After a distinguished 22-year judicial career, Hon. Luis A. Lavin (Ret.) brings a unique depth of experience to JAMS. Justice Lavin served for nine years on the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, authoring more than 750 opinions on a wide range of issues, including the scope and enforceability of arbitration agreements, class certification, business disputes, insurance coverage, employment discrimination and land use disputes. He also sat by appointment on the California Supreme Court on several occasions.

Before being elevated, Justice Lavin was a Los Angeles Superior Court judge for 13 years. As a Superior Court judge, he presided over more than 100 bench and jury trials. For three years, he was assigned to a specialized trial department focused on complex matters, such as CEQA and Coastal Act challenges, land use disputes and public employment issues. He also ruled on requests for injunctive relief and receivership appointments involving corporate governance, trade secrets and real property disputes.

Previously, he was assigned to a general jurisdiction civil department for four years, managing civil cases from complaint to resolution, including ruling on class certification and summary judgment motions.

Prior to his judicial service, Justice Lavin held significant roles in public service. He was director of enforcement and general counsel for the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, senior trial attorney with the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice, and assistant attorney general in the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. He also worked in the private sector for many years. As associate general counsel for the Directors Guild of America, he arbitrated numerous cases involving the entertainment industry. As a lawyer in private practice in San Francisco and Boston, he represented corporate clients in civil litigation and transactional matters.

Justice Lavin has devoted many years to teaching. He has taught as an adjunct professor at Loyola Law School, Southwestern Law School and USC School of Law. He has also served as an instructor of judicial education for the California Center for Judicial Education and Research and the Los Angeles Superior Court.

A naturalized U.S. citizen born in Cuba, Justice Lavin attended public schools before graduating from Cornell University and Harvard Law School. He is fluent in Spanish.

ADR Qualifications 

• Nine years on the California Court of Appeal, Second District, authoring more than 750 opinions
• 13 years on the Los Angeles Superior Court, presiding over 100 trials
• 16 years of legal experience, including eight years in the public sector, five years in private practice and three years as in-house counsel
• Conducted approximately 20 arbitrations as chief counsel or associate counsel for an entertainment guild

Representative Matters

• Administrative Law
• Authored opinion on the constitutionality of an ordinance regulating adult-oriented businesses
• Authored opinion in dispute for reimbursements under the Medi-Cal program
• Presided over a writ of mandate proceeding challenging zoning decision allowing a developer to construct and operate an eldercare facility in a residential neighborhood
• Presided over a writ of mandate proceeding under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) challenging the conversion of 20 structures into a business center and storage facility
• Presided over equitable proceeding involving a smelting facility’s compliance with hazardous waste and air emissions laws
• Appellate
• Authored more than 750 opinions
• Participated in thousands of appeals and extraordinary writ proceedings
• Represented clients in appeals in state and federal courts
• Business Commercial
• Presided over three-week jury trial concerning a joint venture to purchase and operate a textile factory in Guatemala
• Presided over three-week jury trial involving trademark infringement, fraud and breach of contract
• Authored opinion involving denial of grocery company’s motion to compel arbitration of class representative’s false advertising claim
• Authored opinion alleging violation of shareholder’s anti-dilution rights
• Authored opinion involving taxpayer suits brought against healthcare service plans to collect taxes imposed under the California Constitution
• Authored opinion involving fraudulent transfer claims brought on behalf of numerous investment funds with interests in hundreds of real estate parcels
• Authored numerous opinions in breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and business tort disputes involving contract interpretation, calculation and imposition of damages and fees, and discovery abuse
• Class Action & Mass Tort
• As a trial judge, handled class certification motions
• Authored opinion in a class action lawsuit brought against title insurance companies alleging lack of compliance with insurance statutes and regulations
• Authored opinion reviewing denial of intervention motion by unnamed class members to obtain standing to challenge class action settlement
• Authored opinion reviewing denial of class certification motion brought by police officers and firefighters regarding calculation of pension benefits
• Authored opinion reviewing dismissal of wage-and-hour class action for failure to prosecute
• Employment Law
• Authored opinions concerning claims of discrimination based on race, gender, pregnancy, age, disability and medical condition; claims of sexual harassment and retaliation; claims of wage-and- hour violations; and claims concerning compliance with COVID-19 vaccination requirements
• Authored opinions involving the arbitrability of employment disputes, including claims brought under the Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (PAGA)
• Authored opinion involving employment dispute with a Spanish-language media company
• Presided over writ proceedings challenging employment decisions by public employers
• As a lawyer, litigated pattern or practice employment discrimination cases brought by the United States against public employers
• As a lawyer, handled multiday arbitration involving claims for compensation on behalf of 21 individuals
• Entertainment & Sports
• Authored opinion alleging that two entertainment streaming companies were providing video services without obtaining a state franchise, in violation of the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act
• Authored opinion involving a dispute by a former partner in a talent agency’s motion picture department
• Authored opinion concerning the nature and extent of film and television rights to a novel
• As a lawyer, represented the Directors Guild of America (DGA) in federal appeal concerning interpretation of the DGA’s collective bargaining agreement with entertainment companies
• As a lawyer, represented the DGA and its members in arbitrations with movie studios, production companies and television networks
• Estate Probate Trusts
• Wrote opinions on special needs trust, trust distributions and trustee malfeasance
• Wrote opinion on validity of unrecorded deed signed by decedent who died intestate
• Wrote opinion involving a petition to bypass the express terms of a trust and instead apply forced heirship laws applicable in Chile, the decedent’s alleged domicile
• Insurance
• Authored opinions regarding insurance coverage and bad faith, including a fire insurance policy’s suit limitations provision
• Authored opinion regarding an insurer’s suit against a municipality for inverse condemnation based on property damage caused during a wind storm
• Authored opinion in qui tam action against an attorney for engaging in insurance fraud scheme
• Professional Liability
• Presided over a three-week medical malpractice jury trial alleging that medical providers’ negligence caused a child’s brain damage and ventilator dependence
• Authored opinions on legal malpractice, attorney ethics and attorney disqualification
• Authored opinions on medical malpractice involving expert witness testimony and the standard of care
• Authored opinion on a real estate agent’s liability for misrepresenting properties’ square footage
• Real Property
• Presided over jury trials alleging breaches of commercial lease agreements
• Authored opinions concerning breaches of residential and commercial leases, boundary disputes, easements, foreclosures, homeowners’ associations, inverse condemnation, nuisance and quiet title actions
• Presided over land use disputes under CEQA and the California Coastal Act

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

Bar Admissions

• California, 1985
• Massachusetts, 1987

Selected Honors

• Beacon of Justice Award, Friends of the Los Angeles County Law Library, 2022
• County of Los Angeles Commendation, 2022
• Certificate of Commendation, City of Los Angeles, 2022
• Harvard Law School Recognition and Celebration for Distinguished Contributions, 2017
• Carlos R. Moreno Judicial Excellence Award, 2015

Background and Education

• Associate Justice, California Court of Appeal, Second District, 2015–2024
• Judge, Los Angeles County Superior Court, 2001–2015
• Director of Enforcement and General Counsel, Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, 1999–2001
• Senior Trial Attorney and Trial Attorney, United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Employment Litigation Section, 1995–1999
• Associate General Counsel, Directors Guild of America, 1992–1995
• Assistant Attorney General, Government Bureau, Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, 1990–1992
• Attorney (private civil practice), 1985–1990
• J.D., Harvard Law School, 1985
• B.S., Cornell University, 1981