SKILLED
AGGRESSIVE
RESPONSIVE
BUSINESS LITIGATION LAW FIRM
From the boardroom to the courtroom, we work with our clients to understand their needs and then craft legal solutions that suit their risk tolerance, goals and budgets.
We treat our clients’ challenges as if they were our own.
LAW PRACTICE AREAS
Meet Our Team
Dante Quilici joined Dhillon Law Group as an associate attorney in 2019. His practice focuses primarily on civil litigation and counseling related to employment matters. Dante works on behalf of both employers and employees and in a broad range of practice areas, including employment discrimination, wrongful termination, workplace harassment, and wage-and-hour disputes. Dante also assists the Dhillon Law Group in other areas of civil litigation.
Dante graduated from Santa Clara University’s School of Law in 2019 with a focus on private ordering and employee-employer disputes. While in law school, Dante competed in the Honors Moot Court Internal competition and contributed to the law school’s official student publication, The Advocate.
Education:
- Santa Clara University, School of Law, J.D., 2019
- University of California, Los Angeles – B.S. in Chemistry, 2015
John-Paul Singh Deol is Senior Counsel at the Dhillon Law Group. John-Paul began his legal career at the firm in 2012. After practicing for several years with the firm, he transitioned to an exclusively defense-oriented practice at the AmLaw100 firms of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP and Fenwick & West LLP, where he represented employers of all sizes, from Fortune 100 companies to Silicon Valley startups, in all aspects of labor and employment and trade secrets litigation in state and federal courts, as well as in arbitration. John-Paul also maintained an active advice and counseling practice, advising clients in M&A transactions, drafting employment policies and agreements, helping employers navigate difficult HR situations, and providing advice as to how to comply with state, federal, and local employment laws.
John-Paul returned to the Dhillon Law Group in 2019. His current practice focuses on representing both employees and employers in all aspects of employment litigation in state and federal courts and in arbitration. John-Paul’s experience representing prominent Silicon Valley startups and some of America’s largest corporations uniquely positions him to be able to represent both employers and employees in all of their employment law needs. John-Paul has particular expertise in discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and whistleblower claims, as well as wage-and-hour and trade secrets claims.
John-Paul obtained his J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law in 2012, winning numerous awards for his academic excellence and graduating in the top 15% of his class. He received his B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley in 2009, graduating with highest distinction (UC Berkeley’s equivalent of “summa cum laude”) and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
John-Paul is active in several local and national bar associations. He has been a board member of the South Asian Bar Association of Northern California and the Bar Association of San Francisco. He has also held several leadership positions in the American Bar Association. In 2018, John-Paul was honored with the “Rising Star Award” from the South Asian Bar Association of Northern California. He also maintains an active pro bono practice in federal trial and appellate courts.
John-Paul speaks Italian, Spanish, and French, and speaks some Hindi, Punjabi, Modern Greek and Portuguese.
Admissions:
– California
– All Federal District Courts in California and the District of Colorado
– The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Dorothy Yamamoto joined Dhillon Law Group in 2019. Dorothy’s practice focuses primarily on litigation and counseling related to employment and labor law. She represents both employees and employers in claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage-and-hour compliance. She also supports all areas of the firm’s broad litigation and counseling practice.
Prior to Dhillon Law Group, Dorothy practiced in workers’ compensation law, representing employers and insurance companies on claims filed by injured employees as well as 132a discrimination claims. She also taught Legal Research and Writing I and II as an adjunct professor at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
Dorothy received her J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. While in law school, Dorothy was on the Hastings Law Journal, and participated in Hastings’ moot court program as a competitor, coach, teaching assistant, and board member. She was also admitted to the Hastings Appellate Project where she fully briefed an appeal before the Ninth Circuit, and argued before the Ninth Circuit panel.
Visit Dorothy’s LinkedIn Profile
Education:
- University of California, Hastings College of the Law – J.D., 2015
- University of California, Berkeley, B.A. in English Literature with high honors – 2010
Michael joined Dhillon Law Group as a paralegal in 2014, as a law clerk in 2016 and 2017, and as an associate in 2018. Michael’s practice focuses primarily on litigation and counseling related to employment law. He represents both employers and employees in claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage-and-hour compliance. In addition to this, Michael also supports the Dhillon Law Group’s broad litigation practice.
