J. Craig Crawford

• M&A litigation and fraud

• Fiduciary duty litigation

• Trade secrets and employment mobility

• Commercial disputes and business torts

Business and Fiduciary Litigation

• Represented investment group in arbitration based on fraudulent representations made in the sale of a wholesale equipment company. Obtained a seven-figure award in arbitration and a six-figure settlement against an M&A advisor.

• Dismissed class action privacy claims against our client, a leading AI-enabled communications company.

• Represented the purchaser of a construction company in a two-week jury trial against the seller based on pre-sale misrepresentations and post-sale unfair competition. The jury unanimously found the seller had fraudulently inflated the value of the company and awarded our client a six-figure damages award.

• Represented a co-founder of an investment company in arbitration against his co-founder for breach of fiduciary duty related to mismanagement of an investment portfolio and self-dealing. Following a two-week arbitration, the arbitrator issued a seven-figure award for compensatory and punitive damages, and 100% of the client’s attorney fees.

• Represented a health care company in a court trial for breach of lease and license agreements. The trial judge awarded our client all of its requested damages and attorneys’ fees.

• Obtained summary judgment for the co-founder of an investment banking firm against claims of fraud and breach of fiduciary duty brought by the other co-founder.

• Defended a member of an LLC against claims of fraud and breach of fiduciary, resulting in the buy-out of plaintiffs’ membership interest and allowing our client to acquire majority ownership of the business he co-founded.

• Represented an investor and board member of a startup Web 2.0 company against other board members and executives related to claims that his consent to a proposed acquisition was fraudulently obtained. The settled case on terms favorable to our client after we defeated a motion for summary judgment.

• Defended the manager of a sports franchise against claims of negligence and breach of fiduciary duty, resulting in the dismissal of all claims.

• Represented a group of terminated employees to recover performance bonuses and deferred compensation from a pharmaceutical company following an acquisition.

• Obtained a preliminary injunction in a multi-million dollar commercial lease dispute involving a matter of first impression that resulted in settlement on favorable terms for our client.

• Obtained summary judgment for a lender and loan servicer in a multi-million dollar wrongful foreclosure, TILA, RESPA, and unfair business practices dispute.

• Obtained a mediated settlement of a breach of contract action arising out of disputed construction services on terms favorable to our client.

• Member of the trial team that obtained a defense verdict in a multi-million dollar bellwether product liability trial.

• Defended a nationwide consumer class-action under the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act and California false advertising law related to clients’ cosmetic claims; negotiated a favorable settlement before entry of first appearance.

Employee Mobility and Trade Secret Litigation

• Defended industry leading software company against claims of trade secret misappropriation against a competitor, leading to favorable early resolution.

• Represented a former advisor to an e-health company against claims of trade secret misappropriation as a founder of a competing startup.

• Represented a leading communications company against claims of inducing its competitor’s top sales agent to breach his non-competition agreement.

• Prosecuted trade secret misappropriation and copyright infringement claims on behalf of a GIS software company related to source code.

• Defended a major building services provider in a multi-million dollar trade secret lawsuit regarding alleged theft of customer lists and business leads, resulting in a favorable settlement before trial.

• Represented an insurance company in prosecuting a trade secret misappropriation claim related to departed insurance brokers who left with confidential customer lists and client preference information; obtained an injunction resulting in a favorable settlement of claims.

• Represented the former CEO of an acquired company in a dispute over the enforceability and scope of a non-compete agreement concerning investments made in a related technology.

• Advised the founder of an e-commerce company on the enforceability of a non-compete agreement following its acquisition.

• All California state and federal courts

• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin

• CASA of San Mateo County | Former Director and Past President

• Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County | Former Member of the Golf Committee

• Note, Delgado v. Trax Bar & Grill: Determining the Scope of the Prior Similar Incidents Test in Terms of Efficient Resource Allocation, 39 U.S.F. Law Rev. 499 (2005).

• Damages after Sargon, CALIFORNIA LAWYER, June 2014.

• Northern California Super Lawyers® (2017-2025); Rising Stars (2014-2016)

• J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law (Executive Director, Moot Court Program Senior Member, University of San Francisco Law Review)

• BA, Cognitive Science, U.C. Berkeley