William A. White, Attorney

WILLIAM A. (BUZ) WHITE is an experienced trial attorney who has specialized in complex and sophisticated litigation since he joined the firm.  Among the substantial matters he has taken through settlement, trial or appeal are antitrust, domestic and international business, insurance coverage, contract, shareholder, accounting, and tax cases.  His current practice is largely devoted to class actions, intellectual property cases, sophisticated business disputes, international litigation, and corporate counseling on both domestic and international legal issues.

  Litigation and Trial

  Mr. White commonly represents corporate clients in diverse complex litigation actions, including class actions, and has specialized experience in antitrust, intellectual property, multi-jurisdictional international litigation, and insurance coverage.  He prosecutes and defends antitrust claims of all kinds, including, those arising in intellectual property disputes.  He also routinely represents both corporate clients and insurers with respect to sophisticated insurance coverage matters, including, defense and indemnity of litigation claims in a wide variety of business and commercial disputes.  In addition, he manages international litigation and specializes in matters involving coordination of simultaneous multi-jurisdictional proceedings.

  Corporate Counseling

  Mr. White regularly counsels corporate clients in the areas of antitrust compliance, distribution and dealer networks, international agreements and disputes, and information privacy and security.  He provides antitrust compliance advice in areas such as distribution, pricing, mergers, and acquisitions.  He also evaluates and drafts multi-jurisdictional agreements for clients with distribution or dealer networks.  Further, he assists corporate clients in developing both internal and website information privacy and security compliance programs and responding to security breaches under federal and state law, including, GLBA, HIPPA, the California Insurance Information and Privacy Protection Act, and the California Information Practices Act.  In addition, he counsels clients worldwide on international agreements and disputes, including, cultural and other issues based on his extensive experience as an officer and director of the Globalaw legal network

Background

Mr. White received his Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University in 1982. He attended law school at the University of Southern California where he was co-winner of the Best Brief Award in the 1983-84 Hale Moot Court Competition. He was admitted to the California bar in 1985 and has since been admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeal for the Second, Fifth, Seventh and Ninth Circuits. He is also admitted to practice in the United States Tax Court and Court of International Trade.

While at USC, Mr. White was a defenseman on the ice hockey team which won two PCHA championships and finished second in three seasons. From 1994 to 1998, he was the Assistant Coach of USC's ice hockey club in charge of the defense. During his tenure as assistant coach, USC had a 78-31-3 record for a. 690 winning percentage, made its first trip to the ACHA national championship tournament in 1997, won its first Pac-8 championship in 1998, and that same year made a second consecutive appearance in the national championship tournament. Since stepping down as coach, he has played competitive hockey in local leagues and national tournaments.

Representative Cases:

Best Brands Beverage, Inc. v. Falstaff Brewing Corp., 842 F.2d 578 (2d Cir. 1987) [defensed distributor's Robinson-Patman Act claims in excess of $50 million]

Louis P. Singer, etc., v. Olympia Brewing Co., 878 F.2d 596 (2d Cir. 1989) [represented defendant in securities fraud action]

Ultramar America Limited v. Thomas W. Dwelle, et al., U.S.D.C. Nos. 86-5459-JMI, 86-5554-JMI (C.D.Ca. 1989) [defensed purchaser's indemnity claims against former shareholders of Beacon Oil Company for unspecified environmental clean-up costs and obtained verdict in excess of $11 million for sums withheld by purchaser]

Ultramar America Limited v. Thomas W. Dwelle, et al. , 900 F.2d 1412 (9th Cir. 1990), on remand, Los A ngeles Superior Court Case No. C649303 (1991) [defended former shareholders of Beacon Oil Company against purchaser's collateral attack on prior judgment]

Martel v. Brown Jordan Co., U.S.D.C. Case No. CV 92-1966 IH (C.D.Ca.) (1993) [successfully defended furniture manufacturer against antitrust claims]

