Alexander R. Safyan

Alex Safyan is a dynamic litigator and strategist representing clients in complex commercial and class action cases.

Alex represents companies and individuals in high-stakes business disputes and class actions in state and federal courts and arbitrations. He regularly handles cases involving breach of contract, fraud, employment, trade secret, antitrust, and privacy claims. Clients look to Alex for sharp legal analysis, intellectual creativity, and practical judgment. He has earned a reputation for pairing fierce advocacy with a solutions-oriented approach, developing litigation strategies that are focused, efficient, and aligned with clients’ business objectives.

While Alex is particularly sought after by clients in the consumer products, technology, and financial services industries, he represents a broad range of clients in class and representative actions. He has considerable experience defending false advertising, unfair competition, and other consumer protection cases, as well as prosecuting and defending lawsuits involving business torts and financial fraud. Clients benefit from Alex’s unique perspective gained from having worked on both the plaintiff side and defense side of large class action cases, allowing him to anticipate how claims are built, where leverage exists, and how best to attack or resolve them.

Beyond the courtroom, Alex often advises clients in contract, partnership, and employment disputes, helping them assess risk and develop practical strategies for resolving business problems before they escalate. Alex has demonstrated an ability to negotiate pre-litigation resolutions of many of these disputes—this by virtue of his talent for aggressively and strategically litigating cases when lawsuits become necessary.

Education: Harvard Law School (Certificate in Financial Analysis, 2021); Loyola Law School, Los Angeles (J.D., cum laude, 2011, Order of the Coif); University of Southern California (B.A., magna cum laude, 2008)

State Admissions: California, 2011

Federal Admissions: United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit; United States District Court, Central District of California; United States District Court, Northern District of California; United States District Court, Southern District of California

Service Areas: Business Litigation; Class Action Litigation; Food, Cosmetics & Dietary Supplements; Privacy & Data Security

Industries Represented: Consumer Products; Software; Information Technology; Financial Institutions

Represented the manufacturer of the world’s leading energy shot in a proposed antitrust class action alleging claims under the seldom-litigated Robinson–Patman Act and California Unfair Practices Act; successfully opposed class certification and individual plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment; later defeated follow-on litigation that resulted in a complete defense jury verdict following a three-week trial
Represented a gasoline refiner in a consumer class action alleging deceptive and unfair conduct in the advertising of “cash” vs. “credit” prices; helped obtain decertification of the class after class certification was initially granted on another law firm’s watch, paving the way to a highly strategic no-payment settlement
Represented a healthcare company in an employment action involving claims of gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and unpaid wages; obtained key admissions from the plaintiff during deposition that led to her counsel withdrawing from the case; subsequently secured a complete defense victory on summary judgment
Represented technology and consumer products companies in litigation and pre-litigation disputes involving claims under the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) arising from website tracking technologies and data-collection practices; developed early strategies to challenge legally deficient claims and position matters for efficient resolution
Represented a rising e-commerce company and its founder in litigation brought by its largest competitor for alleged trade secret misappropriation; demonstrated that the competitor’s executives had publicly broadcast its purported trade secrets on YouTube and in podcasts, turning a bet-the-company case into a walk-away settlement
Represented a leading fresh meal solutions provider in a business dispute with its largest shareholder over claims of alleged unfair competition; negotiated a favorable, prelitigation business divorce that allowed the client to reorganize and raise additional capital to accelerate its growth plan
Represented individual defendants in a fraudulent conveyance action arising from an $11.5 million judgment against a related party; after taking over the case from two previous law firms, engaged in aggressive discovery and strategic investigation that revealed the plaintiff’s spouse had filed for bankruptcy and changed her name; leveraged the bankruptcy filing to disqualify plaintiff’s counsel and resolve the case on extremely favorable terms with the bankruptcy trustee
Represented minority shareholders in a partnership dispute involving claims of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and gross mismanagement against officers of the company; worked closely with an economic expert to demonstrate financial malfeasance and self-dealing, leading to a valuable buy-out of clients’ interests

Publications

“How Banks Are Navigating a Multi-Pronged Assault on Customer Fees,” Daily Journal (April 2024)
“Can a Processed Multivitamin Be ‘Natural’?“, Food Manufacturing (March 2023)
“California Case Offers New Take on Liquidated Damages,” Law360 (November 2022)
“Legal Insight Over a Box of Pasta,” Food Manufacturing (November 2022)
“Should Offers Moot Claims?,” Daily Journal (October 2014)
“Central District Local Rules Hinder Class Certification,” Daily Journal (April 2013)