News, Results & Firm Blog

Brown Neri Smith & Khan LLP (BNSK) is pleased to announce that, for the second consecutive year, it has been recognized in the 2026 Chambers USA Spotlight Guide for the firm's general commercial litigation practice, earning the distinction in both years since the guide's inaugural edition and solidifying its standing among California's elite...

BNSK is pleased to announce a string of 6 consecutive jury trial victories over the past year in state and federal courts across California and Arizona.  These wins span a broad range of complex disputes and reflect the firm's deep bench strength and ability to deliver at trial against well-resourced opponents.  The trial victories complement...

Brown Neri Smith & Khan LLP is proud to share that Super Lawyers has selected three of BNSK’s attorneys to its 2026 list of Southern California Super Lawyers: Ethan J. Brown (LA office) was recognized for Insurance Coverage; Andrew M. Purdy (OC office) was recognized for Antitrust Litigation; Anita P. Wu (LA office) was recognized for...

As artificial intelligence takes on tasks once exclusive to humans -- from driving to designing -- the law is struggling to keep up.  Ryan Abbott, a partner at Brown Neri Smith & Khan LLP and Professor at the University of Surrey, has been at the forefront of this debate.  Through his Artificial Inventor Project, Abbott argues for "AI legal...

Brown Neri Smith & Khan LLP is pleased to share that our partner Anita P. Wu has been named to the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2025 list of “Leaders of Influence: Thriving in their 40s.”  The accolade celebrates accomplished professionals who are leading with impact and shaping the future of business in Los Angeles. Anita was recognized...

Brown Neri Smith & Khan LLP (BNSK) is proud to announce its recognition in the prestigious Chambers USA 2025 Spotlight Guide for its general commercial litigation practice. Chambers USA spotlighted the firm as one of California's elite litigation boutiques, underscoring its reputation for excellence in high-stakes business disputes. The honor...

BNSK is pleased to announce that Amjad Khan, partner and Chair of BNSK's Executive Committee, has been named to the Los Angeles Business Journal's 2023 list of "Leaders of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys."  The editors select attorneys who are "the very best litigators and trial attorneys in the region" based on a demonstration of...

BNSK partner Ryan Abbott shares his views on AI and patent law with the US Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property in June 2023. Watch the video here.

What Rights Do Third Party Creators Have Within Tabletop RPG Systems, and Does Wizards of the Coast have the Right to Take Them Back? By Tim Lamoureux The Tabletop RPG (TTRPG) world has been in an uproar ever since an alleged leak of a document known as Open Gaming License (OGL) 1.1 as well as some communication regarding this document from...

On Friday, October 28, 2022, in a victory for BNSK's client, Dr. Aysha Khoury, the Los Angeles County Superior Court rejected the Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine's (KPSOM) efforts to keep secret and prevent public scrutiny of its investigation of Dr. Khoury, which KPSOM claims justified its decision to terminate her employment. The Court...

Brown Neri Smith & Khan LLP (“BNSK”) is pleased to announce that Anita P. Wu has joined the firm as a partner, adding to the business litigation boutique’s growing roster of attorneys who are former alums of Latham & Watkins LLP, including BNSK’s founding partners. Wu is a highly accomplished trial and appellate lawyer with more than 15...

BNSK is pleased to announce that Andrew M. Purdy, an Irvine-based litigator, has joined the firm as Counsel. Andrew is a seasoned litigator with nearly twenty years of experience both prosecuting and defending his clients’ interests in high-stakes civil matters. His current practice centers on litigating trade secret and intellectual property...

Under CCP § 1033.5(a)(13) costs for “models, the enlargement of exhibits and photocopies of exhibits, and the electronic presentation of exhibits, including costs of rental equipment and electronic formatting, may be allowed if they were reasonably helpful to aid the trier of fact.” The California Supreme Court recently granted review to resolve...

In a recent ruling affirming the denial of an anti-SLAPP motion, the California Court of Appeal reaffirmed that it is the content of the communication that matters when ruling on an anti-SLAPP motion, not the number of people it is said to. Big Sugar Bakeshop is a two-location bakery in Los Angeles. Ben “the Baller” Yang is a self-proclaimed...

