Navigating Ethics in High Stakes Litigation

David Samani is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Lewis Brisbois and a member of the Professional Liability Practice. Mr. Samani has extensive experience in defending attorneys against claims of legal malpractice, malicious prosecution, and other third-party claims. Examples include:

• Defense of malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty claims arising from transactional matters, including complex direct and derivative claims against corporate counsel, claims relating to the negotiation of licensing agreements, the preparation of estate planning documents, and immigration matters.
• Defense of malpractice claims involving the alleged negligent handling of patent infringement, medical malpractice, construction, real estate, tax, and business litigation, as well as family law, probate, and workers’ compensation proceedings.
• Defense of malicious prosecution and fraudulent transfer actions brought by non-clients relating matters such as initiation and litigation of underlying fraud lawsuits and purportedly fraudulent asset protection efforts.

Mr. Samani is a co-author of the California Legal Malpractice and Malicious Prosecution Liability Handbook, a publication providing an overview of the issues and law governing legal malpractice and malicious prosecution litigation in California. 

Lauri Kritt Martin, CFLS is a seasoned family law attorney with nearly three decades of experience in litigation, trial, and mediation. She currently serves as Counsel at Enenstein Pham Glass & Rabbat. A Certified Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, Lauri has dedicated her practice exclusively to family law since 1996. Based in Los Angeles, she represents clients of all genders—often business owners and tech professionals—in high-value asset marital dissolution cases, parentage matters, support modifications, post-judgment issues, and domestic violence proceedings. As Of Counsel at EPGR Lawyers, Lauri is known for her strategic approach: preparing each case as if it will go to trial while actively pursuing early resolution through settlement. She empowers clients to make informed decisions by educating them on both the legal process and their options at every step.

Lauri’s approach combines deep legal knowledge with compassion and clarity, making her a trusted advocate for clients navigating emotionally and financially complex family law matters. Her philosophy as a “responsible litigator” means she aims to resolve issues quickly and amicably whenever possible, while being fully prepared to litigate when necessary. In addition to her courtroom experience, Lauri serves as a Family Law Mediator for the Los Angeles Court and is admitted to practice in all California State Courts and the U.S. Federal District Court – Central District. A graduate of Claremont McKenna College and Santa Clara University School of Law, Lauri is also a dedicated volunteer attorney with organizations including Bet Tzedek Legal Services, the Harriett Buhai Center, and the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles. She is married and the proud mother of two daughters.

Ms. Johns is a civil trial lawyer who has tried more than one hundred cases to verdict. She is the managing partner for Hillary Johns, Trial Lawyer which maintains offices in Beverly Hills, the Bay Area and Manhattan. She graduated from Occidental College in 1990 and Golden Gate University School of Law in 1993 where she graduated with Dean’s List and class honors. She is licensed to practice law in California, the California Southern, Central and Northern U.S. Federal District Courts, the District of Columbia, Montana, and New York. She is fluent in Spanish and trained in German and French.

Ms. Johns practices in the areas of civil litigation, business law, torts, employment law and entertainment law. She is an AV rated attorney with Martindale-Hubbell. Ms. Johns is a native Southern Californian. She writes regularly for a nationally recognized publishing company as well as individual law firms about various areas of civil law. Ms. Johns gives instruction about current employment law developments, as well as compliance assessments and training to companies to ensure their compliance with California and New York guidelines. Ms. Johns is a member of the Legal Network for Gender Equity. She works with the American Bar Association to provide legal services to military personnel. Ms. Johns has also served as a pro bono attorney and volunteer for local, statewide and national domestic violence = organizations. She is a past alumni committee chair and current student mentor with Occidental College. She is a member of the Beverly Hills Bar Association, Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce, and the New York County Lawyers Association, as well as the Cascade County Bar Association.

Neville L. Johnson is Senior Partner at Johnson & Johnson. Neville L. Johnson graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of California, Berkeley (1971). He received his law degree from Southwestern Law School (1975), graduating near the top of his class. He has tried over 28 civil jury trials and over 70 civil trials and arbitrations without a jury. He is a member of the invitation-only American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and is on the Board of Governors of the Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles (CAALA since 2005), the Board of Directors of the national organization Public Justice, and on the Board of Governors of the Beverly Hills Bar Association 2013-2015 and 2020-2022 (BHBA). Johnson is a long-time member of the invitation-only Los Angeles Copyright Society, and on the Board of The California Society of Entertainment Lawyers.