U.S. Capital

Bay Area Law Firms Win Courtroom Victory for Clients in Complex Employment Case Involving Claims of Breach of Contract, Defamation

Apr 30, 2015

San Francisco, CA (Law Firm Newswire) April 30, 2015 – Sanjiv N. Singh, A Professional Law Corporation (SNS PLC), acting as lead litigation and trial counsel, with co-counsel Kenneth Absalom of The Law Offices of Kenneth C. Absalom, obtained a complete victory for long-time agency entrepreneurs & industry leaders Steven Brisson and Laura Maness in their breach of contract and defamation lawsuit against bay area digital agency Propane Studio and its principal co-founder Neil Chaudhari.

The case was a complex corporate and employment matter centered on claims of breach of contract, defamation, and defense of an aggressive cross complaint culminating in a month-long jury trial with successful verdict for the plaintiffs, complete defeat of the cross complaint, and substantial damages including punitive damages against defendant.

Mr. Brisson was pleased with the verdicts and commended the jury on their dedication and diligence, stating “I am not a litigious person, but both Laura and I felt strongly that we must pursue this matter to the full extent of the law—and we couldn’t be happier with the hugely favorable outcome. Our deepest thanks to the jury and the court.”

Ms. Maness praised the efforts of the SNS PLC team: “We were thrilled with the victory—it’s been a long road. And we were successful largely due to the expertise, dedication, and determination of Mr. Singh and his legal team. After weeks of witness testimony and expert testimony, Mr. Singh summed up the case for the jury in a way that made it easier to understand, analyze and render a just verdict.”

SNS PLC principal and lead trial counsel Sanjiv N. Singh remarked, “We were able to not only prove to the jury that Steven Brisson and Laura Maness were entitled to compensation clearly outlined in their respective employment contracts, but also obtained substantial punitives from the jury for the damage the defamation did to their reputations. Defamation can be a quite difficult cause of action to try and prove in California, particularly in the business context. We are thrilled with the result.”

Co-counsel Ken Absalom, a well-known labor and employment litigator, commented, “It was a terrific and hard fought win. Our clients deserved the jury’s vindication.”

Established in 2002 by Singh, SNS PLC’s practice focuses on commercial, intellectual property and professional service litigation, as well as providing advice in corporate and IP transactions. Singh, a former Skadden attorney, offers a wide breadth of litigation and transactional experience including plaintiffs and defense side work in corporate and IP matters, complex commercial arbitration disputes, offshore transaction and litigation, medical malpractice, and representation of aggrieved healthcare professionals in licensing, credentialing, board and agency matters.

The Law Offices of Kenneth C. Absalom provides representation in all areas of labor and employment law, and general civil litigation.