Lesley Swanson Holmes
Counsel
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Related services and key industries
Biography
Lesley Swanson Holmes joined the Los Angeles office in 2011. As an experienced litigator, she focuses her practice on complex commercial disputes, medical product liability, toxic torts, antitrust, banking and finance, consumer class actions, and white collar defense. While in law school, Lesley was a Judicial Extern for The Honorable Stephen V. Wilson, U.S. District Court Central District of California. Lesley was a member of the Los Angeles office's Hiring Committee from 2015-2020.
Lesley has extensive experience in achieving pre-trial dismissals of matters through motions to dismiss and motions for summary judgment. She also has particular success in constructing creative settlement proposals to assist clients in avoiding unnecessary and costly litigation when warranted.
Professional experience
Collapse allJD, cum laude, Order of the Coif, Loyola Law School, 2010
BA, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, History and Communication, University of Southern California, 2007
As a law student, Lesley was the Senior Production Editor of the Loyola of Los Angeles International & Comparative Law Review. She was admitted to the Order of the Coif, and was a member of the St. Thomas More Law Honor Society, Women's Law Association and the Alpha Sigma Nu Honor Society.
- California State Bar
- Assisted in achieving dismissal of major trade secret litigation involving the aerospace industry in federal court in California
- Lead senior associate in California federal court trial resulting in complete defense verdict for national commercial kitchen manufacturer
- Represented major orthopedic implant manufacturer in California state court trial, taking the lead on drafting successful motion for new trial
- Primary associate on large team that secured dismissal of all claims against one of the nation's largest theater chains for alleged antitrust violations relating to film licensing, and obtained an award of more than $400,000 in attorneys' fees and costs as sanctions against the plaintiff
- Represented one of the nation's largest brokerage firms in a week-long FINRA arbitration hearing, and obtained dismissal of all claims following close of claimants' case
- Secured dismissal of all claims against major mortgage lender in state court litigation involving claims for breach of contract, fraud, and negligent misrepresentation
- Obtained preliminary injunction in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on behalf of a Los Angeles-area business thereby halting the impending closure of the business in a lawsuit filed against a nearby city alleging federal due process, equal protection, and other Constitutional violations; after preliminary injunction was granted, the city agreed to allow the business to continue operations and action was dismissed
- Assisted in the representation of a major pharmaceutical manufacturer during the discovery phase in various lawsuits filed throughout the country alleging venous thromboembolic injuries
- Defense of mortgage lender in action involving claims under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, resulting in settlement for less than the anticipated cost of litigation
- Worked with Los Angeles Community Action Committee (LACAN) as pro bono defense counsel for homeless and low income individuals charged with various traffic infractions
- Prepared for and interviewed senior business executives in France for two months as part of an internal investigation for a multinational company into potential FCPA violations
- Assisted in interview preparation of various regional managers of a multinational corporation in connection with a U.S.-government investigation into potential FCPA violations
- Rising Star, Southern California Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2018 – 2022
- Co-author with Jan Dodd, "Gorsuch's Views On 'Legal Tourism' Could Shift High Court," Law360, March 10, 2017
- Co-author with Jeffrey Margulies, "Apple v. Superior Court," E-Commerce Law Reports, Volume 13, Issue 1, pp. 5-6, March 6, 2013.
- Co-author with Jeffrey Margulies, "Apple v. Superior Court: Deconstructing the California Supreme Court Decision Exempting Online Transactions from Prohibition on Collecting Personal Information in Credit Card Transactions," The Golden State Report, California Retailers Association, February 8, 2013.
- Co-author with Jeffrey Margulies, "California Supreme Court Removes Prohibition on Collecting Personal Information in Certain Credit Card Transactions," Fulbright Alert, February 5, 2013
- Co-author with Jeffrey Margulies, "Court Rulings Conflict on Retailer Liability for Collecting ZIP Codes During Credit Card Transactions in California," Fulbright Briefing, January 3, 2012, republished in The Golden State Report, California Retailers Association, January 9, 2012.
- "The Era of Cyber Warfare: Applying International Humanitarian Law to the 2008 Russian-Georgian Cyber Conflict," Volume 32.2 Loyola International & Comparative Law Review 303 (2011)
Speaker, "If Judge Gorsuch is confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court, will 'legal tourism' get the High Court's seal of approval?," Webinar, March 22, 2017
Speaker, "The Art and Science of Jury Selection and Expert Opinion Challenges," Celesq Webinar, May 17, 2022
- State Bar of California
- Los Angeles County Bar Association
- Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) Alliance, Board of Directors and Southern California Community Alliance Vice Chair
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art, member
- The Alliance for Children's Rights, pro bono attorney volunteer
- Portuguese