Terry B. Bates is a litigation partner with substantial first chair trial experience for both plaintiffs and defendants. He is a member of Reed Smith’s Complex Litigation Group where he serves as Deputy Practice Group Leader. He also is a member of Reed Smith’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee’s firm wide Advisory Board, having previously served as the Los Angeles Office Diversity Committee Partner engaged in assisting in the firm’s implementation of policies and practices designed to enhance diversity and inclusiveness, and a member of the Los Angeles Office Recruiting Committee, engaged in selecting and developing its new attorneys.
Terry has extensive litigation management and first chair trial experience in state and federal courts, managing cases from inception through trial, as well as parachuting in during the final stages of litigation to negotiate settlements or take matters to trial.
His recent trial verdicts include a defense verdict following a seven day jury trial in 2017 and a plaintiff $5.76 million verdict in 2018. His practice has a special emphasis on representing corporations, officers and management-level employees in all types of significant litigation matters involving contract, employment, financial services, and real estate and development/construction disputes.
He has been lead/first chair trial counsel in matters for, among others, Bank of America, IKON Office Solutions, M&T Bank, Post Modern Edit, LLC, Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Southern California Edison, Spirit Realty, Toyota Motor Credit, numerous individuals and corporate officers and several dozen premier national level law firms, as well as lead counsel in class action matters for Southern California Edison Company, Talent Partners and The U.D. Registry.
Education :
- University of California, Hastings College of the Law, 1984, J.D., Note Editor, Hastings International and Comparative Law Journal
- University of California, San Diego, 1981, B.A., Political Science, Economics minor, Chinese Studies minor
Professional Admissions & Qualifications : California
Court Admissions :
- All State Courts – California
- U.S. District Court – Central District of California
- U.S. District Court – Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court – Southern District of California
- U.S. District Court – District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court – Western District of Wisconsin
- U.S. Tax Court
Professional Affiliations :
- State Bar of California: Special Master 1992 – current; Former Member Fee Arbitration Executive Committee
- Los Angeles Superior Court, Judge Pro Tem, 1991 – 2007
- Los Angeles County Bar Association; Prior State Bar Delegate and various former committee positions, including Barristers’ Executive Committee member, Fee Arbitration Committee Chair and State Appellate Judicial Evaluation Committee
- Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Board of Directors, 2003 – 2018
EXPERIENCE :
- Employment
- Cooksey v. Post Modern Edit, LLC. (Orange County Superior Court). First chair defense of employer involving wage and commission claims resulting in defense judgment on all pled claims.
- Downie v. American Re-Insurance Company (Orange County Superior Court). First chair representation of Defendant employer in wrongful termination lawsuit filed by former Assistant Vice President. Defense judgment.
- WRS Motion Picture and Video Laboratory v. Post Modern Edit, Inc. (Orange County Superior Court). First chair representation of Defendant in employee restrictive covenant and trade secret litigation resulting in dismissal by plaintiff on day before trial and monetary settlement paid to client Defendant without cross-complaint.
- Financial Services
- Cambor v. Toyota Motor Credit Corporation (USDC Colorado). First chair representation of Defendant in financial services dispute. Judgment for Defendant.
- Paudler v. AFN, Bank of America and M&T Bank (Santa Barbara Superior Court). First chair representation of Defendant M&T Bank in breach of contract, tort and statutory claims involving loan and forbearance. Jury verdict on legal claims and court verdict on equitable claims in favor of client.
- Toyota Lease Trust v. Grigoryan (Los Angeles Superior Court). First chair representation of Plaintiff/Cross-Defendant in financial services dispute. Judgment for Plaintiff and Cross-Complaint dismissed.
- Real Estate/Construction
- Aradi, Ltd., et al. v. Ernest Mansi, Raymond Null (Los Angeles Superior Court). First chair representation of Plaintiff investors/developers in breach of contract and residential development action. Judgment for Plaintiff with fee award.
- Emerald Development Company v. The Los Angeles School District (American Arbitration Association). First chair representation of Plaintiff in arbitration dispute concerning $100 million high school development. Favorable settlement for client during proceedings with arbitrator assistance.
- Spirit SPE Portfolio CA C-Stores, LLC v. SB Gas and Wash Management, Inc. and Ahmad (Eddie) Abadi (Los Angeles Superior Court). First chair representation of Plaintiff REIT for breach of contracts involving 32 developed properties. Multi-million dollar judgments for Plaintiff against defendants. (After multiple Plaintiff UD judgments in various jurisdictions.)
Cost
Rate : $$$