James J. Webster

 

Los Angeles Office
Tel: 213-443-3000
Fax: 213-443-3100
jameswebster@quinnemanuel.com
Practice Areas
Appellate Practice
Domestic and International Arbitration & Mediation
Entertainment, Media and Internet Litigation
Intellectual Property Litigation
Real Estate Litigation
Securities Litigation
Sports Litigation
Transnational Litigation

Education

 

Harvard Law School (LL.M., 1993)

 

University of Melbourne, Australia (LL.B., first class honors, 1990)

Melbourne University Law Review:

Law Reform Editor, 1990

Editorial Board, 1987-1990

 

University of Melbourne, Australia (B. Com., 1989)





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Biography

 

After practicing in Australia from 1990, Mr. Webster joined the firm in 1993.  He has since engaged in complex business disputes in numerous jurisdictions in the United States and abroad, involving both governmental and private entities.  Mr. Webster has also represented clients across the media and entertainment spectrum, and has experience in a range of complex actions involving major financial institutions and secured transactions.  He has represented international media conglomerates, motion picture studios, television networks, music and concert promoters, talent agencies and advertising agencies.  His individual clients have included major motion picture producers, directors and actors, music industry artists and producers, screenwriters and journalists.  He has consistently successfully represented those entities and individuals in complex contract, copyright, tort and first amendment disputes.  He has also practiced extensively and successfully in a wide range of real estate disputes.






Notable Representations

 

Represented exploration company in $10 billion claim regarding corruption of foreign government concerning major hydrocarbon fields, including racketeering and antitrust claims for treble damages.


Represented nuclear power generation arm of foreign government in dispute over sourcing of nuclear material from Russian Federation.


Represent purchasers of credit linked notes with $1.7 billion face value, in action against leading financial institution, for orchestrating effective transfer of Enron debt to note holders.


Represent purchasers of notes in connection with collapse of Australian mining company, against leading financial institution, for role in issuance of notes prior to failure of company's gold hedging and trading strategy.


Trial counsel in action against Microsoft for theft of trade secrets and fraud in connection with intellectual property for home entertainment.

 

Trial counsel on behalf of "deep pocket" motion picture studio defendant in an entertainment industry trial; won nonsuit after closing statements, with $52 million verdict entered against other defendants.  Subsequently acted as lead appellate counsel, resulting in affirmation of nonsuit and prior summary adjudication.


Counsel for broadcast television network, defeated eleventh hour application for injunction to prevent pending broadcast of boxing "reality" program based on violations of boxing regulations depicted in the program; successfully invoked doctrine of First Amendment prior restraint.

 

Trial counsel on $6 million real estate claims; won specific performance.


Trial counsel on behalf of production and merchandising entities on a $20 million copyright claim based on a highly successful television and motion picture property; won complete defense verdict. Kling v. Hallmark Cards, Inc., 225 F.3d 1030 (9th Cir. 2000)

 

Arbitration counsel on $9.5 million claim in construction dispute in the first ever International Chamber of Commerce arbitration in Peru; won complete recovery and defeated adverse claims.

 

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