Hon. Luis A. Lavin (Ret.)
After a distinguished 22-year judicial career, Hon. Luis A. Lavin (Ret.) brings a unique depth of experience to JAMS. Known for his thorough preparation, ability to digest complex legal issues, and clear communication skills, Justice Lavin served for nine years on the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District. He authored more than 750 opinions on a wide range of issues, including the scope and enforceability of arbitration agreements, class certification, business disputes, insurance coverage, product liability, medical malpractice, employment discrimination, environmental law and real estate disputes. Justice Lavin also sat as a justice pro tem on the California Supreme Court on several occasions.
Before being elevated, Justice Lavin was a Los Angeles Superior Court judge for 13 years. As a Superior Court judge, he presided over more than 100 bench and jury trials. For three years, he was assigned to a Writs and Receivers department and focused on environmental disputes such as CEQA and Coastal Act challenges, public employment issues, and municipal affairs. He also ruled on requests for injunctive relief and receivership appointments involving corporate governance, trade secrets and real property disputes. Previously, he was assigned to a general jurisdiction civil department for four years managing civil cases from complaint to resolution, including ruling on class certification and summary judgment motions.
Prior to his judicial service, Justice Lavin held significant roles in public service. He was director of enforcement and general counsel for the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, a senior trial attorney with the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice, and an assistant attorney general in the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. Justice Lavin also worked in the private sector for many years. As associate general counsel for the Directors Guild of America, he arbitrated numerous cases involving the entertainment industry. As a lawyer in private practice in San Francisco and Boston, he represented corporate clients in civil litigation and transactional matters.
Justice Lavin has devoted many years to teaching. He has taught as an adjunct professor at Loyola Law School, Southwestern Law School and USC School of Law. Justice Lavin has also served as an instructor of judicial education for the California Center for Judicial Education and Research and the Los Angeles Superior Court.
A naturalized U.S. citizen born in Cuba, Justice Lavin attended public schools before graduating from Cornell University and Harvard Law School. He is fluent in Spanish.
ADR Qualifications
- Nine years on the California Court of Appeal, Second District, authoring more than 750 opinions
- 13 years on the Los Angeles Superior Court, presiding over 100 trials
- 16 years of legal experience, including eight years in the public sector, five years in private practice and three years as in-house counsel
- Conducted approximately 20 arbitrations as chief counsel or associate counsel for an entertainment guild
- Appointed as sole arbitrator in more than 70 arbitrations, including arbitrations involving business, entertainment, employment and real estate disputes
- Mediated complex environmental dispute involving more than 100 landowners and numerous government entities
- Conducted neutral evaluation involving an appeal from a $75 million-dollar product liability judgment
Representative Matters
- Administrative Law
- Authored opinion on the constitutionality of an ordinance regulating adult-oriented businesses
- Authored opinion involving reimbursements under the Medi-Cal program
- Presided over a writ of mandate proceeding challenging zoning decision allowing a developer to construct and operate an eldercare facility in a residential neighborhood
- Appellate
- Authored more than 750 opinions
- Participated in thousands of appeals and extraordinary writ proceedings
- Represented clients in appeals in state and federal courts
- Business Commercial
- Presided over three-week jury trial involving trademark infringement, fraud and breach of contract
- Authored opinion involving denial of grocery company’s motion to compel arbitration of class representative’s false advertising claim
- Authored opinion alleging violation of shareholder’s anti-dilution rights
- Authored opinion involving taxpayer suits brought against healthcare service plans to impose taxes under the California Constitution
- Authored opinion involving fraudulent transfer claims brought on behalf of numerous investment funds with interests in hundreds of real estate parcels
- Authored numerous opinions in breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and business tort disputes involving contract interpretation, calculation and imposition of damages and fees, and discovery abuse
- Authored opinion involving the termination of a petroleum franchise under federal law
- Class Action & Mass Tort
- As a trial judge, handled class certification motions
- Authored opinion in a class action lawsuit brought against title insurance companies alleging lack of compliance with insurance statutes and regulations
- Authored opinion reviewing denial of intervention motion by unnamed class members to obtain standing to challenge class action settlement
- Authored opinion reviewing denial of class certification motion brought by police officers and firefighters regarding calculation of pension benefits
- Authored opinion reviewing dismissal of wage-and-hour class action for failure to prosecute
- Employment Law