Michael obtained his law degree from the Wake Forest University, School of Law. While at Wake Forest, Michael served as the Research Editor of the Journal of Business and Intellectual Property Law. In addition to this, Michael was a board member of the Moot Court Board, the Pro Bono Executive Board, and Phi Alpha Delta. Michael also externed at the North Carolina Business Court with the Honorable Michael L. Robinson.
Visit Michael’s LinkedIn Profile
Education:
- Wake Forest University, School of Law, J.D., 2018
- University of California, Davis – B.A. in Political Science and History, 2012
Court Admissions:
- Northern District of California
Gregory Michael is a litigation associate of the firm. His practice focuses primarily on complex civil litigation matters, including individual and class actions arising under the First and Fourteenth Amendments, commercial litigation, intellectual property, and employment litigation.
Greg represents a broad spectrum of clients, including startups, established businesses, employees, students, and political associations. His experience includes representing university students in cases involving unconstitutional speech restrictions and discriminatory treatment; persons and companies defending or asserting intellectual property claims; and employees facing political, racial, gender, and religious discrimination. Greg litigates in state and federal courts throughout California.
Education:
University of California, Hastings College of the Law – J.D. with a Certificate in Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution, 2015
University of California, Berkeley – B.A. in Physics and Astrophysics, 2012
Bar Admissions:
State of California
United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Courts:
- Northern District of California
- Central District of California
- Eastern District of California
Representative Matters:
James Damore, et al. v. Google, LLC, 18CV321529 (Santa Clara Super. Ct., 2018) (putative class action regarding political, race, and gender discrimination against job applicants);
Young America’s Foundation, et al. v. Janet Napolitano, et al., 3:17-cv-0255-MMC (N.D. Cal. 2017) (First and Fourteenth Amendment action arising from UC Berkeley’s enforcement of speech policies against Berkeley College Republicans);
Melissa Melendez, et al. v. Gavin Newsom, et al., 2:19-cv-01506-MCE-DB (E.D. Cal. 2019) (action seeking to enjoin California’s enforcement of the Presidential Tax Transparency and Accountability Act);
Hernandez, et al. v. City of San Jose, et al., 5:16-cv-03957-LHK (N.D. Cal. 2016) (Due Process action against the City of San Jose following 2016 Donald J. Trump presidential campaign rally);
Publications:
UC Berkeley, birthplace of the growing anti-free speech movement, The Hill, April 25, 2017 (co-author Krista L. Baughman);
The New Plague: False Claims Liability Based on Inequitable Conduct During Patent Prosecution, 25 Fordham Intell. Prop. Media & Ent. L. J. 747 (2015) (co-authors William Newsom and Matt Avery).
Nitoj joined the firm in 2010, and became a partner in 2016. He represents both publicly traded and private companies across a wide range of industries, including, information technology, life science, green energy, agricultural, and entertainment companies, in complex federal and state court litigation. Nitoj’s practice focuses on internet/social commerce, trademark, trade secrets, unfair competition, supply chain, business tort, and contract disputes. Nitoj also advises on emerging company formation, commercial transactions, and intellectual property issues for both domestic and international business entities. He has represented clients in actions across the United States, including throughout California, Alabama, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, and Virginia.
A sample of Nitoj’s representative clients include: Yelp Inc., Mendocino Brewing Company, NETGEAR, Inc., Ticketfly, Inc., appbackr inc., Connectifier Inc., Willow.TV, Little Bee Impex, One Block Off the Grid, Inc., Mevio, Inc., Corona Labs Inc., and AAT Bioquest, Inc.
Nitoj received his J.D. from the University of California, Davis – School of Law. In law school, he served as an Executive Editor for the UC Davis School of Law – Business Law Journal. Prior to law school, Nitoj received a B.S. in Genetics from the University of California at Davis, and a M.S. in Biology from New York University. Nitoj additionally has extensive professional biotechnical and pharmaceutical technical experience.
Prior Experience:
- Principal, Nitoj Singh Law (Castro Valley, CA)
- Summer Associate, Fernandez & Associates, LLP (Menlo Park, CA)
- Legal Fellow, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (Washington DC)
Education:
- University of California, Davis – School of Law – J.D.
