Bird Marella partners Gopi Panchapakesan, Oliver Rocos, Fanxi Wang, Elliot Harvey Schatmeier, and Ashley Bowman have all been named to Benchmark Litigation’s 40 & Under list.
The honorees were selected through peer reviews and an extensive nationwide research process, reflective of their accomplishments in high-stakes and precedent-setting cases.
Recently named one of the “best California lawyers under 40” by the Daily Journal, Mr. Panchapakesan is an expert in defending class actions, as well as cases brought under the civil RICO statute and False Claims Act. Mr. Panchapakesan has an active trial practice. Last year, he tried a three-month white collar case to verdict; and this year, he is co-lead counsel in connection with both an upcoming trial involving $60 million in alleged fraudulent transfers and a complex FINRA arbitration hearing involving mortgage-backed securities.
Mr. Rocos regularly succeeds in high-profile litigation, recently winning a highly complex and contentious anti-SLAPP motion for clients Lauren Sanchez and her fiancé, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. He also secured a complete and final dismissal of all amended counterclaims against client Word Collections, Inc., a performing rights collection agency representing songwriters and comedians, in an antitrust action brought by subscription-based audio streaming service Pandora. In 2023, Mr. Rocos was named a winner of the California Legal Awards’ Lawyers on the Fast Track award, which recognized California attorneys under 40 who are considered the next generation of legal leaders.
A second-year honoree, Ms. Wang has achieved significant victories in recent years, including as part of a trial team that won a complete defense verdict in a nine-figure false advertising jury trial for healthcare apparel and lifestyle brand FIGS. Her invaluable work on the case contributed to recognition from the Daily Journal, earning the Bird Marella team the Top Defense Verdict of 2022. Continuing her winning streak, she partnered with the ACLU in a pro bono victory to terminate the government’s deportation proceedings against her client, an asylum seeker from Guatemala.
Mr. Harvey Schatmeier, also recognized for the second year in a row, has led several complex business dispute cases and achieved notable wins for industry-leading clients. He secured a complete dismissal of all claims asserted against top real estate brokerage Compass in a federal trade secrets lawsuit, won a complete defense victory for a prominent securities brokerage firm in a FINRA arbitration involving over $40 million in alleged damages, and secured a multimillion-dollar verdict in the highly publicized trial against real estate developer Mohamed Hadid regarding his illegally-constructed hillside mansion in Bel Air.
An experienced commercial litigator, Ms. Bowman recently won a complete defense verdict in a federal jury trial for Pentius, LLC, involving trademark and unfair competition claims following a nearly two-week jury trial and just a few hours of deliberations. She previously won a federal trial on behalf of KST Data, Inc. in a breach of contract suit, in addition to obtaining recovery of tens of millions of dollars in cash and valuables on behalf of scores of clients in the high-profile U.S. Private Vaults seizure case. This fall, Ms. Bowman will serve as lead trial counsel in an entertainment contract dispute on behalf of a top Hollywood producer.
Click here to view Benchmark Litigation’s 2024 40 & Under list.
