Profile
Lisa C. McCurdy is Co-Chair of the Women’s Initiative and a shareholder in the firm's Litigation Practice. She practices commercial civil litigation, with a particular focus on retail, consumer products & services, and real estate and financing litigation (including commercial lease litigation). She also has deep experience in trust and estate litigation, particularly trusts and estates with significant real estate and business holdings. She has wide-ranging experience in both federal and state court, as well as in administrative proceedings and regulatory investigations.
Lisa’s approach to litigation focuses on developing a comprehensive understanding of the client’s business and interests. She applies that understanding through all stages of representation, including pre-litigation counseling and negotiations, developing case strategy, preparing witnesses for trial, examining witnesses and arguing key motions, through writ proceedings and direct appeals and, where appropriate, obtaining resolutions through arbitration and mediation.
Lisa also practices in the area of animal protection law, regularly volunteering her time and litigating cases on behalf of both animal protection groups and individual clients, and working on improving legislation and education in an effort to improve the treatment of animals. As a result of this work, she was appointed by the Mayor of Los Angeles in March 2012 to serve as a Commissioner for the Animal Services Department of the City of Los Angeles, and served in that capacity and as Board president until February 2014. She is currently a board member and past Board President of Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest.
Concentrations
- Commercial/ Retail litigation
- Fiduciary/Trusts & estates litigation
- Real estate litigation
- Animal protection law
Capabilities
Experience
- Prior to joining Greenberg Traurig, Ms. McCurdy worked for two other top tier law firms in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
- Prior to law school, she worked in the executive office of a regional department store in retail buying and vendor space allocation & management.
- Representation, including on appeal, of the sole non-contingent beneficiary of the $400+ million Mark Hughes Family Trust in litigation spanning years against the originally named co-trustees of the Trust in connection with a multitude of disputes, including a six-month trial resulting ultimately in the suspension and removal of the co-trustees. Litigation included the pursuit of claims for the co-trustees’ failure to honor support obligations, improper attempts to allocate trust obligations to a custodial account, proposed improper settlement of a Graegin (estate tax loan) transaction, improper accounting, and gross negligence in connection with the sale, proposed development and management of 157 acres of entitled real property located above the Beverly Hills Hotel. Represented the same beneficiary in connection with his successful efforts to establish the bona fide nature of lien rights securing over $80 million against the property. The suspension and removal of the original co-trustees was affirmed in full by the California Court of Appeals, with continued representation concerning attorney-client privilege claims, successor trustee appointment, and unapproved accountings and related issues. See Fiduciary Trust Internat. Of California v. Klein, No. A144558, 9 Cal.App.5th 1184 (Cal. Ct. App. 2017), review denied July 12, 2017; Hughes v. Klein, No. A138983, 2015 WL 1455981 (Cal. Ct. App. 2015), review denied June 10, 2015.
- Representation of estate and trust beneficiary of family trust with extensive land, business, and partnership holdings, in claims for failure to account, turnover of assets, constructive trust, appointment of representative, and related issues.
- Representation of estate and trust beneficiaries of family trust with extensive business and foreign asset holdings, in claims for breach of contract, fraud, injunctive relief, breach of settlement, double damages, and related issues.
- Representation of certain board members of foreign holding company in connection with U.S. based trust litigation involving company shares held in trust.
- Represented Bird Nest LLC (Katy Perry), securing the right to acquire a former convent from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles for redevelopment into a residential compound and, in the process, defeating the claims of a competing buyer (hotel developer) and cancelling the competing buyer’s recorded deed and other clouds on title.
- Represented a special purpose entity and its billion-dollar investment fund parent in connection with breach of contract and specific performance claims arising from the termination of a $68 million real estate purchase and sale contract, including at trial and in subsequent appeals.
- Represented the trustee of the Jack Hazard Trust which owns System Property Development Company, the successor to System Parking, and owner of a national real estate portfolio.
- Represented the sole non-contingent beneficiary of the $400+ million Mark Hughes Family Trust in litigation the sale, proposed development and management of 157 acres of entitled real property located above the Beverly Hills Hotel. Represented the same beneficiary in connection with his successful efforts to establish the bona fide nature of lien rights securing over $80 million against the property.
- Represented scrap metal business in eminent domain proceedings concerning property taken by the State of California in connection with the I-5 corridor widening project in Los Angeles County. Just prior to the Final Status Conference leading up to trial, secured settlement for double the offered real estate value, double the offered value of FF&E, multimillion-dollar relocation reimbursement, and the more than twenty times the previous largest award of goodwill for any condemned businesses in the history of the State of California.
- Representation of multibillion-dollar energy company in various eminent domain proceedings concerning property taken by the State of California in connection with construction of the High-Speed Rail Project.
- Representation of privately-owned preschool in disputes related to public right-of-way, continuity with community development plan, permitting, and related issues.
- Representation of memorial park in litigation involving nuisance and other claims relating to use and development of property.
- Representation of family holding company in litigation concerning various real estate investments in the hospitality space.
- Representation of contract manufacturer of personal care and cosmetic products in state and federal court litigation involving manufacturing, licensing, purchasing and sales agreements and related issues.
- Represented private equity company and subsidiary in litigation involving sale of business to subsidiary and resulting litigation involving creditor’s claims, breach of contract claims, breach of fiduciary duty claims, and alter ego claims.
- Represented major forest products company in series of antitrust (alleged monopolization) litigation, including jury trial, in federal district court.
- Represented manufacturer of consumer novelty products in licensing dispute.
- Represented medical billing services provider in service contract dispute.
- Represented national grocery store chain in the Southern California supermarket strike and lockout of 2003-04 in an action to secure a permanent injunction and temporary restraining order related to union picketing.
- Represented global leader in ATM, security and electronic voting technology in voting system matters and election law disputes in California.
- Representation of various online retailers in litigation concerning secured financing disputes.
- Representation of U.S. division of worldwide clothing manufacturer and retailer in connection with vendor disputes, compliance audits, internal policies, and a range of other matters.
- Representation of various brick and mortar retailers in litigation regarding real estate purchase and sale and lease agreements.
- Represented multinational beverage company against federal Lanham Act claims concerning the labeling and advertising of its products.
- Represented major provider of information solutions and consumer reports to organizations and consumers in consumer class action litigation in various courts and jurisdictions.
- Representation of various online retailers in litigation concerning secured financing disputes.
- Representation of U.S. division of worldwide clothing manufacturer and retailer in connection with vendor disputes, compliance audits, internal policies, and a range of other matters.
- Representation of various brick and mortar retailers in litigation regarding real estate purchase and sale and lease agreements.
Recognition & Leadership
- Selected, Century City Bar Association, "Trust and Estates Litigation Attorney of the Year," 2022
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Litigation - Trusts and Estates, 2020-2024
- Team Member, U.S. News - Best Lawyers®, Best Law Firms Edition, "Law Firm of the Year," Real Estate - Litigation, 2017 and 2022
- Board Member and Past Board President, Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest (CSNW), Board of Directors (one of only a handful of sanctuaries in the United States that cares for chimpanzees previously used in the entertainment and biomedical testing industries)
- President and Commissioner, Board of Los Angeles Animal Services Commissioners, 2012-2014
- Member and Past Vice-Chair, Animal Law Committee, American Bar Association, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section
- Past Vice-Chair, Intellectual Property Law Committee, American Bar Association's Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section
- Shareholder liaison, GT Global Women's Initiative
- Member, National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL)
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, State Bar of California
- Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association
- Member, Association of Business Trial Lawyers Los Angeles
- Member, Century City Bar Association
Credentials
Education
-
J.D., cum laude, Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
- Order of the Coif
- St. Thomas More Law Honor Society
- Production Editor, Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review
- Member, Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court Team
- B.A., University of California at Los Angeles
Admissions
- California
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California