Practice Areas

The attorneys of Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan have extensive experience in a wide variety of business-related issues. Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan’s representation includes:

  • Plaintiffs and Defendants
  • Jury and Bench Trials
  • Administrative Hearings
  • T.R.O.s and Injunctive Relief
  • Local Counsel Engagements
  • Federal and State Courts
  • Appeals
  • Arbitration and Mediation
  • Class Action Lawsuits
  • Co-Counsel Engagements

Practice areas specifically include the following:

Corporate/Partnership Disputes

Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan has represented a large number of shareholders and partners, as both plaintiffs and defendants, in a variety of corporate and partnership disputes. Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan has pursued and defended against claims involving civil RICO, fraud, securities fraud, negligence, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty.

Many of these actions were settled prior to trial on terms favorable to the firm’s clients; although, when necessary, Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan has aggressively protected its clients’ interests at trial and through appeal.

Real Estate Disputes

Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan has represented purchasers, sellers, landlords, tenants, developers, lenders, and borrowers in numerous real estate disputes. Matters handled by Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan have included breach of lease actions, claims of fraud and breach of contract arising from the sale of multi-million dollar commercial properties, and lender-related actions.

Business Related Disputes

Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan has represented large and small businesses in a wide range of business related disputes. For example:

  • The Firm was involved in the defense of one of the nation’s largest airlines in antitrust litigation relating to an airline reservation system.
  • The Firm represented a development company and related affiliates in an action against environmental consultants and contractors for negligence and fraud relating to the investigation and remediation of a state Superfund site.
  • The Firm has represented businesses in actions involving fraud, misrepresentation, breach of contract, state securities fraud, and violations of state franchise laws.
  • The Firm ‘s accounting expertise enables us to help clients with business disputes involving complex accounting issues.

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Bankruptcy Litigation

Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan does not specialize in bankruptcy matters, per se, but the firm does have extensive experience in representing both debtors and creditors in litigation arising from bankruptcy proceedings. Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan’s bankruptcy litigation representation includes filing motions in bankruptcy proceedings, participating in adversarial proceedings in bankruptcy court, as well as handling related federal and state court matters involving a debtor in bankruptcy. Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan also handles appeals in all appellate courts arising from bankruptcy litigation.

Elder Abuse Litigation

Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan has represented both plantiffs and defendants in actions alleging financial elder abuse.

Insurance Litigation

Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan has represented both policyholders and insurers in matters involving coverage, bad faith denial of claims, breach of contract, and performance and payment bonds.

Professional Liability

Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in a variety of professional malpractice actions involving accountants, lawyers and other professionals.

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Intellectual Property

The lawyers of Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan have successfully represented companies in the software industry accused of copyright infringement in the design and development of software programs, screenwriters who have brought copyright infringement claims against movie studios and producers, and the exclusive licensees of famous poster art who brought copyright infringement claims against sellers of knock-off posters and other articles.

The lawyers of Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan have also successfully defended a bicycle parts manufacturer accused of trademark infringement and unauthorized use of the name of a famous bicycle racer and a golf club manufacturer accused of trademark infringement and counterfeiting. In another case for the golf club manufacturer, we successfully defeated a claim to an exclusive license in perpetuity to use the manufacture’s name and trademarks.

We have also had involvement in various patent infringement and trade dress cases involving medical devices and paper products and represented various parties in trade secret cases involving complex processes and issues. We have represented and given advice to both employers and employees concerning covenants not to compete, nonsolicitation agreements and other employment related issues concerning intellectual property. Mr. Denton has negotiated and drafted numerous license agreements in the areas of trademark, copyright, patents and trade secrets. We have also assisted parties in preparing copyright and trademark applications.

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Aviation & Aerospace

Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan has expertise and experience in many aspects of aviation and aerospace law. One of firm’s shareholders, Steve Hogan, was the “partner-in-charge” for McDonnell Douglas Corporation of all litigation arising out of the United Airlines DC-10 crash at Sioux City, Iowa on July 19, 1989. Mr. Hogan was also involved in the first case ever filed involving a tort in outer space (arising from a satellite failing to reach geosynchronous orbit).

Entertainment Litigation

Being located in the heart of the “entertainment capital of the world,” Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan has had the opportunity to handle disputes on behalf of entertainment industry clients. Bruce Lurie has represented music industry artists, authors and producers. Our accounting expertise lends itself to handling the complex accounting disputes that so often arise under agreements in this area of the law.

Debtor/Creditor Disputes

Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan has pursued collection of debts on behalf of creditors and has assisted numerous debtors to work out arrangements with their creditors outside of bankruptcy so that they could proceed with their business affairs free of uncontrolled disruption by creditors.

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Product Liability

Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan has handled product liability claims which arise in business manufacturing disputes. For example, Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan has defended manufacturers in actions alleging defective products including cranes, aircraft, and brakes.

Wills, Trusts and Estate Litigation

Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan has handled cases involving challenges to wills and trusts on behalf of beneficiaries and other interested parties. Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan has also represented trustees in actions seeking their removal, accounting for their actions and defending against claims for breach of fiduciary duty.

Labor Law

Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan has represented employees in actions involving wrongful termination and defended employees on claims of breach of contract and misappropriation of client files.

First Amendment/Media Law

Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan has represented broadcasters and publishers in defamation, privacy and public access cases.

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