On August 19, 2021, the 2nd District Court of Appeal affirmed a ruling in favor of our client Luma Pictures, Inc. (“Luma”) approving an expert valuation for the buyout of a co-founder of Luma. In October 2016, co-founder Betuel filed a complaint against Luma for claims related to Luma terminating his employment and to the operations of the...

Medical School Instructor Sues Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine After Being Fired for Talking About Racism in Medicine  Aysha Khoury, M.D. today filed a Charge of Discrimination with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, followed by a lawsuit in Superior Court against Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine (KPSOM) for...

BNSK is pleased to announce that Todd A. Boock has been elevated to partner in the firm. Todd joined BNSK as Of Counsel from Goodwin Procter LLP in 2020, and his practice is focused on complex business and commercial litigation, with extensive experience in financial services matters. Todd’s broad practice also includes contract disputes; unfair...

ABC-7 Chicago reports on BNSK’s lawsuit against Robinhood for the wrongful death of Alex Kearns. Here’s an excerpt: The family of a Naperville man is suing Robinhood after he died by suicide after believing he lost more than $700,000 on the stock trading app. Attorneys for the family say 20-year-old Alex Kearns connected the app to his death in...

A new case filing by Brown Neri Smith & Khan was featured on CBS News This Morning: Twenty-year-old Alex Kearns took his own life last June mistakenly believing he’d lost nearly $750,000 in a risky bet on Robinhood, the stock-trading app where he started trading as a teenager. His parents filed a lawsuit, first obtained by CBS News, on Monday...

Securities fraud refers to misrepresenting information to investors regarding the sale or purchase of securities and/or the manipulation of financial markets. Read more. What is securities fraud? Securities fraud, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, includes a broad range of activities, including but not limited to high yield...

Cumis counsel refers to the independent attorney whom a defendant is entitled to retain in a liability insurance claim — where there is a conflict of interest between the defendant and the insurance company. The term Cumis Counsel originated in a 1984 California lawsuit between San Diego Federal Credit Union and Cumis Insurance Society, Inc.. In...

A clawback provision, clause, or agreement is often included in a financial contract and outlines how money previously paid to an employee must be returned to the employer, based on certain factors and situations. Here’s a quick overview, and when to consider pursuing litigation. What is a clawback provision, clause, or agreement? Clawback...

Complex commercial litigation generally describes a range of legal disputes pursued or filed by companies and businesses. Choosing an attorney or law firm can be a daunting task, unless approached in an organized manner. Here’s a guide. What is complex commercial litigation? Complex commercial litigation describes a wide range of legal disputes...

Partner Ryan Abbott has been selected as one of the 50 most influential people in IP for 2019 by Managing Intellectual Property magazine. Ryan’s listing notes that, “[h]is work on artificial intelligence (AI) and IP has contributed to the international dialogue on how new technologies are challenging existing legal standards.” Managing IP is the...

In a published opinion (38 Cal.App.5th 1069), the 2nd District of the Court of Appeal reversed a trial court order disqualifying Richie Litigation, P.C. from representing Plaintiff and Appellant Thomas Wu. BNSK represented Mr. Wu for purposes of appeal. In late 2017, Mr. Wu sued O'Gara Coach Company, LLC for various workplace violations including...

October 6, 2019 — Excerpt. Originally published in Financial Times Brown, Neri, Smith & Khan LLP partner, Ryan Abbott, was recently quoted in the Financial Times, regarding his groundbreaking efforts to obtain patent protection for AI-generated inventions. Excerpt below: Ryan Abbott, professor of law and health sciences at the University of...

Return to The Complex Business Litigation BlogSitemapAttorneysLos Angeles OfficeBrown Neri Smith & Khan, LLP 11601 Wilshire Blvd #2080 Los Angeles, CA 90025 (310) 593-9890 Get Directions >About UsBrown Neri Smith Khan, LLP are business litigation attorneys in Los Angeles, CA. Serving a wide range of practice areas and industries around the...

Managing partner, Ethan Brown, first-chaired a 12 day trial in Los Angeles Superior Court before Judge Elizabeth Allen White, along with BNSK counsel Patricia Eberwine Tenenbaum, Sara Colón and Nona Yegazarian, where BNSK represented plaintiff, Interstate Restoration, in a breach of contract action against defendant, A Community of Friends...