John J. O’Kane IV
J
Johnny O’Kane represents entity and individual clients through all phases of trial and appeal. His diverse practice involves a variety of complex business disputes, including employment, real estate, entertainment, securities, consumer protection, and intellectual property litigation. Mr. O’Kane also has significant experience in criminal and civil white collar matters, managing internal investigations, and has represented clients facing criminal prosecution in federal and state court.
Prior to joining the Firm, Johnny was a litigation associate in the Los Angeles headquarters office of Paul Hastings LLP, a leading international law firm and one of the Top 5 in The American Lawyer’s “A-List” of the best law firms in the United States. While in law school, Mr. O’Kane was selected to the Order of the Coif and elected to the Order of the Barristers, the Editorial Board of the William and Mary Law Review, and as Chair of the National Moot Court Team, in addition to serving as a teaching assistant in constitutional law. Before law school, Mr. O’Kane served as a staff member for the California State Assembly.
Johnny is a graduate of Claremont McKenna College, where he earned three letter awards as a member of the varsity baseball team and participated in the Claremont Colleges Debate Union. Mr. O’Kane also obtained an M.P.A. with a concentration in environmental science and policy from Columbia University, where he acted as an editorial assistant for the Journal of International Affairs.
In addition to his professional responsibilities, Johnny serves on the Associate Leadership Board of Public Counsel, the largest pro bono law firm in the country, and as a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s delegation to the California Conference of Bar Associations. He has been selected as a Southern California Rising Star by SuperLawyers Magazine in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Representative Matters
Successfully reversed denial of anti-SLAPP special motion to strike fraud and unfair competition claims against client, a global sourcing and manufacturing solutions company.
Member of nationwide Liaison Counsel team in dozens of class actions filed by pay-per-view purchasers of the Pacquiao-Mayweather boxing match in multi-district litigation proceeding in the Central District of California.
Trial counsel on behalf of individual investor plaintiff in securities fraud litigation pending before the Southern District of California after successful reversal of district court summary judgment ruling.
Second chaired weeklong arbitration on behalf of national real estate internet services company; successful prosecution of breach of services agreement claims resulted in award of all damages claimed by client.
Second chaired state court bench trial on behalf of Southern California businessman and investor; successful prosecution of client’s claims resulted in finding of wrongful termination and damages against defendant.
Authored successful petition for writ of mandate after trial court denied client’s demurrer to felony information in Los Angeles Superior Court; obtained stay and review of trial proceedings in the Court of Appeal, leading to first-of-its-kind deferred prosecution agreement on behalf of a university professor facing multiple felony counts in novel state criminal prosecution arising out of tragic laboratory incident.
Member of trial team during two-month federal jury trial on behalf of a foreign conglomerate in trade secret theft case in Eastern District of Virginia; subsequently represented client in parallel criminal and civil proceedings, including through successful motion to quash international criminal summons.
Successfully obtained declination letter from federal Department of Justice on behalf of national healthcare organization in False Claims Act investigation.
Defended a former international gaming company executive in a nationwide securities class action.
Speaking Engagements, Presentations, and Publications
Microcaps Under the Microscope, Law360 (Jan. 6, 2015) (with Joshua G. Hamilton).
Heightened Enforcement Environment Signals Increased Use of Economic Espionage Act, Bloomberg BNA Patent, Trademark, & Copyright J., June 1, 2012, at 1-3 (with Thomas P. O'Brien).
Foreign Plaintiff, Foreign Stock, Foreign Exchange: Forget About It? Morrison v. Nat'l Austl. Bank and the Future of Global Securities Class Actions, 27 Int'l Litig. Q., no. 1, 2010 at 20-23 (with William F. Sullivan).
Senior Counsel
Contact Information
- 800 Wilshire Blvd., Ste 1450 Los Angeles, CA 90017
- 213.788.4500
- jokane@skiermontderby.com
- Email Johnny
Education
The College of William and Mary, Marshall-Wythe School of Law
Order of the Coif
Order of the Barristers
Notes Editor, William and Mary Law Review
Chair, National Moot Court Team
Teaching Assistant, Constitutional Law
Columbia University
M.P.A., Concentration in Environmental Science and Policy
Selected as a University Marshall
Claremont McKenna College
B.A., Government
3x Varsity Letter Award recipient for baseball
Bar Admissions
State Bar of California
U.S. District Courts
Central District of California
Eastern District of California
Northern District of California
Southern District of California
Court Admissions
Central District of California
Eastern District of California
Northern District of California
Southern District of California
Professional & Community Involvement
Professional Activities
California Bar Association
Los Angeles County Bar Association
Association of Business Trial Lawyers
Member of the Associate Leadership Board of Public Counsel, the largest pro bono law firm in the United States
Member of the Government Relations Committee of the Barristers Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association.