- Authored opinions concerning claims of discrimination based on race, gender, pregnancy, age, disability and medical condition; claims of sexual harassment and retaliation; claims of wage-and- hour violations; and claims concerning compliance with COVID-19 vaccination requirements
- Authored opinions involving the arbitrability of employment disputes, including claims brought under the Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (PAGA)
- Authored opinion involving employment dispute with a Spanish-language media company
- Presided over writ proceedings challenging employment decisions by public employers
- As a lawyer, litigated pattern or practice employment discrimination cases brought by the United States against public employers
- As a lawyer, handled multiday arbitration involving claims for compensation on behalf of 21 individuals
- Entertainment & Sports
- Authored opinion alleging that two entertainment streaming companies were providing video services without obtaining a state franchise, in violation of the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act
- Authored opinion involving a dispute by a former partner in a talent agency’s motion picture department
- Authored opinion concerning the nature and extent of film and television rights to a novel
- As a lawyer, represented the Directors Guild of America (DGA) in federal appeal concerning interpretation of the DGA’s collective bargaining agreement with entertainment companies
- As a lawyer, represented the DGA and its members in arbitrations with movie studios, production companies and television networks
- Environmental Law
- Presided over a writ of mandate proceeding under the California Environmental Quality Act challenging the conversion of 20 structures into a business center and storage facility
- Presided over an equitable proceeding involving a smelting facility’s compliance with hazardous waste and air emissions laws
- Authored opinion in a reverse validation action challenging government agencies’ plans to finance a water project in the Northern California Delta
- Mediated groundwater adjudication action to determine the maximum quantity of water which can be withdrawn annually from two groundwater basins
- Estate Probate Trusts
- Wrote opinions on special needs trust, trust distributions and trustee malfeasance
- Wrote opinion on validity of an unrecorded deed signed by decedent who died intestate
- Insurance
- Authored opinions regarding insurance coverage and bad faith, including a fire insurance policy’s suit limitations provision
- Authored opinion regarding an insurer’s suit against a municipality for inverse condemnation based on property damage during a storm
- International & Cross Border
- Wrote opinion involving a petition to bypass the express terms of a trust and instead apply forced heirship laws applicable in Chile, the decedent’s alleged domicile
- Presided over a three-week jury trial concerning a joint venture to purchase and operate a textile factory in Guatemala
- Wrote opinion involving the service of a summons and complaint under the Hague Convention procedures
- Wrote opinion in a dispute brought by a Chinese national against individuals and entities that provided immigration and investment services to Chinese nationals
- Authored opinion in a product liability action involving lack of personaljurisdiction over a Japanese corporation
- Wrote opinion in a dispute involving the conversion and transfer of funds to a Chinese bank
- Professional Liability
- Presided over a three-week medical malpractice jury trial alleging that medical providers’ negligence caused a child’s brain damage and ventilator dependence
- Authored opinions on legal malpractice, attorney ethics and attorney disqualification
- Authored opinions on medical malpractice involving expert witness testimony and the standard of care
- Authored opinion on a real estate agent’s liability for misrepresenting properties’ square footage
- Arbitrated dispute among former law partners seeking emergency relief
- Real Property
- Presided over jury trials alleging breaches of commercial lease agreements
- Authored opinions concerning breaches of residential and commercial leases, boundary disputes, easements, foreclosures, homeowners’ associations, inverse condemnation, nuisance and quiet title actions
- Arbitrated dispute involving the distribution of escrow funds
- Mediated dispute involving a commercial lease approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities
Bar Admissions
- California, 1985
- Massachusetts, 1987
Selected Honors
- Beacon of Justice Award, Friends of the Los Angeles County Law Library, 2022
- County of Los Angeles Commendation, 2022
- Certificate of Commendation, City of Los Angeles, 2022
- Harvard Law School Recognition and Celebration for Distinguished Contributions, 2017
- Carlos R. Moreno Judicial Excellence Award, 2015
Background and Education
- Associate Justice, California Court of Appeal, Second District, 2015–2024
- Judge, Los Angeles County Superior Court, 2001–2015
- Director of Enforcement and General Counsel, Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, 1999–2001
- Senior Trial Attorney and Trial Attorney, United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Employment Litigation Section, 1995–1999
- Associate General Counsel, Directors Guild of America, 1992–1995
- Assistant Attorney General, Government Bureau, Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, 1990–1992
- Attorney (private civil practice), 1985–1990
- J.D., Harvard Law School, 1985
- B.S., Cornell University, 1981
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