Ellen S. Robbins

People

Ellen S. Robbins is Akerman's senior go-to trial lawyer on the West Coast, with extensive experience litigating disputes in both state and federal court on behalf of public and private companies all over the world. She focuses her practice on a wide variety of complex commercial disputes and aggressively and strategically promotes her clients' interests through litigation, alternative dispute resolution, or business resolutions.

Ellen's work includes commercial matters such as breach of contract, fraud, class actions, unfair competition, deceptive pricing, trade secrets, alter ego, misappropriation, securities law, product liability, environmental, insurance coverage and insolvency.

Notable Work

Alter Ego Trial:

Secured a $40 million judgment for a Fortune 500 company at trial involving claims of alter ego and fraudulent transfer that was affirmed on appeal.

Pandemic Arbitration:

In one of the first arbitrations during the pandemic, Ellen prevailed on all claims in a matter involving breach of contract, fraud and misappropriation.

Unfair Competition Trial:

Successfully defeated all damages claims in connection with trial on behalf of a pharmaceutical company and claims of unfair competition; prevailed on preemption grounds in Ninth Circuit appeal

PFAS Liability:

Advising clients regarding Per and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) liabilities due to the increase, at both the state and federal level, of PFAS-related litigation throughout the United States.

Microsoft/Motorola Patent Litigation:

Served as trial counsel in five district court and ITC proceedings in the Microsoft/Motorola smart phone patent litigation, including a landmark bench trial setting a RAND royalty for standard essential patents and obtaining a jury verdict for Microsoft in the district court proceedings.

Alter Ego and Agency Claims:

Secured judgment on the pleadings and prevailed on motions to dismiss and summary judgment motions in series of cases alleging alter ego and agency claims relating private equity firm’s investment in a company providing medical care in prisons.

Post-Marital Dispute:

Served as lead counsel in multiple proceedings involving breach of contract and fraud relating to post-marital dispute and valuation of private equity assets.

FINRA:

Served as lead counsel in numerous FINRA arbitrations and mediations.

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Los Angeles Business Journal, 2025, Named a Finalist for the Nonprofit & Corporate Citizenship Awards
Los Angeles Business Journal, 2024, Recognized Among the “Leaders of Influence: Nonprofit & Philanthropy”
Los Angeles Business Journal, 2024, Named a Finalist for the Women’s Leadership Awards, "Community Impact Advocate"
Los Angeles Business Journal, 2024, 2021, Recognized Among the “Leaders of Influence - Litigators & Trial Attorneys”

Chain Store Age, Co-Author, "Attorneys Warn of Rise in ‘Fake Discount’ Lawsuits," October 21, 2024
Law360, Co-Author, "Lessons From Rising Fake Discount Consumer Class Actions," August 14, 2024
American Conference Institute (ACI), 11th Annual Legal, Regulatory, and Compliance Forum on Cosmetics & Personal Care Products, Speaker, "Spotlight on the PFAS Crisis: Examining The Beauty Industry’s Response to the Government and Consumer Clean-Up Call," March 20, 2024
Akerman Webinar, Speaker, "PFAS Compliance Considerations for Commercial Products/Secondary Source Industries," December 5, 2023
Akerman Webinar, Speaker, "Practical Implications of EPA’s PFAS Strategic Road Map and the Road Ahead for Conducting Business and Business Transactions for the Remainder of 2023," September 27, 2023
Akerman Webinar, Speaker, "PFAS: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Business," June 14, 2023
Law360, Co-Author, "Ruling Shows Hurdles To Defending Consumer PFAS Claims," May 3, 2023

Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Charles P. Kocoras of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
DePaul University, Former Adjunct Professor of Law, Pre-Trial Litigation Strategy

Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Member, Foundation Board of Trustees
Walk With Sally, Board of Directors and Mentor
Sandpipers Women's Philanthropy, Chair Sandpipers Junior Program
Leadership Hermosa Beach, Class of 2019
USC IP Law Institute, Executive Committee Member, Judges Committee Co-Chair

California
Illinois

U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
U.S. District Court, Southern District of California

Ellen S. Robbins

Notable Work

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