Synod of Southern California v. The State of California, et al., Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. C 753040 (1994) [prosecuted claims against state and local agencies seeking compensation for failure to construct promised public improvements in connection with prior condemnation]

Pearl Brewing Co. and Pabst Brewing Co. v. Miller Brewing Co., et al., Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Case No. 94-50509 (1995) [defensed former counsel's fee claims in antitrust action]

Blue Cross of California vs. Charles E. Thomas Co. (vs. Emco-Wheaton, Inc., cross-defendant), Los Angeles S uperior Court Case No.LC028428 (1995) [defended cross-claims against manufacturer of underground leak detection sensor systems for indemnity of environmental clean-up costs]

Pabst Brewing Co. v. Comm'r., T.C. Memo 1996-506, 72 T.C.M. (CCH) 1236 (1996) [prevailed against IRS claims of unpaid taxes in excess of $100 million]

California Dept. of Corps. v. Figgie Int'l., Inc.(1997) [resolved investigation by California Commissioner of Corporations concerning allegations that former subsidiary had violated California Franchise Investment Law]

Primus Holdings, L.P., dba Interstate Engineering v. Figgie Int'l., Inc., Orange County Superior Court Case No. 770285 (1998) [defended claims asserting improprieties in connection with sale of subsidiary's assets to limited partnership]

People v. Figgie Int'l., Inc., Ventura County Superior Court Case No. 170420 (1998) [defended claims by state attorney general that former subsidiary had engaged in unfair business practices against consumers]

Argonaut Ins. Co. v. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Co. , and Related Cross-Claims, Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. BC171440 (1998) [defended railroad against insurer's multimillion dollar indemnity claims for crossing accident]

Pabst Brewing Company Asset Acquisition and Exchange (1998-1999) [represented Pabst Brewing Company with respect to antitrust compliance, including, Hart-Scott-Rodino review, and approval for a series of transactions with an aggregate value exceeding $ 1 billion in which Pabst: (a) acquired the malt beverage business of The Stroh Brewery Company, (b) both sold to and exchanged certain beer labels and brewery assets with Miller Brewing Company, and (c) entered into a brewing agreement with Miller Brewing Company]

Pabst Brewing Co. v. United States, U.S. Court of International Trade Case No. 96-01-00154 (1999) [prosecuted claim for reimbursement of all harbor maintenance taxes imposed on beer manufacturer as unconstitutional]

Zurich Ins. Co. v. The Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway Co., U.S.D.C. No. 98-8266 DDP (C.D.Ca., 1999) [defended railroad against insurer's collateral action to circumvent railroad's indemnity claims in New Mexico]

The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Co. v. Continental Insurance Company, Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. BC223520 (2000) [obtained contribution from insurer for environmental contamination claims]

Bernard C. Barmann, Sr. v. County Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. BS061444, 2nd Civil No. B141528 (2000) [obtained writ of mandate enforcing California Public Records Act request to support Kern County litigation to block disposal of sewage sludge and recovered all litigation expenses]

Coachella Valley Water Dist. v. Imperial Irrigation Dist., San Bernardino Superior Court Case No. SCV 21882 [prosecuted contract and accounting action to recover unpaid joint venture contract payments and interest due since 1945 in the amount of $16,978,639.48 together with attorneys' fees of $622,165.42 and costs of $105,851.60]

In Re: Structured Settlement Litigation, Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. BC244111 [defended trust company against alleged nationwide class action seeking in excess of $100 million for dissipated settlement funds]

Trade Service Corp. v. Material Express.Com, and Related Counterclaims, U.S.D.C. Case No. 02 CV 1133 H (LAB) (S.D.Ca.) [prosecuted intellectual property claims and defended alleged antitrust and unfair business practices claims for client product and pricing database information company]

