John L. Schwab

John L. Schwab

John Schwab is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Munger, Tolles & Olson. 

His practice focuses on complex civil litigation, trials, and arbitrations. He maintains an active pro bono practice.

Mr. Schwab represents companies across a wide spectrum of industries, including media and entertainment, pharmaceuticals, and cutting-edge technology. He has handled matters at every stage of litigation, from pre-litigation counseling through trial and appeal.

Mr. Schwab joined the firm after clerking on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He is a graduate of Columbia Law School, where he served as an articles editor of the Columbia Law Review and was a James Kent Scholar and a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. Prior to law school, Mr. Schwab worked as a network television writer on a variety of programs.

Experience

Representative Matters

  • Walt Disney Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox and Paramount Pictures in obtaining summary judgment on claims for secondary copyright infringement based on a third-party vendor’s use of motion capture software on six of the biggest films of the 2010s. On the seventh film at issue, a jury awarded less than $350,000 in profits.
  • Heavyweight boxer Deontay Wilder in obtaining injunctive relief ordering a rematch of his bout with heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
  • A leading media company in arbitrating claims arising out of the termination of a senior executive.
  • A prominent beverage company in arbitrating employment discrimination claims.
  • Fox’s studio and network entities in contingent compensation disputes.
  • ACF Property Management in overturning a $14.5 million verdict against ACF and its principal.
  • Universal Music Group in defending against antitrust claims relating to music sold online in digital format.
  • The Bruce Family in pro bono representation defending the County of Los Angeles’ decision to return the “Bruce’s Beach” property taken from the Bruce’s ancestors as part of a racially-motivated condemnation in the 1920s.
  • Pro bono defendants in a successful anti-SLAPP motion striking a defamation complaint brought by a former employee of Marvel Comics’ Stan Lee, based on defendants’ reporting to law enforcement.
  • Pro bono plaintiffs in a successful appeal advocating for citizen taxpayers’ standing to challenge allegedly unconstitutional activities by Orange County law enforcement.

Publications

Experience

Representative Matters

  • Walt Disney Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox and Paramount Pictures in obtaining summary judgment on claims for secondary copyright infringement based on a third-party vendor’s use of motion capture software on six of the biggest films of the 2010s. On the seventh film at issue, a jury awarded less than $350,000 in profits.
  • Heavyweight boxer Deontay Wilder in obtaining injunctive relief ordering a rematch of his bout with heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
  • A leading media company in arbitrating claims arising out of the termination of a senior executive.
  • A prominent beverage company in arbitrating employment discrimination claims.
  • Fox’s studio and network entities in contingent compensation disputes.
  • ACF Property Management in overturning a $14.5 million verdict against ACF and its principal.
  • Universal Music Group in defending against antitrust claims relating to music sold online in digital format.
  • The Bruce Family in pro bono representation defending the County of Los Angeles’ decision to return the “Bruce’s Beach” property taken from the Bruce’s ancestors as part of a racially-motivated condemnation in the 1920s.
  • Pro bono defendants in a successful anti-SLAPP motion striking a defamation complaint brought by a former employee of Marvel Comics’ Stan Lee, based on defendants’ reporting to law enforcement.
  • Pro bono plaintiffs in a successful appeal advocating for citizen taxpayers’ standing to challenge allegedly unconstitutional activities by Orange County law enforcement.