Daniel Lula
Partner
In his 24 years as a litigator, Daniel Lula has successfully represented a range of businesses and nonprofits – from military contractors and financial services companies, manufacturers and property management companies to adoption agencies and treatment centers – in a wide variety of cases in state and federal courts and arbitration tribunals. He also has extensive experience advising and representing nonprofit entities, including religious and community organizations, in corporate governance and employment matters.
Daniel has spent his career immersed in the art and science of trial advocacy, and now brings that experience to large- and medium-sized companies in their commercial and employment cases. His approach to legal services begins with listening to each client, thoroughly learning their business, internalizing their concerns and making their challenges his own. Daniel’s personal philosophy is to litigate every case as if it will go to trial, incur no legal expense before its time and always remember that success is resolving the dispute in the client’s favor in the most efficient way – not merely “scoring points” or litigating for its own sake.
Clients appreciate Daniel’s calm, nonanxious presence, sober and clear advice and professional but aggressive approach that keeps adversaries off-balance and out-gunned. He concentrates on contract, corporate governance, trade secret and unfair competition disputes, as well as on defending businesses against claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination.
Selected Experience
- Won summary judgment in favor of a defense contractor in an action brought by a former employee in Los Angeles Superior Court for age and disability discrimination, harassment, failure to accommodate, and whistleblower retaliation under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act and Labor Code §§6310 and 1102.5. (2024)
- Succeeded in imposing over $319,000 in liability on Chase Bank under California Code of Civil Procedure §701.020(a), after the bank failed to promptly secure a judgment debtor’s accounts in response to a notice of levy. The case was In re Outlaw Laboratory LP Litigation (U.S.D.C. S.D. Cal. Case No. 18-cv-0840-GPC-BGS). (2024)
- Won summary judgment in favor of a United Methodist district, quieting its title to real estate in Orange County worth several million dollars. The case was South District Union v. Leonard, et al., Orange County Superior Court Case No. 30-2022-01292333-CU-OR-CJC. (2023)
- Won summary judgment in favor of a Presbyterian church in Los Angeles in a lawsuit involving $100 million of real estate. The church had been sued by its former denomination, which claimed ownership and control of the church’s property. Careful application of corporate governance and First Amendment law, coupled with thorough preparation and persuasive argument, resulted in a complete victory for the Los Angeles church a month before trial. The case was Korean Presbyterian Church Abroad v. Eun-Sung Park, et al., Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. 22STCV08858. (2023)
- Litigated dueling lawsuits between two online sellers of luxury athletic footwear and streetwear, obtaining a prejudgment attachment of the adversary’s bank account and diverting the entire dispute to arbitration. Through diligent preparation and aggressive litigation, the adversary surrendered two nights before the arbitration was due to begin, agreeing to a stipulated arbitration award and judgment. (2021)
- Won summary judgment in favor of a United Methodist district against a local congregation which attempted to leave the denomination and take the parish property with it, despite the fact that the property was subject to an express trust in favor of the United Methodist Church. (2021)
- Won the dismissal under Rule 12(b)(6) of a federal lawsuit against a military contractor for race and age discrimination, harassment and retaliation. The dismissal was with prejudice and without leave to amend as to all but one theory, and the plaintiffs did not re-file. (2020)
- Obtained the dismissal of a federal whistleblower case (and ancillary state claims) against a military contractor under Rule 12(b)(6) and aggressively pursued and obtained an award of costs against the individual plaintiffs, which they appealed. Defended the award before the Tenth Circuit, which (in a unanimous opinion) affirmed. Consistent with his philosophy of exhausting every avenue to “balance the scales” for corporate defendants (who have little recourse against employment-law plaintiffs), through aggressive collection action, the individual plaintiffs paid the entire cost award to the client. (2019-2020)
- Piloted a corporate client through a “shakedown” by an attorney for an allegedly-disabled employee whom the company had repeatedly accommodated with leave. Through a proactive approach of investigating the employee’s online activity, demonstrated that the employee was likely not disabled and probably engaging in other employment. Both employee and her attorney abandoned their demands. (2019)
- Tried a multiplaintiff employment lawsuit to a federal jury, resulting in a defense verdict as to one plaintiff, and awards to the remaining plaintiffs well below the lowest end of their alleged damages. (2018)
Memberships
- New Hampshire Bar Association
- Association of Business Trial Lawyers
- Federalist Society
Awards and Recognition
- The Best Lawyers in America – California: Commercial Litigation, 2021 to present
- Southern California Super Lawyers “Rising Star” 2004 to 2008, 2011 to 2016
News, Events, & Insights
- Rimon Law Continues Growth Trend with Three New Attorneys Joining the Firm in July
News August 8, 2024
