Download vCard
Follow on LinkedIn
Email
Overview
Experience
News & Insights
Awards & Affiliations
Overview
+
Michael Adams is a trial attorney with twenty years of experience trying cases to jury verdict and is the Chair of Rutan’s Litigation and Trial department. He has particular expertise in unfair competition litigation, including trademark infringement, false advertising, trade secret misappropriation, copyright infringement, patent infringement and false patent marking. He is also highly experienced in business disputes involving fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract, as well as class action defense ranging from mass toxic torts to alleged violations of various consumer protection statutes. Michael has successfully tried dozens of cases involving such diverse matters as intellectual property infringement, breach of contract, personal injury, wrongful death, burglary, bank robbery and fraud.
Experience
+
Representative Matters
Trademark Infringement
- Hard Candy Fitness v. Madonna Louise Chiccone. Represented Madonna in complex trademark infringement lawsuit brought by a cosmetics maker claiming likelihood of consumer confusion with Madonna’s Hard Candy Fitness gyms.
- Robert Bosch, LLC v. Various Defendants. Represented Bosch in its trademark infringement and counterfeiting litigation throughout the country related to counterfeit automobile parts.
- ALO, LLC v. Various Defendants. Ongoing representation of ALO in its trademark infringement litigation around the country and in inter partes proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
- American Automobile Association v. Various Defendants. Represents AAA in its trademark infringement litigation throughout the State of California.
False Advertising
- Kerkorian v. Samsung Electronics. Represents Samsung in putative false advertising class action pending in the Eastern District of California.
- Certified Nutraceuticals, Inc. v. Avicenna Nutraceutical, LLC. Represented manufacturer of raw collagen material in lawsuit brought by competitor for alleged false advertising.
- Nutrition Distribution v. Various Defendants. Ongoing and past representation of dozens of supplement companies against claims brought by Nutrition Distribution for alleged false advertising.
- NeoCell Corporation v. BioCell Technology, LLC. Represented NeoCell with respect to claims for false patent marking and false advertising relating to the efficacy of dietary supplements.
Trade Secrets
- VBS Television v. Arthro-7. Represented manufacturers against various unfair competition claims, including trade secret misappropriation, false advertising, trade dress infringement, copyright infringement and RICO.
- Various lawsuits involving CoreLogic. Ongoing representation of CoreLogic in litigation throughout the country relating to CoreLogic’s trade secrets.
- Fuhu, Inc. v Toys R Us. Represented electronic toy manufacturer suing Toys R Us for trade secret misappropriation.
Patents
- California Strawberry Commission v. The Regents of the University of California. Represented the California Strawberry Commission in its highly publicized litigation against the University of California relating to patent and tangible research property rights for strawberry varieties.
- Ace Duraflo v. NuFlow. Prosecuted claims on behalf of a pipe restoration technology company against its competitor for patent mismarking.
- Sullivan v. Power Probe. Represented automotive diagnostics manufacturer defending against claims of patent infringement.
Class Action Defense
- Friedman v. Brother International Corporation. Represented Brother in class action alleging trespass and related claims arising from unused toner remaining in printer cartridges.
- Barr v. Futuredontics. Represented 1-800-Dentist in federal court class action alleging violations of the TCPA.
- Various Plaintiffs v. Owens Corning Fiberglass. Represented manufacturer in personal injury and wrongful death class actions.
- Weiner v. Aerocraft Heat Treating Co. Represents metal forging company in class action alleging personal injury and property damage arising from hexavalent chromium emissions.
News & Insights
+
Publications
- “Truncated Proof” Class Actions & Derivative Suits, American Bar Association, Spring 2000
- “Using Statistics to Circumvent Evidentiary Problems” Daily Journal, August 6, 1999
Awards & Affiliations
+
Memberships & Associations
- Federal Bar Association of Orange County (Director, 2012 to 2015)
- Capo Beach Church (Director, 2014 to present; Vice-President, 2016 to present)
- Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Southern California Chapter (Director, 2012 to 2016)
- Orange County Bar Association
- Stanford Alumni Association
