Steve Coopersmith
Top rated Business Litigation attorney in San Diego, California
The Coopersmith Law Firm, LLPPractice Areas: Business Litigation, Antitrust Litigation, General Litigation; view more
Licensed in California since: 1996
Education: University of California College of the Law, San Francisco
Call today:
619-782-0284
The Coopersmith Law Firm, LLP
1230 Columbia StSuite 680
San Diego, CA 92101 Visit website
Details
Steve Coopersmith is the founder and Managing Partner of The Coopersmith Law Firm, LLP in San Diego, California. The Firm represents clients throughout Southern California in a wide range of business and corporate litigation matters, including those stemming from corporate and partnership dissolutions, securities and financial fraud violations, bet-the-company litigation, executive-level business employment disputes, and fine art law disputes. Mr. Coopersmith also handles select planning and public development disputes.
After receiving a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Mr. Coopersmith earned his Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. During law school, he served as a note editor for the Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly and was a judicial extern for the presiding justice of the 1st District Court of Appeal. After graduation from law school, Mr. Coopersmith served as a U.S. Army JAG Officer, providing legal advice to officers and trying felony criminal cases at courts-martial. Before starting his own firm over 15 years ago, Mr. Coopersmith gained valuable experience in business litigation with several well-known San Diego law firms.
Mr. Coopersmith is licensed to practice law in California and before the U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Central, Eastern and Northern Districts of California. He is also licensed to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and the Supreme Court of the United States.
In recognition of his professional skills and ethical standards, Martindale-Hubbell has awarded Mr. Coopersmith its AV-Preeminent rating, and his firm is listed in the Bar Register of Pre-Eminent Lawyers for all years since 2014. He was named as a Top Attorney in 2012, 2013 and 2014 by The Daily Transcript, prior to that award's cessation. He is also listed as one of America's Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators. He is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.
Mr. Coopersmith was selected as one of 50 Top Influential Business Leaders in San Diego by The Daily Transcript for multiple years, one of the San Diego Business Journal's Top 50 Veteran Business Leaders in San Diego, and one of the Top 100 Leaders in Law in San Diego for multiple years. In 2022 and 2023, he was listed on the SD500, the San Diego Business Journal's list of the most influential people in San Diego.
In his spare time, Mr. Coopersmith enjoys playing jazz and blues piano, and he is an avid year-round, long distance ocean swimmer. He is an active member of the San Diego community, has served on the Board of Trustees of the San Diego Museum of Art, and is a member of San Diego Rotary, Club 33.
Practice areas
Business Litigation, Antitrust Litigation, General Litigation, Securities LitigationFocus areas
Antitrust & Trade Litigation, Litigation, Non-Compete Agreements, Trade Secret
- 70% Business Litigation
- 10% Antitrust Litigation
- 10% General Litigation
- 10% Securities Litigation
First Admitted: 1996, California
Professional Webpage: http://www.stevecoopersmithlaw.com/profiles/coopersmith/
- Member of U.S. District Courts, Eastern District of California, 2000 - Present
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation, 2022
- Member of U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, 1999 - Present
- Member of U.S. District Courts, Central District of California, 2000 - Present
- Member of California Bar, 1996 - Present
- Member of U.S. District Courts, Southern District of California, 2000 - Present
- Member of U.S. District Courts, Northern District of California, 2000 - Present
- Member of U.S. Supreme Court Bar, 2004 - Present
- Representation of sports business broker responsible for purchase and sale transactions of interests in major national sports franchises. Representation included resolution of mutual claims against brokerage arising from dispute about compensation and deal direction issues. , 2018
- Representation of Fortune 500 insurance company arising from claims that carrier did not properly administrate workers' compensation claims for plaintiff company, which increased risk ratio and premiums. After significant discovery efforts, obtained highly favorable result for client., 2019
- Settlement of massive case which will affect all permitting and planning in downtown San Diego. After four years of litigation against the City of San Diego and Civic San Diego, the Firm's clients, Dr. Murtaza Baxamusa and the San Diego County Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO, reached a resolution of its claims against the City and Civic San Diego to involve the withdrawal of the delegation of permitting and planning authority to Civic, a non-profit organization which had been performing these actions in downtown since Redevelopment authority from the State of California was rescinded in 2012. Through a dozen depositions, discovery of 100,000 pages of documents, and thorough investigatory and litigation efforts, we learned that Civic had become corrupt, including sole-sourced contracting, conflicts of interest, pressure to otherwise independent hearing officers, and in general, approval of development projects without regard to good City planning efforts like transportation, parking, public parks and art, and other infrastructure. This settlement will change the way that downtown is permitted and planned, and although certainly some may grouse about the potential effect this may have on development in downtown San Diego, it has been acknowledged as a significant, and positive change, for the City. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2019-03-29/san-diego-downtown-planning-agency-stripped-of-powerSettlement approved June 4, 2019 by San Diego City Council. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2019-06-04/its-official-san-diegos-downtown-planning-agency-is-finished, 2019
