Overview
Lisa Neal has over 20 years of experience as a litigator and is the Chair of Rutan & Tucker’s Litigation and Trial department. She focuses her litigation practice on real estate litigation, first-party insurance litigation, commercial coverage litigation, fraud, extracontractual and insurance litigation, probate and trust litigation and business litigation. Lisa has vast courtroom experience and has acted as lead counsel in numerous matters involving business contract, insurance, class action defense, fraud and tort. Lisa also assists her clients in managing litigation matters and overseeing the handling of trademark, intellectual property, employment/labor, corporate and real estate matters. She is also very involved in firm management as she is Co-Chair of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Practice Group, Chairman of the Personnel Committee and a Member of the Partnership Review Committee.
Experience
Areas of Focus
- Commercial Litigation
- Real Estate Litigation
- Probate and Trust Litigation
- General Insurance, Title Insurance and Bad Faith Litigation
- Contract Litigation
- Class Action Litigation
- Intellectual Property Litigation
Representative Matters/Cases
- Lead counsel in defending e-commerce company in nationwide class action involving pricing, advertising, and alleged deceptive practices. Prevailed on claims for unfair competition and violations of the Consumer Legal Remedies Act after the first phase of a bifurcated trial.
- Lead counsel in defending warehousing and shipping company in a breach of contract and negligence action. The Court entered judgment in favor of the client after plaintiff rested its case at trial.
- Represented real estate investment/development company in pursuing claims against insurance carrier and insurance brokers for breach of insurance contract, bad faith, negligence, and fraud. Following a multi-week trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the client and against both the insurance carrier and the insurance brokers.
- Lead counsel in defending three individuals against civil claims that they conspired to abduct a child. The plaintiff sought in excess of $20 million against the clients. After a three week trial, the jury returned a verdict in less than 30 minutes finding in favor of the clients and against the plaintiff.
- Lead counsel in successful defense of Co-Trustees against claims by Trust beneficiary that the Co-Trustees breached their fiduciary obligations to the Trust.
- Successfully defend Bank against claims that an individual’s belongings were stolen from her safe deposit box.
- Lead counsel in multiple matters defending title insurance company against insurance coverage and bad faith claims.
- Counsel client and manage out-of-state intellectual property litigation.
- Represent Trustees and Beneficiaries in successfully resolving probate and trust litigation matters.
- Defend insurance companies in multiple actions (including class actions) claiming misrepresentations by agents in sale of policies.
- Defend property owners and public entities in high end slip, trip and fall and other serious personal injury matters.
- Represent defendant school district in a trip and fall case where the jury determined as Phase I of a bifurcated trial that the defendant was not liable for an alleged dangerous condition on public property.
- Represent New York Stock Exchange company in successful resolution of various breach of contract, insurance and bad faith claims.
- Defend employee benefits company in breach of contract and fraud claims involving Internal Revenue Code section 419.
- Counsel clients in obtaining insurance benefits and bad faith claims.
- Represent company in action for misappropriation of trade secrets and business interference.
- Represent e-commerce company in action against former client for breach of contract and conversion.
- Represent company in Federal Trade Commission investigation.
- Represent mortgage company in action against former employees for breach of contract, fraud, breach of trade secrets and intentional interference with prospective economic advantage.
- Defend production company against claims by former employee for breach of contract.
News & Insights
Awards & Affiliations
Awards & Honors
- Best Lawyers in America 2024 -2025
- Southern California Super Lawyers, Rising Stars Edition, 2012-2014
- Honored as one of the “Hottest 25 People In Orange County” by the OC Metro Magazine, 2012
Memberships & Associations
- Orange County Bar Association (Business Litigation Section)
- American Bar Association
- Orange County Women’s Entrepreneur and Executives
- Orange County Women’s Lawyer Association
- Member of the Board of Trustees, Olive Crest
- Member of the Foundation Board for Pretend City, The Children’s Museum of Orange County
- Member of the Orange County Bar Foundation Society of Fellows
- Member of the Board of National Charity League, Jrs.