Stephen A. Tuggy joined the firm in 1988 and has a financial services and product liability practice.

Experience

Mr. Tuggy has a complex commercial litigation practice. He has substantial experience in product liability and mass tort defense, class actions, business tort litigations, directors’ and officers’ liability cases, corporate trust, unfair competition (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17200) and antitrust. Mr. Tuggy has practiced extensively in both federal and California state courts.

Representative Engagements

• Represented major software developer in antitrust and unfair competition (Cal. B&P Code § 17200) litigation.
• Represented breast implant manufacturer on pre-emption issues in connection with the breast implant litigations.
• Represented manufacturer of products used in commercial and manufacturing processes in a series of individual product liability and mass tort litigations.
• Represented several lenders and trustees in unfair business practice actions brought by purported classes of plaintiffs who allege that they paid off their loans, but did not receive the benefit of a timely reconveyance of their deeds of trust.
• Represented electronics manufacturer in a R.I.C.O. action against former officers and directors based on alleged unlawful taking of corporate assets and business opportunities.
• Represented the defendant in an antitrust litigation challenging the merger of Pennzoil Company and Quaker State Corporation.
• Represented major insurer in consolidated state court actions brought by individuals who allege their homes were destroyed in the Altadena brush fires and that their insurer failed to provide coverage adequate to cover the loss.
• Represented major insurer in a state court class action in which it was alleged that the form of the insurer’s earthquake insurance policies, and the manner by which the insurer handled claims under such policies, provided a basis for a variety of tort and unfair business practice claims.
• Represented credit card association in a federal court action brought by a purported class of cardholders who alleged that the association charged an improper fee.
• Represented financial institution in an action brought by nine Japanese banks and a major U.S. bank, arising out of over $500 million in lost guarantees on student loan portfolios.
• Represented one of the principal defendants in a $1 billion companion federal securities class action and a state court derivative action involving Pacific Enterprises' unsuccessful diversification program.
• Represented in a state court action brought by many insurers challenging the Proposition 103 recoupment fees billed by the California Department of Insurance.