Representative Matters

Jessica Pliner prevailed on two summary judgment motions on behalf of her clients in a contentious harassment, retaliation, and discrimination case in San Francisco only a month before trial. The Court entered judgment in Ms. Pliner’s clients’ favor finding that Plaintiff’s claims failed against both clients because they were neither joint employers nor integrated enterprises with Plaintiff’s actual employer.
Jessica Pliner obtained a six-figure verdict in a jury trial for her client in a hotly contested defamation matter, vindicating her client’s rights.
Jessica Pliner represented a department store in an action alleging civil rights claims, false imprisonment and defamation in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The plaintiff alleged several million dollars in damages. Ms. Pliner filed a motion for summary judgment based on Plaintiff’s failure to put forth evidence in support of her claims and the Court granted the motion.
Along with co-counsel, Jessica Pliner obtained judgment in favor of her broadcasting clients in a six-figure copyright infringement suit brought by a software developer. The U.S. District Court agreed that the developer had granted an implied license, which barred his suit and awarded $150,000 in attorneys’ fees to Jessica’s client.
Jessica Pliner and others represented a local business in a multi-million-dollar wrongful death and survival action in Santa Clara Superior Court. Other Defendants in the case paid substantial sums to settle out of the case, including one settlement for over $600,000. Jessica filed a motion for summary judgment based on plaintiffs’ failure to establish causation and the Court issued an Order granting the motion for summary judgment on all of Plaintiffs’ claims against her client.
Jessica Stuart Pliner along with national counsel for a home appliance manufacturer obtained a defense verdict in a products liability case in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The jury returned a unanimous verdict in favor of the client manufacturer and retailer and against the plaintiffs who sued for burn injuries arising out of the use of an allegedly defective product.
Jessica Pliner and others represented a landowner of an apartment complex in a wrongful death and survival action and filed a motion for summary judgment arguing that her clients did not owe a duty of care to protect against unforeseeable criminal acts by a third party. The Court agreed and issued an Order granting the motion for summary judgment on all of plaintiffs’ claims.
Jessica Pliner defended her retail client in a racial discrimination case in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The plaintiff alleged racial discrimination under Unruh and 42 U.S.C. 1981, intentional torts including false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress as well as negligence. The jury found in favor of Jessica’s client on all of the discrimination claims (which carry attorney’s fees) and all of the intentional torts. The jury awarded damages for negligence in an amount less than the FRCP Rule 68 Offer of Judgment made by Jessica’s client, entitling them to post-offer costs.
Jessica Pliner successfully fought for her client against an insurer who initially refused to defend and indemnify the client in a personal injury suit, and persuaded the insurer to reimburse her client for all of its fees expended and to settle the case on client’s behalf, saving the client approximately $300,000.
Jessica Pliner and others brought an intellectual property case in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California on behalf of their biopharmaceutical client against a Japanese manufacturer. The defendant had misappropriated confidential information related to their client’s technology which is used in a number of medical, therapeutic and scientific uses and applications. The Court granted their motion for summary judgment on breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets and unfair competition claims and issued a permanent injunction barring the defendants from using their client’s intellectual property and from manufacturing products using their protected technology.
Jessica Pliner successfully obtained a summary judgment in a negligent security case against her in a negligent security case seeking damages in the seven-figure range following an altercation in her clients’ parking lot resulting in a gunshot wound to the Plaintiff’s neck. Jessica Pliner and others brought an action against a Mexican manufacturer in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California on behalf of their biopharmaceutical client. Defendant had misappropriated their client’s confidential information, which is used in a of medical and scientific applications. The Court entered a judgment for over $1 .5 million dollars on misappropriation of trade secrets and unfair competition claims and issued a permanent injunction barring Defendant from using or disclosing our client’s confidential, proprietary information.