- Highly favorable defense settlement of fraud, misrepresentation and other similar claims against C-Level client made by inside investor who blamed client for failure of company notwithstanding plaintiff's knowledge of insider status of company and active recruitment of investors. Case resolved for a fraction of the large amount demanded against client after significant, years-long litigation involving multiple depositions and tens of thousands of documents produced. , 2017
- Settlement on behalf of a number of investors in a substantial entity which had misrepresented matters involving the interests held by management, value of shares, and intent for future business. Investor clients received their entire investments back. , 2017
- Serve on the Advisory Board of the Lux Art Institute from 2015 to 2017., 2018
- Served on the Board of Trustees for the San Diego Museum of Art, 2020
- Member, San Diego Rotary Club 33. Member of this distinguished downtown Rotary Club since 2011. Significant community service work with various aspects of Rotary, including club, local community, and international Rotary service. , 2011
- Peer-Review Rated as "AV-Preeminent" by the Martindale Hubbell International Law Directory since 2011., "AV -- Preeminent" Rating from Martindale Hubbell International Law Directory, Martindale Hubbell International Law Directory, 2011
- Listed as one of the Top 50 Influential Business Leaders in San Diego County by the San Diego Daily Transcript. , Top 50 Influential Business Leaders in San Diego, San Diego Daily Transcript, 2017
- Listed as one of the Top 50 Influential Business Leaders in San Diego County by the San Diego Daily Transcript. , Top 50 Influential Business Leaders in San Diego, San Diego Daily Transcript, 2018
- Listed in the prestigious Bar Register of Pre-Eminent Attorneys for each year since 2014., Bar Register of Pre-Eminent Attorneys, Martindale Hubbell Law Directory, 2015
- Selected as one of the Top Ten "Top Attorneys" in the area of Corporate Litigation for 2012 by the San Diego Daily Transcript Newspaper, San Diego Daily Transcript, San Diego Daily Transcript, 2012
- Selected as a "Top Lawyer" in the area of Business & Commercial Litigation in 2013 by San Diego Magazine. , San Diego Magazine "Top Lawyers," Business and Commercial Litigation, San Diego Magazine, 2013
- Listed in the prestigious Bar Register of Pre-Eminent Attorneys for each year since 2014. , Bar Register of Pre-eminent Attorneys, Martindale Hubbell Law Directory, 2017
- Listed in the prestigious Bar Register of Pre-Eminent Attorneys for each year since 2014. , Bar Register of Pre-Eminent Attorneys, Martindale Hubbell Law Directory, 2014
- Selected as one of the Top Ten "Top Attorneys" in the area of Corporate Litigation for 2013 by the San Diego Daily Transcript newspaper., San Diego Daily Transcript,, San Diego Daily Transcript, 2013
- Selected as one of the Top Ten "Top Attorneys" in the area of Corporate Litigation for 2014 by the San Diego Daily Transcript newspaper., San Diego Daily Transcript, , San Diego Daily Transcript, 2014, Top Attorneys, Corporate Litigation, San Diego Daily Transcript, 2014
- Listed in the prestigious Bar Register of Pre-Eminent Attorneys for each year since 2014. , Bar Register of Pre-Eminent Attorneys, Martindale Hubbell Law Directory, 2016
- Listed in the prestigious Bar Register of Pre-Eminent Attorneys for each year since 2014. , Bar Register of Pre-eminent Attorneys, Martindale Hubbell Law Directory, 2018, Bar Register of Pre-Eminent Lawyers, Martindale Hubbell, 2018
- University of Pennsylvania, B.A. in International Political Science, 1992
- Dolan King II: Fourth District Adds Another Chapter to Dispute Between Homeowner and Community Association, Trial Bar News, April 2004
- Pleading Requirements in "Substantial Factor" Products Liability Cases, Trial Bar News, April 2000
- Fourth District Court of Appeal Solves Circuity Of Liens Problem, Trial Bar News, October 2001
- U.S. Supreme Court Permits Restriction Of Developing Land Without Compensating Owners, Trial Bar News, November 2002
- Participation in Catalina Channel Swim Relay -- overnight, open water swimming relay from Catalina Island to Long Beach, 2018
- Participation in Catalina Channel Swim Relay -- open water swimming relay from Catalina Island to San Pedro, officially sanctioned by the Catalina Channel Swimming Federation. Participation in this event for the 5th time in 2018, 2017
- Automotive Dealers
- Banking
- Contractors
- Corporate Litigation Work
- Fortune 500 Insurance
- Health Care Organizations and Services
- Labor Unions
- Real Estate Development
Office location for Steve Coopersmith
1230 Columbia St
Suite 680
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: 619-782-0284
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2014 - 2025