Azadeh Allayee

Azadeh Allayee brings clients two and a half decades of litigation and trial experience.  Beyond complex heavy civil construction litigation, she has experience in class actions, employment defense, real estate disputes, business torts, contract disputes, and all other aspects of business litigation. She meets an additional critical need for our construction industry clients with her labor and employment law experience.

Ms. Allayee began her career at a large AM Law 100 firm that recruited her from UCLA law school.  Ethical, unflappable, and deeply committed to her clients, she moved her practice to become a partner in a client-focused smaller firm.  She then immersed herself in one client’s day-to-day business needs as an in-house litigation attorney for one of the largest companies in the United States.

Having worked both as an outside attorney and as in-house counsel, Ms. Allayee has a unique understanding of how best to serve clients not only as a litigator and advisor but also as a cost-conscious, business-wise in-house attorney able to weigh the risks and benefits at every stage of a legal matter, including before litigation.  Ms. Allayee counsels her clients both in the context of active litigation and in the pre-litigation and non-litigation arena, and has represented a diverse array of clients including Fortune 500 companies, large privately held companies, and family businesses.

In addition to handling all aspects of heavy civil construction and litigation, Ms. Allayee also specializes in defending and counseling employers in discrimination and wrongful termination matters, wage and hour disputes, and state and federal government investigations including DFEH, EEOC, Labor Commissioner, and OSHA matters. She also advises employers in their hiring, firing, and management of personnel.

Representative Matters

Arbitrated a complex civil construction dispute involving repair and replacement of major structural components of one of the largest commercial buildings in the surrounding Los Angeles area.  Secured a court judgment on the eight figure arbitration award that included pre-judgment interest and punitive damages.

Obtained default judgment for $550,000 plus attorneys fees, without the need for a hearing, against defaulting borrowers in breach of loan agreement and judicial foreclosure action under Uniform Commercial Code. SA Acquisition Property XXV, LLC v. Vincent A. LaGrange et al., (C.D. Cal. April 22, 2019), Case No. 8:18-cv-02203-JLS-ADS, Docket Nos. 18 and 19.

Obtained denial of class certification on large agricultural company’s behalf in wage and hour lawsuit involving thousands of piece rate workers and demanding hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Peralta v. Wonderful Citrus Packing LLC, 2019 WL 95456 (E.D. Cal. January 3, 2019), Case No. 1:15-cv-00263-TLN-JLT, Docket Nos. 41 and 44.

Obtained dismissal of plaintiff’s trade secret and breach of contract case demanding more than $87 million in damages against large automotive retailer. Carr v. AutoNation, Inc., 2018 WL 3913810 (E.D. Cal., August 15, 2018), 2:17-cv-01539-JAM-AC, Docket Nos. 39 and 46.

Defeated nationwide class action and successfully excluded plaintiffs’ expert witness on class certification in consumer fraud lawsuit against large online flower delivery company. Bruce v. Teleflora, LLC, 2013 WL 6709939, 2:13–cv–03279–ODW(CWx) (C.D. Cal., December 18, 2013).

Obtained summary adjudication in employer’s favor in wage and hour class action and drafted respondent’s brief upon plaintiffs’ appeal. Ruling upheld and published as Brinkley v. Public Storage, Inc., 167 Cal. App. 4th 1278 (2008) (later appealed to California Supreme Court), making new law regarding California requirements for meal breaks, rest breaks, and wage statements.

Obtained dismissal in action against client for alleged breach of licensing agreement, trademark infringement and unfair competition relating to automobile transmission servicing franchise, creating new law regarding disgorgement of profits under California’s Unfair Competition Law. Lee Myles Associates Corp. v. Paul Rubke Enterprises, Inc., 557 F.Supp.2d 1134 (S.D. Cal. 2008).

Education

J.D., UCLA School of Law (1999); member of Moot Court Honors Program with Honorable Mention.
B.A., magna cum laude, English,UCLA (1996), Departmental Honors.

Admissions and Courts

California State Courts
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
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit