Bradford G. Hughes

Recent Experience

Histogen, Inc. v. Amerimmune, LLC – JAMS Arbitration.

Bradford successfully defended Amerimmune, LLC in an arbitration initiated by Histogen, Inc. arising out of Amerimmune’s development and patenting of a COVID therapeutic.  Histogen claimed that Amerimmune had used purported trade secrets in developing and creating the COVID therapeutic and, as a result, Histogen was entitled to inventor rights on the Amerimmune patents regarding the drug.  Bradford successfully defended the client and the Amerimmune patents through Arbitration.

National Motor Carrier v. Beer Company – US District Court.

Bradford successfully represented a national motor carrier in its lawsuit against an international beer company regarding unpaid charges for the transportation of beer product across the United States.  Following the COVID pandemic and ensuing global supply chain disruption, the beer company claimed that the motor carrier has incurred unnecessary charges arising out of getting product out of the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach.  Bradford was able to present evidence of the motor carrier’s conduct with the Ports to successfully deliver the product in order recover from the beer company the unpaid charges.

Digital Solutions Provider v. Software Company – Los Angeles Superior Court.

Bradford successfully represented a digital solutions company in litigation against a software company for claims related to software development services provided and counter-claims arising out of the propriety of the services.

Wells Fargo v. Baker (2012) 204 Cal.App.4th 1063

Bradford represented Wells Fargo Bank, NA who sued California residents pursuant to California’s Sister State and Foreign Money-Judgments Act. The California residents filed a Motion to Vacate the judgment on the grounds that Wells Fargo improperly availed itself of Iowa’s long-arm statute as the bank was not a “resident of Iowa” and thus could not utilize the long-arm statute for service of process. The superior court granted the motion and vacated the judgment. The Court of Appeal reversed and remanded, holding that the requirement that foreign corporations hold a certificate of authority to qualify as a “resident of Iowa,” as it pertained to national banks, was preempted by the National Bank Act because it infringed upon the power of a national bank to sue as fully as natural persons. The Court ordered that Judgment be entered in favor of Wells Fargo for $998,111.15.

Pun & McGeady, et al. v. Marcum LLP – Court of Appeals of California, Fourth District, Division Three – 2019 WL 2284727

Bradford represented Marcum LLP at trial, and on appeal, against a complaint filed by Ken Pun and Pun & McGeady, LLP (Plaintiffs) regarding a 71-page purchase agreement by which Marcum sold to plaintiffs’ various assets and rights. The purchase agreement contained several noncompetition provisions, which Plaintiffs sought to rescind. Following a bench trial, the trial court determined the noncompetition provisions were unenforceable but severable, and consequently the court enforced the remainder of the purchase agreement. The court awarded Marcum royalties under the purchase agreement along with the attorneys’ fees and costs that had been incurred in the litigation over the purchase agreement in the total sum of $734,836. In a unanimous decision, the Court of Appeal affirmed the ruling of the trial court and concluded that the invalid provisions of the purchase agreement were properly severed, and Plaintiffs did not have standing to sue for unfair competition.

• Successfully defended dispute regarding breaches of fiduciary duty in a closely owned business arising out of complex debt structuring disagreement.
• Successfully advised clients through COVID-19.
• Defended start up business against claims of breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets.
• Prosecuted breach of contract case against professional services provider resulting in more than $2,500,000 recovered for client.
• Prosecuted UCC-secured rights on behalf of creditor recovering more than $1,000,000 in assets.
• Successfully defended a debt-collector against claims of defamation and misappropriation of consumer accounts involving numerous debt-collection entities and Federally chartered credit union.
• Obtained defense verdict in TCPA case involving dispute over use of an auto-dialer to collect consumer debt.
• Successfully resolved FDCPA class action in pre-litigation settlement hearing.
• Advised clients on restructuring of labor classification and avoidance of potential Private Attorney General Act claim.
• Successfully defended numerous wrongful death cases involving passenger vehicles, motorcycles, pedestrians, buses, and warehousemen.
• Defended traumatic brain injury and mild traumatic brain injury cases involving OSHA-involved disputes, commercial motor vehicles and loading dock accidents.
• Defended motor carriers in catastrophic personal injury actions, including permanent disability, amputee, and paraplegic matters.
• Successfully prosecuted subrogation matters involving workers’ compensation liens, property damage, and contribution recovery.
• Counseled clients on credit structuring and bankruptcy matters, including presentation of creditors in Chapters 7, 11 and 13 proceedings, including before the Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Court of Appeal.

