Our Attorneys:Michele Friend Sean Kneafsey Andy Byrne Shaun Swiger

Michele Friend is a partner of Kneafsey & Friend LLP.  She handles litigation and appeals in state and federal courts in business, real estate, intellectual property, trade secrets, defamation, free speech and certain employment actions.  Her clients are primarily small to mid-sized businesses and family owned businesses that need their legal problems solved.  She strives to firmly understand her clients needs and determine the most efficient and cost effective way to achieve them.

In addition to litigation, Ms. Friend has transactional experience drafting contracts such as confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements. She also handles trademark prosecution, registration and maintenance with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and related administrative proceedings with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB). Michele also assists clients in the enforcement of their intellectual property rights. She has also volunteered her services to the pro bono law firm Public Counsel.

Prior to law school, Ms. Friend became licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Ohio. She worked in public accounting and then in-house at a top publicly-traded commercial real estate company, Forest City Enterprises, where she managed all financial aspects of commercial properties such as budgets, earnings projections, cash flows, and audits. She maintains her CPA license although she no longer practices accounting. Michele’s financial and accounting experience gives her an edge to understand the business and budgetary concerns of her clients, as well as the financial aspects of their cases.

Ms. Friend is a past president of the Beverly Hills Bar Association Barristers and has received several awards for distinguished leadership. As President, she worked with other community leaders and lawmakers on issues important to the legal community. She implemented the Tolerance through Education program and recruited over 50 volunteer lawyers to teach tolerance issues to local third graders, reaching over 500 children in the first year alone. She also worked on the implementation of the And Justice for All program, where a panel of Judges, politicians and other community leaders teach the public about access to justice at a live, televised event. Michele’s success in her legal career was recognized by Los Angeles Magazine when she was named a Super Lawyer Rising Star in 2004, 2005 and 2008.

Ms. Friend was previously associated with the law firms Spillane Shaeffer Aronoff Bandlow LLP and Rohde & Victoroff.

HONORS:

• Beverly Hills Bar Association Award for Distinguished Leadership
• Beverly Hills Bar Association Lawrence J. Blake Award for Distinguished Service
• Southern California Super Lawyer Rising Star 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010

BAR ADMISSIONS:

• United States Supreme Court
• 9th Circuit Court of Appeal
• United States District Court, Central District of California
• California State Courts

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

• Past President, Beverly Hills Bar Association Barristers
• American Association of Attorney-CPAs
• Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce
• National Association of Women Business Owners
• Los Angeles County Bar Association
• Association of Business Trial Lawyers
• American Bar Association
• Step Up Women’s Network
• Beverly Hills Bar Foundation
• Los Angeles World Affairs Council

NOTABLE CASES:

• Patricia Davis Raynes v. Marvin Davis et al.: Successfully defended the President of Davis Companies in a widely-publicized, $650 million breach of fiduciary duty and fraud matter relating to the estate of billionaire Marvin Davis.
• Keenan v. Superior Ct, Frank Sinatra Jr., Real Party in Interest (2002) 27 Cal.4th 413, cert. denied 537 U.S. 818 (2002): Represented Plaintiff-Appellant in First Amendment action challenging constitutionality of California’s “Son of Sam” law which prohibited convicted felons from receiving compensation for telling of their crimes. Resulted in California Supreme Court striking the law as unconstitutional.
• Carafano v. Metrosplash.com, Inc. 339 F.3d 1119 (2003): Represented Plaintiff-Appellant in Online Defamation, Invasion of Privacy, and Negligence action relating to the Communications Decency Act.
• Obtained $1.25 million judgment in favor of Defendant/Cross-Complainant in a trial relating to a real estate partnership dispute
• Obtained successful settlement for a consulting company in a non-compete / unfair business practices action
• Successfully negotiated a complex restaurant business buyout in an LLC dissolution lawsuit
• Defeated writ of attachment attempted by a bank based on insufficient lending procedures
• Obtained significant settlement on behalf of a luxury resort in a breach of contract dispute
• Defeated summary judgment for celebrity horse trainer in defamation, invasion of privacy action against magazine which led to successful settlement.
• Obtained summary judgment in First Amendment action challenging constitutionality of a City sign ordinance.
• Defeated summary judgment for hedge fund manager in misappropriation of trade secrets action against former employees.
• Obtained substantial settlement for musician in breach of contract, fiduciary duty action for misappropriated royalties by manager and attorney.
• Successfully represented software developer in copyright and trademark infringement case against licensee.
• Obtained significant settlement for scientist against another scientist and a major university in breach of contract, unfair competition, and intentional interference action.
• Successfully represented film producer in action against a major movie studio for unpaid royalties.
• Prevailed in arbitration representing professor against university in breach of contract action.
• Obtained injunction against City for racially unconstitutional licensing ordinance.