Lawrence J. Conlan, partner, represents plaintiffs and defendants in complex commercial litigation, class actions, lender liability, cannabis and insurance bad faith.

Attorney Lawrence J. Conlan appears in a headshot photo outside Santa Barbara courthouse.LAWRENCE J. CONLAN

Lawrence Conlan is a trial lawyer who has achieved significant victories for his clients. His clients include emerging businesses, industry pioneers, and victims of investment fraud and environmental catastrophes.

In 2024, Mr. Conlan won a jury verdict for insurance bad faith that was among the top 100 verdicts nationwide.

Mr. Conlan tries cases, argues appeals, and advises on legal strategy for clients across California and beyond. He is licensed and practices in California and New York, and has also litigated actions in Nevada, Idaho, New Hampshire, and Cayman Islands.

He previously worked for national law firms in New York City and San Francisco, litigating complex commercial disputes, regulatory investigations, securities fraud claims, intellectual property lawsuits and class actions.

Mr. Conlan represents plaintiffs & defendants in:

  • Insurance Bad Faith
  • Lender Liability
  • Partnership & Commercial Disputes in Cannabis, Wine & Real Estate
  • Legal Malpractice
  • Business Torts
  • Investment Scams
  • Civil Rights Violations
  • Financial Elder Abuse

Mr. Conlan’s recent engagements & victories include:

  • $21 million plaintiff jury verdict and judgment for insurance bad faith

  • $230 million plaintiff settlement for victims of oil spill

  • $70 million plaintiff settlement for property owners with pipeline easements
  • Defense jury verdict on $30 million+ damages claims arising out of contract and tort claims over disputed attorney fees
  • Multi-million-dollar settlements for real and personal property losses from wildfires
  • Settlement of $30 million partnership dispute involving cannabis businesses
  • Regulatory clearance and litigation for cannabis retailers, cultivators and distributors
  • $3 million settlement for plaintiff shareholder squeezed-out of business involving gypsum mine property in Kern County
  • Defense jury verdict on $25 million damages claims for alleged theft of trade secrets and unfair competition in dispute between breast implant makers
  • Settlement of lender liability dispute between Idaho dairy farm and national lender
  • $7.7 million plaintiff jury verdict for theft of trade secrets and conspiracy in business dispute involving kempo karate studios in western US
  • Settlement of dispute regarding renovations of high end residential real estate
  • Complete defense of financial elder abuse claims in intra-family dispute
  • Settlement of commercial dispute between fashion apparel factoring company and lenders

Education:

  • University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, Michigan, B.A., English, 1994
  • University of California College of the Law, San Francisco – San Francisco California, J.D., 2002

Member:

  • American Bar Association
  • State Bar of California
  • New York State Bar

Admitted:

  • State Bar of California, 2002
  • U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Central, Eastern and Southern Districts of California
  • U.S. Court of Appeal, Ninth Circuit
  • New York State Bar, 2006
  • U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York

Recognition:

  • Santa Barbara County Bar Association, Board Member, 2018-2021
  • Hastings Law Journal, Member 2000-2001, Articles Editor 2001-2002
  • Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent Rating
  • CALI Excellence Award in Constitutional Law, 2001
  • Best of the Bar, 2024
    – Nationwide Top 100
    – Top CA Verdict