- New York University, M.S. Biology – Specialization: Recombinant DNA Technology
- University of California, Davis – B.S. Genetics
Court Admissions:
- California
- United States Court of Appeals
- Ninth Circuit
- United States District Courts
- Northern District of California
- Central District of California
- Southern District of California
- Southern District of Texas
- Southern District of New York
- United States Patent and Trademark Office
How can I protect my reputation against someone who is anonymously defaming me online? What steps should I take when a former employee has stolen my company’s trade secrets? Can the anti-SLAPP statute protect my right to free speech?
These are just a few of the important questions Krista helps her clients tackle on a daily basis. Krista’s practice focuses on commercial litigation, First Amendment rights and anti-SLAPP procedure, and privacy litigation.
As a partner of Dhillon Law Group with over a decade of experience in the courtroom, Krista has managed precedent-setting cases, including one that established that university Title IX proceedings are protected forums for speech under California’s anti-SLAPP statute, and another that clarified the 9th Circuit standard for due process liability against police, and government qualified immunity, in crowd control situations. She and her team achieved a landmark settlement to ensure the First Amendment rights of students at UC Berkeley, and ended the use of unconstitutional speech-restricting policies in a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of San Clemente on behalf of its citizens.
Visit Krista’s LinkedIn Profile
Krista represents corporations, high profile public figures, nonprofit organizations, gig economy companies, and private individuals alike. She is driven by the joy of helping people find solutions for the most stressful and high-stakes problems in their business and personal lives. Krista’s clients appreciate her insightful assessment of legal issues, her creativity in crafting a strategy that thinks three steps ahead, her attention to detail in the execution, and her integrity throughout.
Krista is admitted to practice in New York and California, and litigates in federal courts around the nation. She is proficient in French. On the weekends you can find her going on a family hike, experimenting in the kitchen, or debating legal issues with her husband for the fun of it.
Court Admissions:
- United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- United States District Court:
- Central District of California
- Northern District of California
- Eastern District of California
- Southern District of California
- Middle District of Florida
- District of Massachusetts
Practice Areas:
- General and Complex Commercial Litigation
- Intellectual Property (Trademark, Copyright and Trade Secrets)
- First Amendment (Defamation, Trade Libel, and anti-SLAPP)
- Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
- Privacy Litigation
- Employment Law and Litigation
Education:
- Lehigh University, B.A. International Relations, magna cum laude
- Brooklyn Law School, J.D., cum laude
Representative Speaking Engagements:
| Panelist on Free Speech Discussion | UC Berkeley School of Law | April, 2017 |
| Panelist on Free Speech Discussion | Golden Gate University School of Law | October, 2017 |
| National Legal Roundtable: “Defending and Going on the Offensive” | American Bail Coalition Conference | November, 2017 |
| “Protecting Your Client From Damaging, Anonymous Internet Content” | PLI Presentation | November, 2014 |
Harmeet Dhillon is a nationally recognized lawyer, trusted boardroom advisor, and passionate advocate for individual, corporate and institutional clients across numerous industries and walks of life. Her focus is in commercial litigation, employment law, First Amendment rights, and election law matters.
History
From an early interest in constitutional litigation, to a stint at the Department of Justice, federal appeals court clerkship, decade of practice at prestigious international law firms, and then founding her own law firm in 2006, Harmeet’s legal career has been marked by a passion for justice, a zeal for attacking legal challenges, and an intense sense of satisfaction in helping her clients realize creative and practical solutions to seemingly intractable problems.
Following a clerkship with the Hon. Paul V. Niemeyer of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, Ms. Dhillon’s practice in New York, London, and the San Francisco Bay Area has focused on federal and state commercial litigation and arbitration, with a particular emphasis on unfair competition/trade secret misappropriation, intellectual property (including trademark litigation and internet torts), complex contractual disputes, and First Amendment litigation (including defamation, trade libel, right of publicity, and anti-SLAPP motions). Harmeet’s broad experience also encompasses securities, entertainment, employment discrimination and civil rights matters.
Ms. Dhillon has developed a niche practice in representing clients across California in election and campaign law matters, ranging from general compliance and ethics representation for partisan and non-partisan contenders to ballot description contests and intellectual property matters pertaining to campaign communications. She is regularly retained by candidates and campaigns for advice on complex legal issues.
