Overview
Lisa Demsky is a litigator and trial lawyer whose practice focuses on internal investigations, white collar defense, crisis management and complex commercial litigation.
Lisa is a trusted advisor in bet-the-company matters involving corporate response to a crisis, allegations of fraud and breach of fiduciary duty, whistleblower claims, internal hotline reports, the False Claims Act, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and time-charging fraud, among others.
A leading authority on internal investigations, she has brought her extensive experience to a broad audience as co-editor of Internal Corporate Investigations (ABA, 4th Ed., 2017). This comprehensive guide lays out the steps necessary to conduct a thorough and proper legal investigation.
Lisa is also an experienced trial lawyer who has handled both civil and criminal jury trials, as well as arbitrations. She has appeared in more than 70 cases in federal and state courts.
A strategic leader within MTO, Lisa previously served as a member of the firm’s policy committee and as co-chair of the firm’s hiring committee.
Capabilities
Experience
Investigations, Crisis Management and White Collar Defense
Lisa conducts internal investigations and interfaces with government agencies for a broad range of clients, including public companies and government contractors.
Companies often turn to Lisa for crisis management and investigations in high-stakes legal matters. She has handled multiple civil litigation matters with parallel government investigations or proceedings for clients in a range of regulated industries.
Among the areas of investigation are issues and allegations involving the False Claims Act, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), sanctions, time-charging fraud, accounting irregularities and disclosure obligations.
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) with investigating anticipated claims related to the 2024 Palisades Fire and responding to lawsuits from residents whose homes were destroyed or damaged.
Hawaiian Electric – in the wake of the August 2023 Maui wildfires, including the Lahaina Fire, which was the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century, negotiated a $4 billion, multi-party, global settlement in principle within a year, which appears unprecedented in cases of this magnitude and complexity, with Hawaiian Electric paying less than half of the total settlement.
PG&E in connection with wildfire investigations and criminal defense, including:
- 2021 Dixie Fire – the second largest fire in California history, which consumed over 963,000 acres; negotiated a civil settlement of potential criminal liability without any charges being filed.
- 2020 Zogg Fire – settlement included the dismissal of all criminal charges against PG&E, with prejudice, a civil settlement to 31 criminal charges, and payments of $50 million, primarily to community organizations.
- 2018 Camp Fire – negotiated a plea agreement that ended the criminal investigation, a result that was instrumental in helping PG&E emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. No individuals were prosecuted as a result of the settlement.
- 2017 North Bay Fires
A publicly traded company with overseas operations in a multi-agency, international government investigation.
Northrop Grumman in a multi-agency government investigation into alleged time-charging issues.
Aerospace companies in crash investigations.
A multinational company in connection with an oil spill investigation.
Complex Commercial Litigation
An experienced trial lawyer, Lisa has handled cases in federal and state courts throughout the country in the areas of intellectual property, fraud, breach of contract, professional negligence and malicious prosecution, unfair competition and business practices, entertainment law and other business torts.
Representations include:
Fortress Investment Group in obtaining a complete defense verdict as trial counsel in a five-week bench trial in a lawsuit filed by a life settlement investment fund seeking more than $200 million in damages and bringing claims of breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, unfair competition, breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets.
Condominium developer – obtained a unanimous jury verdict in client’s favor following a five-week jury trial defending against claims of fraud and unjust enrichment relating to a billion-dollar condominium development.
Confidential client – successfully arbitrated a breach of contract and malpractice dispute, resulting in a defense judgment on the claims brought against client and a multimillion-dollar award in client’s favor on client’s counterclaims and for attorneys’ fees.
A major Los Angeles law firm – successfully defended in a three-week jury trial, obtaining a unanimous defense verdict for her client, which had been sued for professional negligence.
Confidential client – successfully arbitrated a business fraud dispute, obtaining a defense judgment in her client’s favor, as well as an award of attorneys’ fees.
More
- The Best Lawyers in America, 2024, 2025, 2026
- Top 25 White Collar Lawyers in California, Daily Journal, 2021, 2022, 2023
- Top Women Lawyers in California, Daily Journal, 2022
- Top Defense Verdict, Daily Journal, 2016
- Past board member, Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles
- Past board member, Los Angeles Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure
- Past member, Central District Pro Bono Panel
- Past board member, Los Angeles Alumnae Panhellenic Association
- Past organizer, Los Angeles Judicial Intern Opportunity Program, which places minority and financially disadvantaged law students in judicial internships
- Regional commissioner and board president of the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO)
- Past member, Section Leadership of the ABA Section of Litigation
Publications
- Co-editor, Internal Corporate Investigations, ABA, 4th Ed., 2017
