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Before joining the firm in 1997, Chris Tayback spent eight years as a prosecutor. He was a Deputy District Attorney in Los Angeles County from 1989-1991, where he tried over 20 cases before juries in the municipal and superior courts.  He then served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California, Criminal Division, where he prosecuted another 20-plus jury trials in district court and litigated approximately 40 appeals before the Ninth Circuit, receiving numerous awards from the various federal and local law enforcement agencies with which he worked. 
 

Mr. Tayback has continued to try, and win, jury trials in a broad range of subject matters, including patent infringement, class actions, real estate, construction, partnership disputes, contracts and fraud.  All told, he has tried over 100 cases, including over 50 jury trials--civil and criminal--in state and federal courts in California, Arizona and Massachusetts.  He has represented both plaintiffs and defendants with equal success: for example, in the past two years, he has obtained a $128 million patent infringement jury verdict representing plaintiffs, and he has obtained a defense verdict in a $200 million class action.  He has been rated "AV" by Martindale Hubbell, its highest rating.
 

Mr. Tayback annually serves as a visiting trial advocacy instructor at Harvard Law School.  He has appeared on ABC television's "Nightline" discussing criminal law issues, and has had his cases featured on the television program "Arrest and Trial."  He has represented lawyers in court proceedings and in investigations and hearings conducted by the Department of Justice, the Securities Exchange Commission and the United States Senate.

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
CNA
ConAgra
Freedom Wireless
IBM
Hanes Properties
Penn National Gaming
Sprint Wireless
Union Bank of California
Waste Management

Won $128 million jury verdict in patent infringement case for Freedom Wireless against 12 defendants over telephone systems and methods.  The trial lasted 15 weeks.  The verdict was the largest ever awarded in Massachusetts, and was the eighth biggest verdict awarded in the U.S. that year.  The case settled for a lump sum payment of $87 million, plus on-going royalties which are expected to generate an additional $50 million.

Won $225 million jury verdict on offsetting breach of contract cross-claims in class action for defendant Sprint Wireless, negating class claims for damages.

Won jury trial for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences enforcing its right of first refusal over ©OSCAR® statuettes previously awarded to silent film stars Mary Pickford and Buddy Rogers.

Won $5 million jury verdict for real estate developer against civil engineering firm for fraud.  Shortly after three week trial concluded, the case settled for the full amount.

Won patent investorship trial in a lawsuit brought against cellular technology inventor by a large national cellular carrier alleging that it had acquired the right to exploit certain patents because it had been licensed by an alleged co-inventor. 

Won a defense verdict and prevailed on cross-claim and award of attorneys fees, for breach of contract on behalf of an individual real estate developer against contractor.

Obtained a substantial settlement for a telecommunications reseller, which was sued as a defendant by a large cellular carrier in Phoenix, Arizona.  After asserting cross-claims and presenting evidence over the course of a three week trial, the case settled prior to verdict with a substantial payment to the firm's client on its cross-complaint.

Represented a sub-prime mortgage lender accused of unfair competition and trademark infringement in a three week jury trial in Orange County.  Prior to the close of plaintiff's case, successfully persuaded the judge to exclude plaintiff's damages expert and preclude the presentation of its theory of damages, resulting in a prompt and successful settlement of the mater.

Represented a defense contractor accused of racial discrimination in an employment lawsuit and obtained a unanimous jury verdict in favor of the defense on the discrimination claim.

Represented a Waste Management employee in a highly publicized investigation alleging corruption in the construction of a waste disposal site.  Obtained dismissal of all charges.

Obtained dismissal for CNA Insurance Company of qui tam suit brought by Erin Brockovich under the Medicare Secondary Payer Act, seeking millions of dollars in damages for alleged wrongly withheld payments related to hospital medical malpractice claims.

Obtained dismissal of forfeiture claims against a large South American bank accused of money laundering by the United States government in a civil proceeding seeking forfeiture and penalties in excess of $12 million.