A Trusted and Skilled Attorney
Harmeet has practiced before numerous state and federal courts and administrative tribunals across the United States, has successfully handled several trials (jury and bench), arbitrations (including international), and mediations, and has resolved many business disputes prior to the initiation of litigation. Admitted to practice law in New York and California, she has been a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales. Harmeet’s clients at Dhillon Law Group have included e-Commerce leaders, private companies, entrepreneurs, celebrities, film and music artists, authors, advertising executives, franchisees, public utilities, educational institutions and nonprofits.
See more of Harmeet’s profile in the San Francisco Daily Journal.
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Experience:
- Of Counsel, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP (San Francisco)
- Senior Associate, Cooley Godward LLC (Palo Alto)
- Associate, Shearman & Sterling LLP (New York, London)
- Law Clerk, Hon. Paul V. Niemeyer (United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (Baltimore))
- Law Clerk, United States Department of Justice, Civil Division, Constitutional Torts Section (D.C.)
Education:
- Dartmouth College, A.B. Classical Studies
- University of Virginia, J.D. (Editorial Board, Virginia Law Review)
Practice Areas:
- General and Complex Commercial Litigation
- Campaign and Election Law
- Intellectual Property (Trademark, Copyright and Trade Secrets)
- Securities Litigation
- Corporate Governance Issues
- Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
- First Amendment (Right of Publicity, Slander, Defamation, Trade Libel, and anti-SLAPP)
- Entertainment Transactions and Litigation
Court Admissions
- United States Court of Appeals
- Second Circuit
- Fourth Circuit
- Ninth Circuit
- United States District Court
- Central District of California
- Northern District of California
- Eastern District of California
- Southern District of California
- Southern District of New York
- Eastern District of New York
- District of Massachusetts
- District of Delaware
- Western District of Washington
- Northern District of Texas
- Southern District of Texas
Selected Publications:
| When Employees Speak for the State | The Daily Journal | 2015 |
| Guarding the Liberties of Religious America | The Daily Journal | 2015 |
| Downward Facing Dogma? | The Daily Journal | 2015 |
| Outside the Box | The Daily Journal | 2015 |
| Republicans, Campaign Committee Settle Elephant Litigation | The Sacramento Bee | 2015 |
| Indian Americans Speak Out After Loretta Sanchez Gaffe | LA Times | 2015 |
| California Republican Party Files Trademark Lawsuit Against Democrat-Controlled Political Action Committee | CAGOP | 2015 |
| State GOP Files Trademark Infringement Complaint Against Labor-backed PAC | EBCitizen | 2015 |
| SD7: The Saga of the GOP Elephant Logo | Contra Costa Times | 2015 |
| Punished for Politics: Viewpoint Discrimination | Daily Journal | 2014 |
| Creative Expression Can Help Make Better Lawyers | San Francisco Attorney | 2013 |
| Diversity Lacking Among Mediators, Some Attorneys Say | Daily Journal | 2012 |
| State Prisons Settle Discrimination Case | Daily Journal | 2011 |
| Activists Lose Fight to Grab LA GOP Leadership | Los Angeles Daily News | 2010 |
| State Prisons Settle Discrimination Case | ||
| Will the Real LA County GOP Please Stand Up? | FlashReport | 2010 |
| The Emergence of Sikh Advocacy | Civil Rights in Wartime | 2009 |
| The New Gold Rush? Wireless Opportunities for Colleges and Universities Through EBS Broadcast Spectrum Leases | University Business | 2007 |
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| Brother Sister Legal Team Fights to Protect Bay Area Sikhs | The Recorder | 2001 |
| Preliminary Injunctive Relief in the Federal Courts | ALI/ABA publication | 1996 |
Representative Speaking Engagements:
| LLC vs Corporation: What’s the Right Business Structure for Entrepreneurial Political Practitioners? | American Association of Political Consultants | June, 2016 |
| “What Korean Airline Crashes Can Teach Us About Diversity” | National Pacific American Bar Association Western Regional Conference | July, 2010 |
| SLAPP Litigation – Free Speech in the Commercial and Political Context | Law.com CLE Presentation | June, 2010 |
| “Ashcroft v. Iqbal” – The Importance of the Supreme Court’s Decision on Civil Rights Litigation | Bar Association of San Francisco CLE Presentation | June, 2010 |
| Trade Secret Litigation: The New Method to Protect Theft of Intellectual Property | Minority Corporate Counsel Association 9th Annual CLE Expo (Chicago) | March, 2010 |
| Reflections on Balancing a Career of Litigation, Pro Bono and Civic Involvement | SABA Sacramento Annual Gala | March, 2010 |
| So You Think You Want to Run for Public Office | 21st Annual NAPABA Convention (Boston) | November, 2009 |
