E. Paul Dougherty, Jr.

E. Paul Dougherty Jr. (Partner-Los Angeles, CA) and Valeria Granata (Associate-Los Angeles, CA) obtained a defense verdict in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of a medical equipment distributor in a direct retention case involving a contentious commercial lease dispute on multimillion-dollar medical diagnostic equipment. The plaintiff, a financial lease company, sued the lessee following failure to pay property taxes on the subject medical equipment. The lessee filed a cross-claim against the firm's client, claiming the assignment of the subject lease from the firm's client to the financial lease company was not valid, alleging the firm's client settled any disputes concerning property taxes by entering into a settlement agreement with the lessee in an unrelated Texas case. During a five-day remote bench trial, Valeria obtained testimony showing that the firm's client did not settle the case against the lessee on behalf of the plaintiff and the assignment of the lease was valid. In a 14-page decision, the court exonerated the firm's client. Paul and Valeria were ably assisted in the defense and trial by Jesse Han (Paralegal-Los Angeles, CA).