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Greenberg Glusker Mints Three New Partners

January 1, 2023Press Release
Greenberg Glusker Press Release

LOS ANGELES – January 1, 2023 – Leading Los Angeles law firm Greenberg Glusker LLP promotes Joshua (“Josh”) Geller, James (“Jim”) Hill, and Elizabeth (“Liz”) Sbardellati to partner effective January 1, 2023.

“We are pleased to elevate these three attorneys to partner,” said Managing Partner Bob Baradaran. “Each of them embodies characteristics that contribute to the strong foundation of our firm – commitment to excellent client service, in-depth industry knowledge, and business-focused legal services,” he added.

Joshua “Josh” Geller, Litigation Department

Josh has significant experience in the entertainment space representing studios, production companies, video game publishers, musicians, graphic artists, and other independent content creators. He also has a robust general commercial litigation practice, including corporate partnership disputes, real estate litigation, and other complex business disputes.

He has represented a popular cable channel in several different copyright infringement and idea submission lawsuits; represented Golden Boy Promotions in the dismissal of racketeering claims; currently represents video game and e-sports company Riot Games in connection with various IP enforcement matters; and has recently defended Discovery, Inc. (now Warner Bros. Discovery) in a lawsuit seeking to prevent the network from broadcasting “The Lost Lincoln,” and a lawsuit brought by Dana Brunetti and Golden Cloud, Inc. that asserted 17 causes of action, including an implied contract claim seeking compensation for the “idea of a reoccurring character-driven ‘True-Crime’ style television series documenting infamous criminal manhunts.” In addition to his entertainment experience, earlier this year Josh won an arbitration involving a contract dispute over construction of a solar energy facility and secured a multi-million-dollar judgment for his client.

Josh has been recognized in Variety’s “Up Next” category in their 2020 Legal Impact Report and listed in the inaugural Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” list since it launched in 2020. Josh is a Board Member of the Los Angeles Copyright Society and was the Chair of Greenberg Glusker’s Coronavirus Taskforce. Josh earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School and his B.A. from Yale University.

James “Jim” Hill, Litigation Department

Jim is a commercial litigator focusing on disputes among business partners, including actions involving alleged breaches of fiduciary duties and fraud. He frequently litigates disputes regarding real property transactions and the ownership of real property. Jim also has experience with commercial and regulatory disputes involving commercial cannabis businesses.

Over the past four years at Greenberg Glusker, Jim has leveraged the firm’s expertise to begin growing a base of clients in the real estate, financial, and cannabis sectors. This includes an investment firm overseeing billions of dollars in assets, the owners and managers of commercial and residential real properties, and—in connection with Greenberg’s cannabis team—representing the owners and operators of several cannabis businesses in both corporate and regulatory disputes. Jim’s recent litigation victories include winning summary judgment on behalf of one of California’s oldest commercial real estate brokerage firms, leading Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert Draper to dismiss a civil lawsuit brought by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office against the brokerage related to a commercial cannabis lease. Jim also recently won motions for summary judgment and summary adjudication on claims involving the title to real estate assets and the enforcement of a secured promissory note.

Jim is a member of the Steering Committee for Food from the Bar, a law firm competition to raise money for the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. He was recognized a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2022. Jim earned his J.D. with a specialization in business law from University of California, Los Angeles School of Law and his B.A. in economics from University of Victoria, where he graduated with distinction. Prior to Greenberg Glusker, Jim was a business trial associate at an AmLaw 100 firm and a law clerk with the Los Angeles County Public Defender.

Elizabeth “Liz” Sbardellati, Intellectual Property & Technology Department

Liz Sbardellati is the head of Greenberg Glusker’s Trademark Protection & Enforcement Group. She assists brands and individuals with developing and executing strategies for brand adoption and enforcement, litigating and resolving IP disputes, and monetizing brands through acquisition, sale and licensing. She manages a variety of clients’ trademark portfolios including Barstool Sports, Mythos Studios, Fifty-Six Hope Road Music Limited (Bob Marley), Mammoth Distribution (Heavy Hitters) and Yogi Tea.

Recently, Liz represented the licensor of trademark rights in the popular YOGI TEA brand in a highly contentious TTAB opposition proceeding, lasting nearly seven years, against the client’s trademark co-owner. The TTAB ruled that the co-owner improperly attempted to register the trademark YOGI for certain beauty and wellness products because she failed to obtain her co-owner’s consent.  The decision helps cement the trademark rights of our client in the face of attempted encroachment by the co-owner. The decision was affirmed in full by the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.

Liz is a board member of Beauty Bus Foundation and has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star each year since 2018. She holds several firm leadership roles, including Co-Chair of the Recruiting Committee, a member of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, and most recently helped to overhaul the firm’s Mentoring Program. She earned her J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law and her B.A. from University of California, Santa Barbara.

For over 60 years, Greenberg Glusker has held a unique position in Los Angeles as a full-service law firm with particular expertise in bankruptcy and restructuring, cannabis, corporate, employment, entertainment, environmental, intellectual property, litigation, private client services, real estate and taxation.

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