| A Conversation with New South Asians in Politics | NASABA Convention (Vancouver) | June, 2009 |
| Panelist on Presidential Campaigns | Minority Bar Council Conference (Golden Gate Law School, San Francisco) | July, 2008 |
| Ethical Issues: What Do You Do When Your Friend Crosses the Line? | NAPABA Convention (Seattle) | November, 2008 |
| Running for Office as a South Asian Lawyer | NASABA Convention (Chicaco) | June, 2008 |
Civic Leadership:
- Director, South Asian Bar Association of Northern California (2001-2004: Board Member at Large; 2007-2009: Chair, Civil Rights Committee)
- Director, Support Network for Battered Women (Santa Clara County) 2001-2003
- Trustee, Sikh Foundation (2001-2009)
- Director, California Women’s Leadership Association(2004-2005; 2008-2009)
- Legal Counsel, Sikh Coalition (2007-present)
- Legal Counsel, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (1998-present)
- Legal Counsel, Lohgarh Sikh Educational Foundation (1993-present)
Selected Awards:
- Top 100 Lawyers in California – Daily Journal, 2018
- “SALDEF Public Service Award” – Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), 2013
- “Woman Leader in Law” – The Recorder, 2012
- “Cornerstone Award” – North American South Asian Bar Association, 2012
- “Northern California Super Lawyer” – Super Lawyers Magazine, 2011-2012
- “Outstanding Attorney Award” – South Asian Bar Association of Northern California, 2010
- “Best Lawyers Under 40” – National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, 2007
- Centennial Foundation of Canada Distinguished Community Service Award, 2003
- Minority Bar Council Outstanding Community Service Award, 2002
Dante Quilici joined Dhillon Law Group as an associate attorney in 2019. His practice focuses primarily on civil litigation and counseling related to employment matters. Dante works on behalf of both employers and employees and in a broad range of practice areas, including employment discrimination, wrongful termination, workplace harassment, and wage-and-hour disputes. Dante also assists the Dhillon Law Group in other areas of civil litigation.
Dante graduated from Santa Clara University’s School of Law in 2019 with a focus on private ordering and employee-employer disputes. While in law school, Dante competed in the Honors Moot Court Internal competition and contributed to the law school’s official student publication, The Advocate.
Education:
- Santa Clara University, School of Law, J.D., 2019
- University of California, Los Angeles – B.S. in Chemistry, 2015
John-Paul Singh Deol is Senior Counsel at the Dhillon Law Group. John-Paul began his legal career at the firm in 2012. After practicing for several years with the firm, he transitioned to an exclusively defense-oriented practice at the AmLaw100 firms of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP and Fenwick & West LLP, where he represented employers of all sizes, from Fortune 100 companies to Silicon Valley startups, in all aspects of labor and employment and trade secrets litigation in state and federal courts, as well as in arbitration. John-Paul also maintained an active advice and counseling practice, advising clients in M&A transactions, drafting employment policies and agreements, helping employers navigate difficult HR situations, and providing advice as to how to comply with state, federal, and local employment laws.
John-Paul returned to the Dhillon Law Group in 2019. His current practice focuses on representing both employees and employers in all aspects of employment litigation in state and federal courts and in arbitration. John-Paul’s experience representing prominent Silicon Valley startups and some of America’s largest corporations uniquely positions him to be able to represent both employers and employees in all of their employment law needs. John-Paul has particular expertise in discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and whistleblower claims, as well as wage-and-hour and trade secrets claims.
John-Paul obtained his J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law in 2012, winning numerous awards for his academic excellence and graduating in the top 15% of his class. He received his B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley in 2009, graduating with highest distinction (UC Berkeley’s equivalent of “summa cum laude”) and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
John-Paul is active in several local and national bar associations. He has been a board member of the South Asian Bar Association of Northern California and the Bar Association of San Francisco. He has also held several leadership positions in the American Bar Association. In 2018, John-Paul was honored with the “Rising Star Award” from the South Asian Bar Association of Northern California. He also maintains an active pro bono practice in federal trial and appellate courts.
