Daniel Sakaguchi

Partner

Daniel has broad experience in handling complex commercial, construction, and intellectual property disputes, including trademark and trade secrets disputes. Daniel’s recent victories include an Appeal before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of a Fortune 500 Company, and a trial victory in the Santa Clara Superior Court’s complex division. Daniel has tried jury cases to verdict in state and federal courts from California to Missouri to Illinois.

Prior to joining VLMG, he was a partner at Alto Litigation, PC in San Francisco and Armstrong Teasdale LLP in St. Louis, Missouri, where he specialized in commercial and intellectual property litigation.  In his first two years of practice, Daniel served as a deputy public defender in California and Missouri.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

Complex Commercial and Construction Litigation:

Won a trial under California Corporations Code § 709, invalidating a director election and leading to the dismissal of a corporation’s suit against client.

Won an appeal before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals for Eastman Chemical Company, a Fortune 500 Company.

Prevailed at trial in municipal redevelopment suit involving remediation of coal mine subsidence.

Represented owners and developers in litigation and arbitration involving construction and design defects and delays in large-scale projects, including hotels and casinos, municipal public works, elder care facilities, and energy plants.

Lead counsel on behalf of snack bar manufacturer in dispute with nut supplier resulting in high six-figure settlement.

Defeated challenge to tax increment finance and business development districts at trial and on appeal.

Lead counsel on behalf of telecommunications company in arbitration for premature termination of contract, resulting in seven-figure award, including attorneys’ fees.

Intellectual Property:

Represented individuals in disputes involving alleged expropriation of trade secret information in various industries, including gaming, autonomous vehicles, memory technologies, edge computing, and electronic currencies.

Counseled augmented reality company with respect to trademark dispute.

Represented children’s game company in trademark ownership litigation.

Represented electronic payments company in trade secret dispute with former software vendor, resulting in favorable settlement.

Represented snack food company in patent and trade secret dispute, forcing withdrawal of expert opinion on trade secret misappropriation claims.

Defeated trademark infringement claims on summary judgment in representation of video game manufacturer.

Won summary judgment on behalf of movie studio on copyright claims against maker and seller of infringing collectible objects.

PUBLICATIONS & LECTURES

“Flex your ADR Skills” Panelist, 2016 The Woman Advocate Annual, Kansas City, November 10, 2016.

“Light and Shadow – The Evolving Interplay Between Patents and Trade Secrets” Moderator and Panelist, NAPABA Annual Convention, San Diego, November 4, 2016.

“The ABCs of Insurance Panel Counsel” Panelist, NAPABA Annual Convention, New Orleans, November 6, 2015.