Ekwan E. Rhow - Principal

Bird, Marella, Boxer, Wolpert, Nessim, Drooks & Lincenberg, P.C.
1875 Century Park East, 23rd Floor
Los Angeles, California 90067-2561

T. 310 201-2100    F. 310 201-2110
eer@birdmarella.com

Ekwan E. Rhow is a partner at Bird Marella. A graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Law School, Ekwan has served as lead counsel in over twenty five cases that were taken to final verdict or award.

Due to his extensive jury trial experience and his focused cost-effective approach to case management, a diverse group of clients have retained Ekwan to represent them in their lawsuits. His regular clients include Fortune 500 companies (Western Digital and Aramark), international conglomerates (LG Electronics and Samsung Semiconductor), prominent Hollywood financiers and production companies and other national and local corporations. Because his clients come from a myriad of industries (including the technology, banking, entertainment, healthcare and manufacturing sectors), his jury trial experience covers a broad range of business-related issues including intellectual property, finance, contracts, securities, employment and real estate.

In addition to his representation of companies in their commercial matters, Ekwan has been involved in many unique high-profile representations including defense of the CEO of one of the nation's largest consumer electronics companies after his detention in China. After a three-year negotiation with the Chinese government, Ekwan secured his release. The case was profiled in a Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times article. Another of Ekwan's cases involving the apparel industry became the subject of an exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution.

His current representations include defense of one of the world's largest cell phone manufacturers in a series of consumer class action matters, defense of a publicly-traded bank and its officers and directors in securities claims brought by one of the bank's largest individual shareholders, prosecution of claims by the majority shareholders of a large apparel company against the remaining shareholders and prosecution of breach of contract claims brought by an oil rig manufacturer against its suppliers.

Ekwan has been named a "Southern California Super Lawyer" by Los Angeles Magazine since 2004 and one of the nation's "Best Lawyers Under 40" by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, a 10,000-plus member bar organization. He is an appointee to the State Bar of California's Commission on Access to Justice and a past President of the Korean American Bar Association. In 2003, he was selected by the federal judges of the Central District of California to serve as one of its 33 lawyer representatives to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference.

Educational Background
• Harvard Law School, J.D. (1994)
• Stanford University, B.A., Economics and Political Science (1991)

Community Activities
• Named by the Asian Pacific American Legal Center as its "Impact Lawyer of the Year" for 1999.
• Board of Directors, Former President, Korean American Bar Association, 2001-present
• Central District Lawyers Representative, Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, 2003-2005
• Appointed Member, State Bar of California's Commission on Access to Justice, 2007-2009
• Board of Directors and Executive Committee, Korean American Coalition, 2001-2009

Representative Matters
Ekwan's recent trials include the following:
• Complete defense verdict for Fortune 500 technology company. After a seven week trial, Ekwan convinced a jury to find for his client on all claims which included breach of contract, securities fraud and other tort claims. Client was facing an eight-figure damages claim as well as punitive damages. Client also received an award of $1.8 million in attorney's fees and costs as prevailing party.
• Confidential settlement at the conclusion of a three week jury trial. Ekwan represented a software company in copyright and breach of contract claims against another software company. After three weeks of jury trial, defendant agreed to pay Ekwan's client a confidential sum the day before closing arguments were to begin. The jurors were polled the next day and indicated that a verdict in the amount of $20 million to $40 million would have been awarded. Until the jury trial began, defendant had refused to engage in any meaningful settlement discussions.
• Complete defense verdict for Orange County real estate developer. Defending against tort and contract claims and alleged damages of $10 million relating to a $50 million development, Ekwan obtained a directed verdict after close of plaintiff s case-in-chief. Client also received an award of $500,000 in attorney's fees and costs as prevailing party.
• NASD Arbitration victory on behalf of a publicly-traded online brokerage. Ekwan defended one of the largest online brokerage firms in a series of related class action cases alleging improper IPO allocations. Opposing parties did not recover any monies on their class action-related claims and recovered less than $25,000 on their individual claims.
• Complete arbitration victory for California food company. Ekwan obtained a multi-million dollar award, including a full recovery of attorneys' fees, on behalf of a California company based on claims brought against a Korean conglomerate. The eleven-day arbitration involved a dispute over the sale of a $50 million business.
• Walk-away settlement on behalf of a South Korean conglomerate. Client, one of the largest companies in South Korea, was facing contract and tort claims relating to a $100 million resort development in Guam and damages exceeding $100 million. Through litigation of various cross-claims, the walk-away settlement was achieved days before the trial was to commence.