In February 2014, Severson & Werson achieved a major victory on behalf of a shared vehicle start-up in Seattle, Washington. The court dismissed a nationwide TCPA class action in favor of Severson’s client, finding that the contours of “express consent” were broad enough to encompass instances where a customer received a text message after providing a cellular number as part of an online registration process.
On February 10, 2014, Severson & Werson’s Joseph W. Guzzetta (SF) and Sunny S. Huo (SF) achieved a complete victory on behalf of a national loan servicer in a court trial of claims brought by a borrower under California’s Unfair Competition Law in San Mateo County Superior Court. At the trial, the court granted Severson’s motion for non-suit on behalf of the servicer, agreeing that the plaintiff could not prove that the defendant had engaged in acts of unfair competition under California law. Prior to trial, the court had granted the motion for summary adjudication filed by Severson as to the claims asserted by the plaintiff for wrongful foreclosure and violation of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act. The case was Keil v. Aurora Loan Services, LLC, et al. (San Mateo County Superior Court Case No. CIV-500377).
On April 11, 2014, John B. Sullivan (SF), Mary Kate Sullivan (SF) and Yaron Shaham (OC) of Severson & Werson were recognized in the Daily Journal’s Verdicts and Settlements section for obtaining a complete summary judgment victory for a financial institution client in a wrongful foreclosure/truth-in-lending act case.
On June 2, 2014, Severson & Werson’s Mark Wraight (SF), Matt Garfinkle (OC) and Ed Feldfaber (OC) achieved a major victory in a jury trial in San Diego County Superior Court on behalf of a national mortgage servicing company. The plaintiff had claimed entitlement to millions of dollars in damages after asserting claims for, among other things, elder abuse and fraud. However, after a two-week trial and two days of deliberations, the jury decided that the plaintiff was only entitled to $523.14, which represented an exact adoption – to the penny – of Severson’s trial presentation and recommendations.
On August 13, 2014, Severson & Werson attorneys Kristin Walker-Probst (OC) and Jarlath Curran (OC) obtained a complete defense verdict after a three-week jury trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The jury returned a defense verdict on all counts in this wrongful foreclosure case in which the plaintiffs alleged both legal and equitable claims related to an unsuccessful loan modification application and the foreclosure of their home. After three-weeks of testimony and argument, it took the jury just over three hours to decide in favor of Severson’s client. The case was Ward v. Bank of New York Mellon, et al. (Los Angeles County Superior Court Case No. BC498730).
Severson & Werson attorneys Rhonda L. Nelson (SF) and Jeane Struck (SF) have been inducted into the inaugural Martindale-Hubbell® Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers.