Dean J. Zipser, Esq.
- Mediator,
- Arbitrator,
- Temporary Judge-Judge Pro Tem,
- Court-Appointed Neutral (Referee/Special Master)
- In-person
- Virtual
Dean J. Zipser, Esq., joins JAMS following more than four decades as a litigator and trial lawyer representing both plaintiffs and defendants in complex, high-stakes business disputes. A founding partner of Umberg Zipser LLP, he has represented companies and individuals in matters involving commercial contracts, business torts, intellectual property, class actions, financial services, real estate and construction, unfair competition and false advertising. His experience spans all stages of litigation, from pretrial proceedings through trial and appeal, and includes extensive involvement in alternative dispute resolution.
Throughout his career, Mr. Zipser has represented clients such as Fortune 1000 companies and national retailers, financial institutions, real estate developers, technology and product manufacturers, individuals and closely held businesses. His representative experience includes: complex contract and business tort disputes; consumer and financial services class actions; trademark, copyright and other intellectual property litigation; real estate and construction disputes; product liability, warranty, unfair competition and false advertising matters; employment disputes; and constitutional law issues.
Before co-founding Umberg Zipser, Mr. Zipser was a partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP, where he co-chaired the firm’s Class Actions and Financial Services Litigation practice groups. Previously, he spent two decades at Morrison & Foerster LLP, where he served as managing partner and head of litigation for the firm’s Orange County (California) office.
Mr. Zipser is a recognized leader and has held numerous leadership positions in the Orange County legal community. He is a past president of the Orange County Bar Association (OCBA), the Orange County Chapter of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers (ABTL), the Orange County Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and the OCBA Charitable Fund. He has also served as chair of the OCBA Masters Division, co-vice-chair of the State Bar of California’s Rules Revision Commission and president of the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Orange County, and has had many other leadership positions in other organizations.
Mr. Zipser’s contributions to the legal profession have been recognized with the OCBA’s Franklin G. West Award, presented to an outstanding attorney or judge whose lifetime achievements have advanced justice and the law, as well as the Anti-Defamation League’s Jurisprudence Award. He has also been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America in multiple areas, including bet-the-company litigation, commercial litigation, intellectual property litigation, banking and finance litigation, real estate litigation, and advertising law.
Drawing on his experience as a litigator, trial lawyer, counselor, temporary judge, and law firm and organization leader, Mr. Zipser brings to his neutral practice a practical understanding of the legal, business and strategic considerations that drive complex disputes. His experience evaluating matters from both advocate and neutral perspectives, together with his mediation training, informs his ability to assess risk, identify key issues and understand the perspectives of parties and counsel as they evaluate pathways toward resolution.
Representative Matters
Business Commercial
- Represented computer manufacturers, retailers and other business entities in complex disputes involving breach of contract, unfair competition, false advertising, product liability and business tort claims
- Represented leading financial institutions, national retailers, real estate companies, law firms, and lawyers and other individuals in partnership, contract and other complex commercial disputes
- Represented domestic and international companies in business tort litigation
- Represented plaintiffs and defendants in complex, high-stakes business disputes involving contract, fiduciary duty and other commercial claims, including matters characterized as bet-the-company litigation
- Advised businesses and individuals on litigation risk and strategies designed to avoid, minimize or resolve disputes
Class Action
- Represented computer manufacturers in consumer class actions involving allegations of product liability, breach of warranty, unfair competition, false advertising and statutory violations
- Represented numerous financial institutions in class actions involving breach of contract, unfair competition and regulatory claims
- Represented real estate developers in construction-related class actions
- Represented product manufacturers in class actions and related disputes involving product liability and warranty claims
Intellectual Property
- Represented retailers, real estate developers, technology related companies, financial institutions and charitable organizations in disputes involving trademarks, service marks, trade names and copyrights
- Represented plaintiffs and defendants in intellectual property disputes involving clients across a range of industries, including financial institutions, retail, restaurant, software and toy manufacturing
- Represented a leading restaurant chain in high-profile trademark litigation concerning the use of the term “Taco Tuesday,” obtaining summary judgment on all claims
Real Property
- Represented large residential real estate developers in disputes involving real property, construction, contract and related class action claims
- Represented plaintiffs and defendants in construction disputes on behalf of clients ranging from large developers to individual homeowners