In Re Heritage Bond Litigation, MDL Docket No. 1475, Consolidated With U.S.D.C. (C.D.Ca., W.Div.) Case Nos. CV 01-5752 DT (RCx), CV 02-382 DT (RCx), CV 02-993 DT (RCx), CV 02-2745 DT (AJWx), CV 02-6484 DT (RCx), CV 02-6841 DT (RCx), CV 02-9221 DT (RCx), and including Companion Case U.S.D.C. Case No. CV 02-6512 DT (RCx) [defended trust company against alleged nationwide class action seeking in excess of $100 million for municipal bond defaults and resultant bankruptcies or receiverships of long term care facilities or hospitals which were acquired or funded with bond offering proceeds]

Phoenix Footwear Group, Inc. v. Mark Tucker, Inc., Saks, Inc, Saks & Co., and Sears Roebuck and Co., and Related Counterclaims, U.S.D.C. Case No. CV 04-1244 BEN (RBB) (S.D. Ca.) [defended all defendants and counterclaimants with respect to patent infringement claims]

In Re Amerco Derivative Litigation,Second Judicial District Court, State of Neveda, County of Washoe, Lead Case No. CV02-05602 (Pending) [coverage counsel for defendant company with respect to shareholder derivative actions]

In Re Amerco Securities Litigation , U.S.D.C., Master Case No. CV-N-04-02182 (D. Nev.) [coverage counsel for defendant company with respect to securities fraud actions]

Time 'N Temperature Co. v. Sensitech, Inc., et al., U.S.D.C. Case No. CV-04-6553-R (PLAx), consolidated withSensitech, Inc. et al., v. Time 'N Temperature Co., U.S.D.C. Case No. CV-05-4674-R (PLAx) (C.D. Ca.) [represented patentees in patent infringement and antitrust actions]

R&N Check Corp. v. Bottomline Technologies, Inc., U.S.D.C. Case No. CV-05-4019-GPS (AJWx) (C.D. Ca.) [defended manufacturer of client billing system against patent infringement claims]

Cartier, etc., et al., v. Dinh Van SAS, et al., U.S.D.C. (C.D.Ca.) Case No. CV 06-2842 R(Ex) [defended jewelry manufacturer and distributor against trademark infringement claims]

B.I.P., Inc., etc., et al., v. Cosmart L.L.C., et al., Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. BC 359177 [represented all defendants against various claims with respect to distribution relationship]

Brother Records, Inc. v. Allen Gaba, et al., U.S.D.C. (C.D.Ca.) Case No. CV 06-0204 R(CWx) [obtained dismissal of $60 million case, including trademark and copyright infringement claims brought by Beach Boys' corporate entity]

Medicine Online, Inc., v. BidRX, LLC, et al., U.S.D.C. (C.D.Ca.) Case No. SACV06-873 DOC(ANx) [represented defendant and counterclaimant owner of internet-based electronic marketplace for prescription drugs with respect to trademark infringement claims]

Waldbuesser, et al., v. Northrup Grumman Corp., et al., U.S.D.C. (C.D.Ca.) Case No. CV 06-06213 R(JCx) (Pending) [representing plaintiffs with respect to class action ERISA claims]

Phantom II, LLC v. LEGO Systems, Inc., U.S.D.C. (C.D.Ca.) Case No. CV 07-02054 DSF(SHx) (Pending) [representing defendant with respect to patent infringement claims]

Tibble, et al., v. Edison Int'l., et al.,  U.S.D.C. (C.D.Ca) Case No. CV 07-5359 SVW (AGRx) (Pending) [representing plaintiffs with respect to class action ERISA claims]

Gemstar-TV Guide Int'l., Inc et al., v. Sharp Corporation and Sharp Electronics Corporation, U.S.D.C. (C.D.Ca.) Case No. CV 08-02355 GPS (RSx) [representing all defendants with respect to international contract claims]

Coffee Dispenser Cleaner Co., LLC v. Urnex Brands, Inc., et al., U.S.D.C (S.D.Ca) Case No CV 08-2332 BEN (WMc) [representing defendant against patent infringement claims]