Kurt has guided many of the largest health plans in California and the nation through their most complex litigation, regulatory, and business challenges for three decades. With a long track record of trial court and appellate wins, Kurt has been instrumental in building and leading our market leading Managed Care team, which represents health insurers and health plans in every state in a wide variety of class action and individual claims. Kurt is recognized by Chambers and The Legal 500 United States as one of America’s Leading Healthcare Attorneys.
Experience
Representative matters
Representative matters
Represented health insurers and health plans in hundreds of class actions and individual claims – including bad faith, fraud, breach of contract, false claims and ERISA issues – while also advising on regulatory matters and investigations.
Represented top entertainment attorney and firm in litigation against Johnny Depp raising novel contractual, malpractice and fiduciary duty issues.
Represented top entertainment law firm in claims flowing from highly publicized disputes relating to rights to “The Watchmen.”
Represented health insurers and health plans in hundreds of class actions and individual claims – including bad faith, fraud, breach of contract, false claims and ERISA issues – while also advising on regulatory matters and investigations.
Represented top entertainment attorney and firm in litigation against Johnny Depp raising novel contractual, malpractice and fiduciary duty issues.
Represented top entertainment law firm in claims flowing from highly publicized disputes relating to rights to “The Watchmen.”
Represented industry-leading health insurance corporation in defending alleged regulatory breach with respect to class of over five million insureds and related individual cases seeking punitive as well as compensatory relief. Binding class settlement approved.
Represented global telecommunications leader in trial in defending tortious interference and Section 17200 actions alleging FCC violations and seeking punitive as well as lost profit damages.
Represented industry-leading health insurance company in defending class action and Section 17200 action seeking punitive and compensatory relief-based on allegedly bad faith contract interpretation.
Represented industry-leading corporations and prominent individuals in scores of claims where client awarded seven figures or more in settlement or jury verdict.
Represented national firm in litigation flowing from claims following the death of entrepreneur Marvin Davis.
Represented prominent Chicago law firm with respect to alleged malpractice and ethical issues following demise of international telecommunications service provider.
Represented national law firm in obtaining defense verdict in jury trial in Los Angeles Superior Court in an action alleging malpractice in drafting deal documents relating to the $120 million sale of a high-tech company to a British conglomerate. (Featured in California Law Business in an article on “Top 10 Defense Verdicts of 2003”.)
Testified as expert witness at trials, arbitrations, and in depositions in actions involving top 50 national law firms in high stakes cases.
Represented Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard in jury trial relating to commercial dispute which resulted in an award of compensatory and punitive damages as well as attorneys’ fees (affirmed on appeal).
Represented internationally acclaimed director/producer in dispute seeking damages for failure of global media company to perform under a complex purchase agreement relating to a science fiction internet portal.
Represented leading actor in dispute with network regarding obligations owed to that network under complex employment agreement.
Defended WellPoint and related entities in very high profile litigation, both class cases and individual cases, involving the rescission of individual health plans and insurance policies.
Represented to defense jury verdict Congressional candidate/ attorney client charged with negligently representing medical doctor in hearings before the Board of Medical Quality Assurance resulting in loss of doctor’s medical license.
Credentials
Education
Education
- University of California College of Law, San Francisco, 1978, J.D., 2001 Alumnus of the Year, Los Angeles Chapter of the UC Law SF Alumni Association
- Stanford University, 1975, B.A.
Professional admissions & qualifications
Professional admissions & qualifications
- California
Court admissions
Court admissions
- U.S. District Court - Central District of California
- U.S. District Court - Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court - Southern District of California
Professional affiliations
Professional affiliations
- Serves on the Board of Directors of TechnoServe, nonprofit seeking business solutions to poverty in developing countries; Chairman, Development Committee
- Served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of The Music Center of Los Angeles County; Co-Chairman – Operations Committee, Member – Finance Committee (2005-2015)
- Served on the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee of the Center for Law in the Public Interest (1999-2006)
- Served as Vice Chairman of the Legal Malpractice Subcommittee of the ABA Litigation Section (1989-1992)
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