John-Paul speaks Italian, Spanish, and French, and speaks some Hindi, Punjabi, Modern Greek and Portuguese.
Admissions:
– California
– All Federal District Courts in California and the District of Colorado
– The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Dorothy Yamamoto joined Dhillon Law Group in 2019. Dorothy’s practice focuses primarily on litigation and counseling related to employment and labor law. She represents both employees and employers in claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage-and-hour compliance. She also supports all areas of the firm’s broad litigation and counseling practice.
Prior to Dhillon Law Group, Dorothy practiced in workers’ compensation law, representing employers and insurance companies on claims filed by injured employees as well as 132a discrimination claims. She also taught Legal Research and Writing I and II as an adjunct professor at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
Dorothy received her J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. While in law school, Dorothy was on the Hastings Law Journal, and participated in Hastings’ moot court program as a competitor, coach, teaching assistant, and board member. She was also admitted to the Hastings Appellate Project where she fully briefed an appeal before the Ninth Circuit, and argued before the Ninth Circuit panel.
Visit Dorothy’s LinkedIn Profile
Education:
- University of California, Hastings College of the Law – J.D., 2015
- University of California, Berkeley, B.A. in English Literature with high honors – 2010
Michael joined Dhillon Law Group as a paralegal in 2014, as a law clerk in 2016 and 2017, and as an associate in 2018. Michael’s practice focuses primarily on litigation and counseling related to employment law. He represents both employers and employees in claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage-and-hour compliance. In addition to this, Michael also supports the Dhillon Law Group’s broad litigation practice.
Michael obtained his law degree from the Wake Forest University, School of Law. While at Wake Forest, Michael served as the Research Editor of the Journal of Business and Intellectual Property Law. In addition to this, Michael was a board member of the Moot Court Board, the Pro Bono Executive Board, and Phi Alpha Delta. Michael also externed at the North Carolina Business Court with the Honorable Michael L. Robinson.
Visit Michael’s LinkedIn Profile
Education:
- Wake Forest University, School of Law, J.D., 2018
- University of California, Davis – B.A. in Political Science and History, 2012
Court Admissions:
- Northern District of California
Gregory Michael is a litigation associate of the firm. His practice focuses primarily on complex civil litigation matters, including individual and class actions arising under the First and Fourteenth Amendments, commercial litigation, intellectual property, and employment litigation.
Greg represents a broad spectrum of clients, including startups, established businesses, employees, students, and political associations. His experience includes representing university students in cases involving unconstitutional speech restrictions and discriminatory treatment; persons and companies defending or asserting intellectual property claims; and employees facing political, racial, gender, and religious discrimination. Greg litigates in state and federal courts throughout California.
Education:
University of California, Hastings College of the Law – J.D. with a Certificate in Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution, 2015
University of California, Berkeley – B.A. in Physics and Astrophysics, 2012
Bar Admissions:
State of California
United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Courts:
- Northern District of California
- Central District of California
- Eastern District of California
Representative Matters:
James Damore, et al. v. Google, LLC, 18CV321529 (Santa Clara Super. Ct., 2018) (putative class action regarding political, race, and gender discrimination against job applicants);
Young America’s Foundation, et al. v. Janet Napolitano, et al., 3:17-cv-0255-MMC (N.D. Cal. 2017) (First and Fourteenth Amendment action arising from UC Berkeley’s enforcement of speech policies against Berkeley College Republicans);
Melissa Melendez, et al. v. Gavin Newsom, et al., 2:19-cv-01506-MCE-DB (E.D. Cal. 2019) (action seeking to enjoin California’s enforcement of the Presidential Tax Transparency and Accountability Act);
Hernandez, et al. v. City of San Jose, et al., 5:16-cv-03957-LHK (N.D. Cal. 2016) (Due Process action against the City of San Jose following 2016 Donald J. Trump presidential campaign rally);
Publications:
UC Berkeley, birthplace of the growing anti-free speech movement, The Hill, April 25, 2017 (co-author Krista L. Baughman);
The New Plague: False Claims Liability Based on Inequitable Conduct During Patent Prosecution, 25 Fordham Intell. Prop. Media & Ent. L. J. 747 (2015) (co-authors William Newsom and Matt Avery).
