Keith Gregory practices in the areas of general business matters, corporate, franchise and partnership disputes, and intellectual property and commercial litigation. He is an experienced litigator, with considerable background in intellectual property issues, licensing agreements, trade secret matters and Uniform Commercial Code issues, especially within the electronic components and semi-conductor industries. Keith was recently appointed to the SAE International AS6081 Committee, established to develop standards proscribing counterfeit parts avoidance requirements for independent distributors.
Representative Matters
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- Successfully negotiated a settlement for a distributor of electronic components accused of selling mismarked and defective parts, which reduced client’s financial exposure by nearly 90%.
- Served as lead trial counsel for a franchisor that was sued by its first franchisee for breach of contract, California franchise law violations, intentional misrepresentation, negligent misrepresentation, concealment and unfair competition. After two weeks of trial, the jury found entirely in favor of the defendant franchisor. The jury also found that the franchisee had breached the franchise agreement by failing to pay royalties and to pay back advances made to it by the franchisor, and awarded damages to the franchisor.
- Structured the financial terms of an independent distributor’s contract, which resulted in more than a 50% increase in profits on a single transaction.
- Litigated a trade secrets case on behalf of an employer whose former salesperson solicited a number of the company’s long-term customers and suppliers. Successfully obtained a temporary restraining order and negotiated a settlement, resulting in the salesperson agreeing to pay the employer’s attorneys’ fees and no longer contacting the company’s customers and suppliers.
- Retained by client company as trial counsel three months prior to start of jury trial in which plaintiff was seeking over $800,000 in alleged damages. At the conclusion of the six-day trial, the jury awarded the plaintiff approximately $70,000 – half of the $140,000 offer previously made by the client and less than one-tenth of what the plaintiff was seeking to recover.
Education
- University of San Diego School of Law (J.D., 1984)
- University of California at Los Angeles (B.A., 1981)
Court Admissions
- Supreme Court of California
- United States District Court, All Districts of California
Professional Memberships & Activities
- Los Angeles County Bar Association, Member
- San Fernando Valley Bar Association, Member
- Electronic Resellers Association International (ERAI), General Counsel
- SAE International, Member, AS6081 Committee
Representative Presentations & Publications
- Counterfeit electronic parts flood U.S. market, Author, Daily Journal (March 21, 2012)
- Parallel Imports and the First Sale Doctrine, Co-Author, Daily Journal (November 2011)
- Electronic Resellers Association International, Speaker, Executive Conferences (2001-2008)
- Ten Steps for Protecting Trade Secrets, Author, Graziano Business School (Fall 2007)
- USC Olin School of Engineering, Lecturer, Internet Technology (Spring Semester 2006)
- What Stays and Who Pays? The Rights of Buyers and Sellers Pertaining to Defective Parts, Author, Graziadio Business Report: Journal of Contemporary Business Practice (Fall 2002)
Community Involvement
- Northridge Hospital Foundation Board, Board of Directors (2010-present)
- Information Systems Security Association, LA Chapter Advisory Board (2010-present)
- SAE G-19 AS 6081 Committee (2008-present)
- Wellness Community Valley/Ventura, Board of Directors (2001-2008), Chair (2007)
- Wellness Community, National Board of Directors (2005-2008)
Other Professional Experience
- Greenberg & Bass Law Firm, Partner (2000-2011)
