Taj J. Clayton, P.C.

Since joining Kirkland, Taj has been involved in the following matters:

• Defended the Los Angeles Rams and its owner, E. Stanley Kroenke, in a multi-billion dollar breach of contract and fraud lawsuit arising from the relocation of the Rams football club to Los Angeles. Settlement achieved.
• Advised Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) in the adoption of a shareholder rights plan (poison pill) in response to the public announcement by activist hedge fund Elliott Management that it had accumulated a significant economic interest in Southwest Airlines.
• Represented a major corporation in personal injury litigation related to a consumer product. Plaintiff brought claims for strict products liability, negligence, fraud, misrepresentation and wrongful death. Settlement achieved prior to trial.
• Represented a major corporation in high-stakes civil litigation alleging negligence and alter ego claims arising out of an international incident involving multiple fatalities. Settlement achieved.
• Trial counsel for Eli Lilly in putative class actions, and related nationwide lawsuits, challenging pricing practices by insulin manufacturers.
• Represented Ariel Alternatives in its $1.45 billion closing of the “Project Black” fund, the first private equity initiative of Ariel Investments, that seeks to invest in middle-market companies that may not currently be minority-owned, as well as existing Black- or Latino/a-owned businesses.
• Counsel to large technology company in three cases brought pursuant to the First Amendment and a novel Texas social media censorship law. Obtained removal of state cases to federal court and transfer to California from Texas in vindication of rights under a forum selection clause.
• Trial counsel for Total E&P USA and Total Specialties in climate change litigation pending in the Northern District of California.
• Counsel for Surgical Care Affiliates in first criminal no poach case filed by DOJ. DOJ voluntarily dismissed the case against SCA without any fine or penalty.
• Defended JUUL Labs, Inc. and its co-founders in multidistrict litigation involving alleged fraudulent marketing and products liability claims related to JUUL e-cigarette and e-vapor products. Global resolution achieved.
• Represented Abbott Laboratories and its affiliate, Abbott Molecular, in a $30-plus million race discrimination/retaliation lawsuit brought by a former Abbott employee. After a two-week trial, a jury returned a unanimous defense verdict for Abbott.
• Represented Maverick Ventures in connection with SoftBank Vision Fund 2’s $300 million investment in LTK, a global influencer marketing platform.

Prior to joining Kirkland, Taj was involved in the following matters:

• Breach of Contract/Invasion of Privacy – Defended filmmakers of a Sundance Film Festival award-winning documentary in a lawsuit filed by one of the individuals depicted in the film on behalf of herself and her minor children alleging that the filmmakers breached an appearance/portrayal agreement by failing to pay money allegedly owed from the film. A jury returned a complete defense verdict for the filmmakers and awarded the plaintiff nothing.
• Product Liability – Defended client in over 12,000 individual product liability cases. The first bellwether trial ended in a defense verdict, and the vast bulk of cases settled thereafter.
• Patent Infringement – Represented a network security company in a lawsuit to recover for the infringement of one of its key patents. After a seven-day trial, a federal jury returned a multi-million dollar verdict in favor of client.
• Declaratory Judgment/Breach of Contract/Conversion – Represented a petrochemicals distribution company in a lawsuit against a former employee in an employment contract dispute. After exposing the legal flaws in the defendant’s case, the case settled on favorable terms.
• Retaliation/Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress – Obtained summary judgment on behalf of an electric distribution and transmission company in lawsuit filed by a current employee who alleged that his employer gave him poor performance reviews and disfavored work assignments in retaliation for registering complaints about the company.
• Breach of Fiduciary Duties/Breach of Contract/Fraud/Professional Malpractice/Tortious Interference with Contract – Represented a business executive in a lawsuit filed against his former business partner and legal counsel in connection with a dispute over the acquisition of a real estate finance entity through discovery, legal analysis and briefing. The case resulted in a favorable settlement.
• Trademark Infringement – Represented a trading and investment firm in a dispute involving the infringement of one of its key trademarks. After presenting the merits of client’s legal position to opposing side, the case settled.
• White Collar Crime – Defended numerous clients against investigations by the federal government.
• Trade Secret Theft – Represented a Fortune 50 computer/printer company in a multi-million dollar suit against former high-level employees who, while still employed by the client, covertly organized and began operating a competing business venture using the client’s resources, contacts, and trade secrets to steal product designs, market analyses and other confidential and proprietary business information. After prevailing in jurisdiction dispute, the case settled.