Gregory P. Barbee

Greg Barbee is a Partner in the Government Contracts & Regulated Industries Litigation Group in the firm's Los Angeles office.

Areas of Practice

Mr. Barbee specializes in commercial litigation, with an emphasis on general business disputes and intellectual property. In the general business context, Mr. Barbee has represented businesses and individuals in litigation and arbitrations related to contractual disputes, business torts, real estate and the entertainment industry. Mr. Barbee's intellectual property expertise includes patent, trademark, trade dress, trade secret, unfair competition, computer, Internet and domain name litigation and arbitrations.

Education

• J.D., University of Southern California, 1996, Order of the coif, Managing Articles Editor, Law Review
• B.A., University of California, Los Angeles, 1991

Admissions

• United States Supreme Court
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth and Ninth Circuits
• United States District Court for the Central, Northern and Southern Districts of California
• State Courts in California

Representative Experience

Mr. Barbee is Lead Trial Counsel representing a telecommunications company defending against a putative class action related to a partnership and royalty dispute. Mr. Barbee represented the same company in several patent infringement lawsuits brought by the company (all of which settled favorably, before and after trial), and in a prior dispute by another partner (also settled favorably).

Mr. Barbee currently represents an aircraft part manufacturer accused of patent infringement.

In 2007, Mr. Barbee tried a real estate dispute seeking the return of a $6 million parcel from a trustee. The claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and fraud were all decided in our client's favor, and the parcel was returned.

Mr. Barbee represented Avery Dennison Corporation in several patent suits related to infringement by competitors.  The suits settled favorably.

Mr. Barbee was Lead Trial Counsel on behalf of Northrop Grumman in case brought by one of Northrop Grumman's subcontractors, Merit Engineering, for breach of contract, conversion, unfair business practices, interference with contract and fraud. After a series of favorable rulings on various motions, the case settled while Merit was in the process of appealing those rulings.

Mr. Barbee was Lead Trial Counsel in a case brought by Hi-Rel Connectors against, among others, Northrop Grumman, alleging trade secret misappropriation and breach of contract. The case settled on favorable terms on the eve of trial.

Mr. Barbee represented Buena Vista Home Entertainment in case against Blockbuster Inc. related to the distribution of BVHE's videocassettes. After the Court awarded BVHE summary adjudication on the issue of the validity and enforceability of the parties' contract, and specifically the liquidated damages clause therein (covering approximately $39 million in damages), the case settled favorably.

Mr. Barbee successfully represented the Societe des Bains de Mer et des Etrangers a Monaco in a trademark dispute against a cybersquatter. The parties submitted cross-motions for summary judgment, and the Eastern District of Virginia found SBM's mark valid and infringed; the Court ordered return of the infringing domain names. The Fourth Circuit affirmed the judgment.

Mr. Barbee participated in a three-month jury trial successfully defending Avery Dennison Corporation against claims of trade secret misappropriation and unfair competition.

Mr. Barbee represented Suissa Miller in breach of contract and declaratory relief claims against and by Beech-Nut Nutrition Corporation. After a three-day court trial, the United States District Court for the Central District of California found for Suissa Miller and entered a judgment awarding Suissa Miller its contractual damages.

Mr. Barbee advised a credit card company accused of patent infringement by a competitor and procured a favorable settlement.

Honors

• Rising Star, Super Lawyers, 2009

Articles

• Co-author, "Spurred On," Daily Journal, March 3, 2000.
• "Attorney's Fee Awards to Pro Se Attorney Litigants After Kay v. Ehrler: No Fees. It's Simple. But Is It Absolute?" Southern California Law Review, 69:1795, 1996.