017–2020
- Senior Shareholder; Stutman, Triester & Glatt PC; 1992–1999
- Associate and Junior Shareholder, 1986–1992
- Law Clerk, Hon. David Thompson, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, 1985–1986
- Juris Doctor, Order of the Coif, UC Berkeley School of Law, 1985
- Bachelor of Science, Phi Beta Kappa, University of California, Davis, 1982
Home Office
HOME OFFICE
Century City, California
1925 Century Park East, 14th Floor, The Watt Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90067
Los Angeles, California
515 S. Flower St, Suite 4500 Los Angeles, CA, 90071
Available to Travel
AVAILABLE TO TRAVEL
Inland Empire, California
Citrus Towers, 3390 University Ave., Suite 450, Riverside, CA 92501
Orange County, California
5 Park Plaza, Suite 400, Irvine, CA 92614
Sacramento, California
1415 L Street, Suite 700, Sacramento, CA 95814
San Diego, California
401 B Street, Suite 2100, San Diego, CA 92101
San Francisco, California
Two Embarcadero Center, Suite 1500, San Francisco, CA 94111
Santa Rosa, California
50 Old Courthouse Square, Suite 600, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Silicon Valley, California
160 W. Santa Clara St., Suite 1600, San Jose, 95113 CA
Walnut Creek, California
1255 Treat Blvd., Suite 700, Walnut Creek, CA 94597
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"It was easy to appreciate and admire Judge Bogdanoff's understanding of the facts and legal challenges of my contested cases when he was the judicial officer in Department 29. He was consistently one of the best prepared and thoughtful judges I had ever appeared in front of. Even when I lost a motion, his statement of decision was so thoughtful and thorough that my clients understood that they had received "justice" regardless of the outcome. I look forward to working with Judge Bogdanoff as a mediator."
- Leading Probate Attorney
"Judge Bogdanoff is one of the most prepared judges on the court. He read and internalized everything submitted to him. Do not waste your time repeating material. He has truly thought deeply about what is before him and is willing to listen to all parties. He strives valiantly to give all parties their opportunity. He asks incisive, articulate questions. Be sure and answer them. You will know that your position was heard and considered and is a factor in whatever he proposes."
- Leading Attorney
“With his remarkable intellect and meticulous attention to detail, Judge Bodganoff simplifies even the most complex cases to their fundamental components, all while appreciating the unique aspects of each case. “
- Trust and Estate Attorney
“Judge Bogdanoff has decades of experience as one of the nation’s top bankruptcy and business/commercial law practitioners, during which he developed a reputation for resolving some of the most complex and difficult cases. He was also a well-respected jurist known for his thoughtful decisions. He will use his experiences as a practitioner and jurist to guide parties to successful resolutions as a mediator. As a former skilled trial attorney and retired judicial officer, he will effectively handle arbitrations.”
- Leading Bankruptcy Lawyer
“In over 25 years of practice I have never appeared in front of a Judge, whether for a regular hearing, motion hearing or trial, who was as well prepared as Judge Bogdanoff. Even though he knew the facts and law as well or better than the lawyers arguing the matter, he was still willing to listen and consider argument of counsel. This hard work in combination with his intellect and significant experience in private practice will result in a terrific option for mediation or arbitration. Those traits allowed him to settle many complex cases from the bench.”
- Principal Complex Trust and Probate Attorney
"I had the pleasure of being Lee’s law partner for almost 20 years. He is one of the smartest, most perceptive, and diligent lawyers with whom I have had the pleasure of working in my almost 50 years of practice. He not only assimilates the details of a transaction or dispute rapidly, Lee is also able to separate the wheat from the chaff. Lee will rapidly ascertain which facts and law are going to be determinative and focus on those. I believe those exceptional skills, additionally honed by his years on the bench, will make him an extraordinary mediator, one who is able to assist lawyers and clients in ascertaining how they will do if they spend substantial time, aggravation and money in litigation and avoiding that highly unproductive path."
- Commercial Litigation Partner
“Judge Bogdanoff has a keen legal mind and great attention to detail. I had multiple evidentiary hearings before him, and while I did not always win, I never disagreed with the logic behind his rulings. He is unafraid of complicated facts or legal issues and will be a great addition to JAMS.”
- Trial Attorney
"I've known Judge Bogdanoff from decades of private practice primarily in the Chapter 11 arena. There were not many who possessed both his financial acumen and ability to understand complex issues swiftly. He was direct, honest, ethical and efficient in his analyses and responsible in asserting positions on behalf of his clients as well as sympathetically listening to the positions of other parties and adversaries. I believe these attributes would make him a great JAMS Mediator."
- Bankruptcy Partner