JESSE J. CONTRERAS Associate Phone: (310) 407-4549 Fax: (310) 277-2133 E-mail: jcontreras@gwwe.com

Jesse graduated from Stanford University Law School in 1997.  Jesse regularly litigates complex commercial disputes in a variety of forums.  Jesse’s practice focuses on business ownership disputes, contract disputes, health care, construction, insurance regulation, intellectual property, trade secrets, professional liability, and government tort claim liability.

Principal Areas of Practice

COMPLEX COMMERCIAL DISPUTES:
Jesse has litigated a number of complex commercial disputes involving difficult technology issues and challenges to nationwide business practices.  For example, Jesse has represented the nation’s largest manufacturer of video graphics processors in a contract dispute with Microsoft over the design of the original X-Box.  He also helped to successfully dismiss a RICO action brought against the nation’s largest provider of dialysis services.  Jesse has also represented one of the founders of a leading, high-end denim manufacturer in a highly contentious business dissolution dispute, where a favorable jury verdict was obtained following a three-week trial.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY/TRADE SECRET:
Jesse has represented numerous clients in disputes involving intellectual property and trade secret concerns, including a prominent cruise line in an ownership dispute over marketing data maintained by its outside database consultant, which was tried successfully in federal court with his client winning on all causes of action.

GOVERNMENT TORT CLAIM LIABILITY:
Jesse has represented clients in a number of disputes against public entities, including the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority and the City of Beverly Hills.  Jesse is familiar with the specialized procedures associated with such claims.

ENGINEERING/CONSTRUCTION:
Jesse has handled a number of complex engineering and construction matters, including representing an engineering consortium in a nearly $100 million dispute against the LACMTA over the design of rail systems in and around Los Angeles.

HEALTHCARE LITIGATION:
Jesse has significant experience representing physician associations in various contract and regulatory disputes throughout the country, as well as representing Limited Knox-Keene Act licensees in prosecuting significant payment disputes with hospitals.

INSURANCE REGULATION:
Jesse has been involved in a number of high-profile insurance regulation disputes on behalf of the California Insurance Commissioner, addressing California’s efforts to assist Holocaust survivors and their families in obtaining information relating to Holocaust-era insurance polices.  Representation included extensive appellate work involving a host of novel constitutional law issues resulting in reported decisions in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.

Education
The Colorado College, (B.A., 1992) 
Stanford University Law School, (J.D., 1997)

Admitted To Practice:
State of California