ERIC L. DAVIS

Partner

edavis@lidlegal.com

Professional Profile

Eric L. Davis is a partner and co-founder of Lara & Davis LLP. He has significant litigation and trial experience in both federal and state courts. Mr. Davis represents individuals, companies, nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions in a wide-range of business and real estate litigation matters. He also has an active probate and trust litigation practice.

Mr. Davis has represented plaintiffs and defendants in real estate litigation involving boundary and property line disputes, easement and right-of-way issues, equitable subrogation, mechanics liens and stop notices, fraudulent conveyance, title transfer disputes, wrongful foreclosure claims, and quiet title and partition actions.

In the business litigation area, Mr. Davis has represented clients in lawsuits involving business torts, breach of contract, bad faith, insurance coverage, unfair competition, corporate and partnership breakups and liquidations, consumer fraud, false advertising, trade secret misappropriation, and trademark infringement.

Mr. Davis obtained his Bachelor of Science degree with honors from Southern University at Baton Rouge where he majored in mathematics and computer science. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of Law. While at Hastings, Mr. Davis was a law review editor for the Hastings Communications and Entertainment Law Journal (Comm/Ent) and clerked with the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.

Prior to his affiliation with Lara & Davis LLP, Mr. Davis was associated with Reed Smith LLP (formerly Crosby, Heafey, Roach & May) where his practice focused on complex business and intellectual property litigation matters.

In addition to his litigation and trial practice, Mr. Davis is an author for Practitioner Insights, a Thomson Reuters offering on the Westlaw legal research platform. Practitioner Insights provides practical, focused analysis of specific legal issues by jurisdiction.

Mr. Davis is a member of the bar of the state of California and is admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Central, Northern, and Southern Districts of California.

Representative Matters

Some of the legal matters handled by Mr. Davis include the following:

  • Defended title company in action involving failed real estate project in downtown Los Angeles. Plaintiff sought over $20 million dollars in damages from title company. Obtained complete defense verdict after three-week jury trial.
  • Successfully represented major real estate services company and its new employees in trade secret misappropriation and unfair competition action brought by competitor. Competitor alleged that it had lost millions of dollars in lost profits. Obtained complete defense verdict after two-week jury trial.
  • Represented major U.S. bank in litigation related to the non-judicial foreclosure of real property. Obtained favorable settlement for client after defeating motion for summary judgment brought by bona fide purchaser of property at foreclosure sale.
  • Obtained dismissal of wage and hour class action brought by an alleged former employee of artificial lift systems manufacturer without payment of any sums to purported class members or opposing counsel.
  • Represented title company in action involving failed real estate project. Plaintiffs sought over a half million dollars in damages claiming properties were not “legal lots.” Obtained arbitral award in favor of title company after one-week arbitration.
  • Represented real estate investor in fraud action against seller. Obtained arbitral award in favor of real estate investor after three-day arbitratioin. Arbital award included compensatory and punitive damages.
  • Successfully defended nonprofit housing corporation in action alleging race discrimination in employer’s employment and housing policies, in violation of the Unruh Civil Rights Act.
  • Represented Fortune 500 company in trademark infringement and breach of contract actions throughout California. Successfully brought motions for preliminary injunction to prevent illegal use of company’s nationally-known trademarks.
  • Obtained summary judgment for title insurance company in action brought by insured who claimed the insurer was liable for damages caused by insurer’s agent (the title and escrow company) because the agent was the alter ego of the insurer.
  • Successfully represented well servicing company in wrongful termination, disability discrimination and violation of Family Medical Leave Act action brought by a former employee.
  • Represented co-owner of automotive dealership in partnership dissolution action. Successfully defeated motion for preliminary injunction brought by ousted business partner which, if granted, would have forced closure of the dealership.
  • Represented major corporation in consumer fraud and false advertising action. Successfully brought motion for preliminary injunction to prevent automotive company from falsely advertising to consumers.
  • Successfully represented major U.S. bank in quiet title and equitable subrogation action against mortgage lender for its refusal to release lien as required by Section 2941 of the Civil Code.
  • Provided advise to aerospace company regarding whether certain provisions in its flexible employee benefits plan complied with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
  • Successfully defended nonprofit housing development corporation against sexual harassment claims brought by former employee.
  • Represented apparel manufacturer in trade secret misappropriation action. Successfully brought motion for preliminary injunction to prevent illegal use of client's customer list and trademarks.
  • Provided advise to aerospace company regarding whether its termination policy for employee’s on disability leave amounted to disability discrimination in violation of the American with Disabilities Act.
  • Successfully represented buyer of real property in action brought by interested third party who claimed buyer's acquisition of property was a fraudulent transfer under the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act.

Professional and Community Affiliations

Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association
Member, Association of Business Trial Lawyers
Founding Board Member, Equitas Academy Charter School

EDUCATION

J.D., University of California,
Hastings College of Law, 1997

B.S., Southern University,
Mathematics and Computer Science,
with honors, 1985

BAR ADMISSIONS

California

COURT ADMISSIONS

U.S. District Court, Central District of California
U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
U.S. District Court, Southern District of California