Nitoj joined the firm in 2010, and became a partner in 2016. He represents both publicly traded and private companies across a wide range of industries, including, information technology, life science, green energy, agricultural, and entertainment companies, in complex federal and state court litigation. Nitoj’s practice focuses on internet/social commerce, trademark, trade secrets, unfair competition, supply chain, business tort, and contract disputes. Nitoj also advises on emerging company formation, commercial transactions, and intellectual property issues for both domestic and international business entities. He has represented clients in actions across the United States, including throughout California, Alabama, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, and Virginia.
A sample of Nitoj’s representative clients include: Yelp Inc., Mendocino Brewing Company, NETGEAR, Inc., Ticketfly, Inc., appbackr inc., Connectifier Inc., Willow.TV, Little Bee Impex, One Block Off the Grid, Inc., Mevio, Inc., Corona Labs Inc., and AAT Bioquest, Inc.
Nitoj received his J.D. from the University of California, Davis – School of Law. In law school, he served as an Executive Editor for the UC Davis School of Law – Business Law Journal. Prior to law school, Nitoj received a B.S. in Genetics from the University of California at Davis, and a M.S. in Biology from New York University. Nitoj additionally has extensive professional biotechnical and pharmaceutical technical experience.
Prior Experience:
- Principal, Nitoj Singh Law (Castro Valley, CA)
- Summer Associate, Fernandez & Associates, LLP (Menlo Park, CA)
- Legal Fellow, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (Washington DC)
Education:
- University of California, Davis – School of Law – J.D.
- New York University, M.S. Biology – Specialization: Recombinant DNA Technology
- University of California, Davis – B.S. Genetics
Court Admissions:
- California
- United States Court of Appeals
- Ninth Circuit
- United States District Courts
- Northern District of California
- Central District of California
- Southern District of California
- Southern District of Texas
- Southern District of New York
- United States Patent and Trademark Office
How can I protect my reputation against someone who is anonymously defaming me online? What steps should I take when a former employee has stolen my company’s trade secrets? Can the anti-SLAPP statute protect my right to free speech?
These are just a few of the important questions Krista helps her clients tackle on a daily basis. Krista’s practice focuses on commercial litigation, First Amendment rights and anti-SLAPP procedure, and privacy litigation.
As a partner of Dhillon Law Group with over a decade of experience in the courtroom, Krista has managed precedent-setting cases, including one that established that university Title IX proceedings are protected forums for speech under California’s anti-SLAPP statute, and another that clarified the 9th Circuit standard for due process liability against police, and government qualified immunity, in crowd control situations. She and her team achieved a landmark settlement to ensure the First Amendment rights of students at UC Berkeley, and ended the use of unconstitutional speech-restricting policies in a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of San Clemente on behalf of its citizens.
Visit Krista’s LinkedIn Profile
Krista represents corporations, high profile public figures, nonprofit organizations, gig economy companies, and private individuals alike. She is driven by the joy of helping people find solutions for the most stressful and high-stakes problems in their business and personal lives. Krista’s clients appreciate her insightful assessment of legal issues, her creativity in crafting a strategy that thinks three steps ahead, her attention to detail in the execution, and her integrity throughout.
Krista is admitted to practice in New York and California, and litigates in federal courts around the nation. She is proficient in French. On the weekends you can find her going on a family hike, experimenting in the kitchen, or debating legal issues with her husband for the fun of it.
Court Admissions:
- United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- United States District Court:
- Central District of California
- Northern District of California
- Eastern District of California
- Southern District of California
- Middle District of Florida
- District of Massachusetts
Practice Areas:
- General and Complex Commercial Litigation
- Intellectual Property (Trademark, Copyright and Trade Secrets)
- First Amendment (Defamation, Trade Libel, and anti-SLAPP)
- Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
- Privacy Litigation
- Employment Law and Litigation
Education:
- Lehigh University, B.A. International Relations, magna cum laude
- Brooklyn Law School, J.D., cum laude
Representative Speaking Engagements:
| Panelist on Free Speech Discussion | UC Berkeley School of Law | April, 2017 |
| Panelist on Free Speech Discussion | Golden Gate University School of Law | October, 2017 |
| National Legal Roundtable: “Defending and Going on the Offensive” | American Bail Coalition Conference | November, 2017 |
| “Protecting Your Client From Damaging, Anonymous Internet Content” | PLI Presentation | November, 2014 |
Harmeet Dhillon is a nationally recognized lawyer, trusted boardroom advisor, and passionate advocate for individual, corporate and institutional clients across numerous industries and walks of life. Her focus is in commercial litigation, employment law, First Amendment rights, and election law matters.