• Quoted, “Sides Debate Truck Proposal,” L.A. Business Journal, October 3, 2022
• Quoted, “First 24 Hours After a Crash Can Affect Legal Implications Later,” Transport Topics, September 1, 2021
• Quoted, “Arbitration Act’s Transportation Worker Carveout Splits Courts,” Law360, June 29, 2021
• Quoted, “Texas Law Could Curtail Huge Trucking Crash Verdicts,” Law360, June 25, 2021
• Quoted, “Strategies Exist to Protect Internal Safety Data From Plaintiffs’ Attorneys, Experts Say,” Transport Topics, April 21, 2021
• Quoted, “Transportation Cases To Watch In 2021,” Law360, January 3, 2021
• Quoted, “Trucking Targets ‘Nuclear’ Verdicts,” Transport Topics, September 16, 2020
• Quoted, “NJ Ruling Opens State Battles On Transpo Worker Exemption,” Law360, July 16, 2020
• Quoted, “Defiant Tesla Sues Calif. County, Reopens Plant In Power Play,” Law360, May 11, 2020
• Quoted, “Transportation Cases To Watch In 2020,” Law360, January 1, 2020
• Quoted, “The Biggest Transportation Rulings Of 2019,” Law360, December 19, 2019
• Co-Authored, “Preparing Your Driver for Direct and Cross-Examination at Trial,” DRI For the Defense, December 2019
• Quoted, “Trucking Industry Preemption Battles To Watch,” Law360, October 3, 2019
• Quoted, “Transport Cos. Prep For Impact Of Calif.’s Dynamex Bill,” Law360, September 16, 2019
• Quoted, “Trucking Cos. Hit Rough Patches In Calif. Classification Fights,” Law360, April 4, 2019
• Quoted, “The Biggest Trucking Injury Awards Of 2018,” Law360, December 17, 2018
• Quoted, “The Biggest Transportation Rulings Of 2018,” Law360, December 14, 2018
• Co-Authored, “Attacking Lawyer-Driven Treatment,” DRI For the Defense, December 2018
• Quoted, “Supreme Court Case Could Block Motor Carriers From Using Arbitration for Contractor Disputes,” Transport Topics, October 11, 2018
• Authored, “Classification Confusion For Transportation Cos. At 9th Circ.,” Law360, October 2, 2018
• Quoted, “9th Circ. Truckers Ruling Drives Home Limits Of Preemption,” Law360, September 11, 2018
• Quoted, “Plaintiffs Bar Is Steering Truck Crash Cases To Mega Verdicts,” Law360, August 6, 2018
• Quoted, “Trucking Cases to Watch in the 2nd Half of 2018,” Law360, July 17, 2018

• “Responding to early policy limit demands in a case where very little is known,” Transportation Megaconference XV: Trucking and Motor Carrier Litigation [CC], Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS), American Bar Association, March 25, 2021
• “A Brave New World in Trucking Litigation,” Magna Legal Services, August 5, 2020
• “Carmack Amendment,” Transportation Seminar, BFL CANADA, February 18 – 20, 2020
• “Direct and Cross-Examination of Your Driver,” Trucking Law Primer, Defense Research Institute (DRI), June 26, 2019
• “Winning Strategies for Litigation and Trial,” Transportation Megaconference XIV, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS), American Bar Association, March 21, 2019
• “Don’t Be A Turtle: Handling The Reptile Theory And The High Profile Transportation Case,” Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) Conference, American Bar Association, May 3, 2018
• “Attacking Plaintiffs’ Lawyer-Driven Treatment and How to Stop the Cutting,” Trucking Law Conference, Defense Research Institute (DRI), April 26, 2018