Joe Tuffaha

E: jtuffaha@tc-llp.com
P: 213-449-5232

Joe Tuffaha is a seasoned trial attorney and appellate advocate who represents both plaintiffs and defendants. Throughout his career, he has expertly counseled clients of all sizes, from individual entrepreneurs to publicly traded Fortune 500 companies, in high-stakes commercial and intellectual property litigation, complex class actions, and domestic and international arbitrations. His successful litigation practice spans both state and federal courts and includes jury and non-jury trials, appeals, and arbitrations.  

Outside the courtroom, Joe frequently advises clients in their general business dealings. He has cultivated extensive global experience related to government enforcement matters, internal investigations, and regulatory compliance, including appearances  before major U.S. federal regulatory agencies.  

Before co-founding Tuffaha Chennakesavan, Joe was a partner at LTL Attorneys LLP, a National Law Journal top-ten litigation boutique where he chaired the firm’s commercial and class action litigation practice group. He also served as its General Counsel and on its Management Committee.  

Prior to LTL, Joe served as in-house legal counsel (Director) at Herbalife International of America, Inc., a publicly traded global nutrition company, where he handled high-profile regulatory and international matters and high-stakes litigation. Previously, he practiced at Severson & Werson, P.C., where he represented some of the nation’s largest and most influential financial institutions in state and federal court across all stages of litigation, including cases arising under TILA, RESPA, FDCPA, UCC, CLRA, and state unfair competition laws.  

At the beginning of his career, Joe served as judicial law clerk to three Los Angeles County Superior Court Judges: Hon. Carolyn Kuhl, Hon. Kenneth Freeman, and Hon. Elihu Berle. While serving as a law clerk, he handled numerous complex matters, including commercial and employment class actions.

During law school, Joe served as a full-time judicial extern to the Honorable Kim McLane Wardlaw of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and participated in the California Department of Justice, Business & Tax Section’s Clinical Honors Program.  

Joe is admitted to practice in California and New York.

Notable Representations

  • Currently representing SPI Group in multi-jurisdictional dispute with actor Brad Pitt concerning the ownership and management of Château Miraval, a leading wine producer.

  • Successfully represented a publicly traded nutraceutical company in Lanham Act litigation in S.D.N.Y. against a major competitor. After the client’s competitor attempted to renege on a multimillion-dollar, multi-jurisdictional settlement memorialized in an email, Joe successfully moved to enforce the settlement in the district court and argued the appeal before the Second Circuit and prevailed. The matter received national press.

  • Served as co-counsel and successfully defended a global nutrition company in two putative RICO class actions in California and Florida, where plaintiffs were seeking over $1 billion in damages. The matter was settled while defendants’ summary judgment motion and opposition to class certification were pending.

  • Successfully defended a Korean corporation in a jury trial where the plaintiff, another Korean company, was seeking more than $150 million in damages based on an alleged global conspiracy. After multiple rounds of appeals before the California Court of Appeal and the Ninth Circuit, Joe achieved complete defense victory on behalf of the client.

  • Achieved complete defense award in a high-stakes arbitration after trying the case on behalf of a global nutrition company where claimant was alleging complex regulatory and fraud claims and challenging the company’s entire business model.

  • Prevailed on anti-SLAPP motion in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of a major broadcasting company and three of its journalists related to an award-winning investigative news report on bus safety in Southern California. The Court dismissed the plaintiff’s entire complaint and awarded over $50,000 in attorney’s fees to the client.

  • Successfully defended a Hong Kong-based digital advertising company in $100M International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) arbitration brought by a Fortune 10 technology company alleging breach of contract.

  • Settled dispute on behalf of an individual who co-founded a multibillion-dollar augmented reality company and was then allegedly frozen out into an empty shell company. At the trial, Joe cross-examined the alleged mastermind of the conspiracy, who was a co-founder and CEO of the company, as well as other key witnesses. The case settled on confidential terms after an 8-week bench trial, prior to a verdict being issued.

  • Settled dispute on behalf of an individual who co-founded one of the country’s most successful digital advertising companies (and was allegedly frozen out of the company and denied his equity by his co-founders) on confidential terms.

  • Represented co-founder of multibillion-dollar smart electric-vehicle charging company in dispute over invention of revolutionary technology. Settled on confidential terms.

  • Successfully represented a prominent COVID-testing company in high-profile litigation involving former executives who allegedly embezzled hundreds of millions of dollars from the company.

  • Prevailed in the California Court of Appeal on behalf of one of the world’s largest golf management corporations, a preeminent multinational investment banking firm, and both county and city municipalities. Appellant alleged that clients violated his First Amendment and due process rights, as well as antitrust laws, by preventing him from teaching golf on a public golf course. The Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court judgment of dismissal in favor of clients.

  • Successfully represented the co-owner of one of Southern California’s most prominent billboard companies in a dispute over control of the company.

  • Successfully defended a global retailer in putative wage and hour class action, where plaintiffs alleged that client’s warehouse employees throughout California were forced to wait through security lines after clocking out in violation of California labor laws. After the case was removed from state court and litigated in federal court, the plaintiffs agreed to dismiss the case in its entirety (with prejudice) prior to the class certification stage for a waiver of costs.

  • Tried case in front of a federal jury in the Northern District of California involving a $30 million complex commercial financing transaction on behalf of a high-net worth individual. Dispute settled on confidential terms after trial.

  • Defeated summary judgment on behalf of a client in federal court on a novel issue of law involving California’s anti-deficiency statute.

  • Successfully defended a Fortune 500 energy holding company in San Diego County Superior Court pertaining to a substantial billing dispute. Settled case for walk-away.

  • Represented one of the largest golf management companies in the world in a two-week jury trial in Los Angeles Superior Court, where the plaintiff was seeking seven figures in damages. Achieved complete defense verdict.

  • Successfully defended major food retailers in federal court in two class actions alleging false and misleading labels related to a top-selling kombucha beverage.

  • Settled a complex adulterated ingredient case on behalf of a global nutrition company for confidential terms.

  • Obtained dismissal of HIPAA action in federal court brought against a major health care provider.

  • Successfully defended a Taiwanese company and obtained dismissal of a lawsuit brought by Hong Kong-based company alleging EPA violations and anti-competitive conduct.

  • Obtained dismissal of a multimillion-dollar complaint brought by plaintiff against client, a Taiwanese company. Plaintiff alleged civil RICO, fraud, and alter ego, arising from the alleged "bust out" of flat-screen television company. Plaintiff sought over $80 million in treble damages.

  • Prosecuted action in Central District of California on behalf of a multinational electronics retailer for alleged copyright infringement by defendants. Prevailed on partial summary judgment based on a novel issue. Received national press.

  • Advised a global food brand in managing international IP portfolio and developing an enforcement strategy to prevent rampant trademark and trade dress infringement by competitors.

  • Successfully defended a Fortune 100 financial institution in action involving alleged embezzlement of hundreds of thousands of dollars by dishonest bookkeeper.

  • Advised a multinational top-five investment banking firm with respect to compliance with USA PATRIOT Act requirements relating to certain of the firm’s business sectors.

  • Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a multibillion-dollar lender in unfair competition and wrongful foreclosure action where the plaintiffs were seeking millions of dollars in damages.

  • Drafted appellate brief on behalf of State of California in a thirty-year-old Dormant Commerce Clause case, seeking to reverse multimillion-dollar attorney’s fee award issued by trial court. The Court of Appeal ultimately reversed the trial court as to a large portion of the award.

  • Successfully negotiated master licensing and publishing agreements on behalf of Grammy Award-winning artists.

Education

University of California, Los Angeles — School of Law (L.L.M., 2009)

University of California, Hastings — College of the Law (J.D., 2007)

Tufts University (B.A., 2003)

Other Activities

Joe is an accomplished singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist who has collaborated with Grammy Award-winning artists and performed live on television and radio.