- Represented financial institutions, retailers and real estate companies in real property, partnership and contractual disputes
- Represented plaintiffs and defendants in complex real estate litigation as part of a broader commercial litigation practice, including disputes involving significant business and financial interests
- Represented entities and individuals in landlord-tenant matters
Banking
- Represented numerous financial institutions in complex litigation and class actions involving breach of contract, unfair competition and regulatory claims
- Represented financial institutions in partnership, real property, contract and other commercial disputes
Honors, Memberships & Professional Activities
Selected Memberships & Affiliations
- Member, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Judicial Selection Advisory Committee, 2019–2026
- Co-Vice-Chair, Rules Revision Commission, State Bar of California, 2015–2017
- Orange County Bar Association
- President, 2005
- Officer, 2002–2006
- Board Member, 1999–2001
- Chairperson, Mentoring Committee
- Co-Chair, Leadership Development Committee, 2009–2026
- Chair and co-chair of various task forces on governance, mentoring, leadership and succession, 2001–2026
- Orange County Bar Association, Masters Division
- Chairperson, 2013
- Board Member, 2012-2014
- Orange County Bar Association Charitable Fund
- Chair, 2006
- Board Member, 2000–2006
- Orange County Chapter, Association of Business Trial Lawyers
- President, 2004
- Officer, 2001–2005
- Board Member, 1999–2005
- Orange County Chapter, Federal Bar Association
- President, 2019–2020
- Board Member, 2008–2020
- Founding Member, 1987
- Lawyer Representative, Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, 2002–2006, 2019–2026
- Constitutional Rights Foundation of Orange County
- President Emeritus, 2019–2026
- President, 2017–2018
- Board Member, 2007–2018
- Project Youth/Orange County Bar Foundation
- Chair, 2021, 2025–2026
- Member, Emeritus Board, 2021–2026
- Board Member, 2010–2021
- Collaborative Courts Foundation
- Treasurer, 2026
- Board Member, 2022-2026
- Member, New Courthouse Advisory Committee, Fourth Appellate District, Division Three, 2005–2007
- Member, Pro Bono Panel, Central District of California, 2008
- Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association, 1981–2026
- Member, American Bar Association, 1989–2026
- Member, International Trademark Association, 2003–2007
- Board Member, South Coast Repertory Theater, 2012–2021
- Member, Board of Directors, Orange County Business Council, 2004–2005
Selected Awards & Honors
- Franklin G. West Lifetime Achievement Award, Orange County Bar Association, 2017
- Jurisprudence Award, Anti-Defamation League, 2003
- “Lawyer of the Year,” Orange County Bet-the-Company Litigation, The Best Lawyers in America®, 2014, 2022
- “Lawyer of the Year,” Orange County Intellectual Property Litigation, The Best Lawyers in America®, 2017
- The Best Lawyers in America®, 2008–2027
- Southern California Super Lawyers, 2005–2027
- Top 50 Orange County Lawyers, Super Lawyers, 2019–2026
- Top 100 Southern California Lawyers, Super Lawyers, 2020–2021
- BTI Client Service All-Star, The BTI Consulting Group, 2009
- Wiley W. Manuel Certificate for Pro Bono Services, State Bar of California
- America’s Top 100 High-Stakes Litigators, 2017–2026
Selected Publications
- Co-Author, California Lis Pendens Practice, second edition, California Continuing Education of the Bar; co-author of annual supplements for approximately 15 years
- Co-Author of annual updates on pretrial motions, California State Bar Litigation Section
- Author, “Developing Young Lawyers,” Raise the Bar, American Bar Association, 2006
- Author, “Builders’ Liability for Latent Defects in Used Homes,” Stanford Law Review
- Author, “Mentoring and Training New Lawyers in the 2020’s,” Orange County Lawyer, Orange County Bar Association, 2022
- Co-Author (with Ashleigh E. Aitken), “Bringing It Home: Some Strategies for Successful Mediation Negotiation,” Orange County Lawyer, Orange County Bar Association, 2006
- Author of articles on intellectual property, litigation and related topics published in Orange County Lawyer, Orange County Business Journal and other publications
Selected Speaking Engagements
Speaker and panelist on legal ethics, civility, discovery, intellectual property, pretrial practice, real estate litigation, settlement, mediation and governance for organizations including the Orange County Bar Association, the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, the Federal Bar Association, The Rutter Group, the Celtic Bar Association and the National Association of Bar Executives, including the following:
- Speaker, “Civility,” Association of Business Trial Lawyers, 2019
- Speaker, “Mediation, Like a Fine Scotch,” Celtic Bar Association, 2019
- Speaker, Collaborative Courts Foundation Program, Celtic Bar Association, 2023
Background & Education
Background & Education
- Founding Partner, Umberg Zipser LLP, 2014–2026
- Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP; 2008–2013
- Partner and Co-Chair; Class Actions and Financial Services Litigation Practice Groups
- Morrison & Foerster LLP, 1988–2008
- Managing Partner and Head of Litigation Department, Orange County Office
- McKenna, Conner & Cuneo, 1980–1988
- J.D., Stanford Law School, 1980
- B.A., summa cum laude, University of California, Los Angeles, 1977
Locations
Home Office
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Orange County, CA
Available to Travel To
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Century City, CA -
Inland Empire, CA -
Las Vegas, NV -
Los Angeles, CA -
Sacramento, CA -
San Diego, CA -
San Francisco, CA -
Silicon Valley, CA -
Walnut Creek, CA
Virtual hearings available
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Carlos Espinoza
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