History
From an early interest in constitutional litigation, to a stint at the Department of Justice, federal appeals court clerkship, decade of practice at prestigious international law firms, and then founding her own law firm in 2006, Harmeet’s legal career has been marked by a passion for justice, a zeal for attacking legal challenges, and an intense sense of satisfaction in helping her clients realize creative and practical solutions to seemingly intractable problems.
Following a clerkship with the Hon. Paul V. Niemeyer of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, Ms. Dhillon’s practice in New York, London, and the San Francisco Bay Area has focused on federal and state commercial litigation and arbitration, with a particular emphasis on unfair competition/trade secret misappropriation, intellectual property (including trademark litigation and internet torts), complex contractual disputes, and First Amendment litigation (including defamation, trade libel, right of publicity, and anti-SLAPP motions). Harmeet’s broad experience also encompasses securities, entertainment, employment discrimination and civil rights matters.
Ms. Dhillon has developed a niche practice in representing clients across California in election and campaign law matters, ranging from general compliance and ethics representation for partisan and non-partisan contenders to ballot description contests and intellectual property matters pertaining to campaign communications. She is regularly retained by candidates and campaigns for advice on complex legal issues.
A Trusted and Skilled Attorney
Harmeet has practiced before numerous state and federal courts and administrative tribunals across the United States, has successfully handled several trials (jury and bench), arbitrations (including international), and mediations, and has resolved many business disputes prior to the initiation of litigation. Admitted to practice law in New York and California, she has been a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales. Harmeet’s clients at Dhillon Law Group have included e-Commerce leaders, private companies, entrepreneurs, celebrities, film and music artists, authors, advertising executives, franchisees, public utilities, educational institutions and nonprofits.
See more of Harmeet’s profile in the San Francisco Daily Journal.
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Experience:
- Of Counsel, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP (San Francisco)
- Senior Associate, Cooley Godward LLC (Palo Alto)
- Associate, Shearman & Sterling LLP (New York, London)
- Law Clerk, Hon. Paul V. Niemeyer (United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (Baltimore))
- Law Clerk, United States Department of Justice, Civil Division, Constitutional Torts Section (D.C.)
Education:
- Dartmouth College, A.B. Classical Studies
- University of Virginia, J.D. (Editorial Board, Virginia Law Review)
Practice Areas:
- General and Complex Commercial Litigation
- Campaign and Election Law
- Intellectual Property (Trademark, Copyright and Trade Secrets)
- Securities Litigation
- Corporate Governance Issues
- Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
- First Amendment (Right of Publicity, Slander, Defamation, Trade Libel, and anti-SLAPP)
- Entertainment Transactions and Litigation
Court Admissions
- United States Court of Appeals
- Second Circuit
- Fourth Circuit
- Ninth Circuit
- United States District Court
- Central District of California
- Northern District of California
- Eastern District of California
- Southern District of California
- Southern District of New York
- Eastern District of New York
- District of Massachusetts
- District of Delaware
- Western District of Washington
- Northern District of Texas
- Southern District of Texas
Selected Publications:
| When Employees Speak for the State | The Daily Journal | 2015 |
| Guarding the Liberties of Religious America | The Daily Journal | 2015 |
| Downward Facing Dogma? | The Daily Journal | 2015 |
| Outside the Box | The Daily Journal | 2015 |
| Republicans, Campaign Committee Settle Elephant Litigation | The Sacramento Bee | 2015 |
| Indian Americans Speak Out After Loretta Sanchez Gaffe | LA Times | 2015 |
| California Republican Party Files Trademark Lawsuit Against Democrat-Controlled Political Action Committee | CAGOP | 2015 |
| State GOP Files Trademark Infringement Complaint Against Labor-backed PAC | EBCitizen | 2015 |
| SD7: The Saga of the GOP Elephant Logo | Contra Costa Times | 2015 |
| Punished for Politics: Viewpoint Discrimination | Daily Journal | 2014 |
| Creative Expression Can Help Make Better Lawyers | San Francisco Attorney | 2013 |
| Diversity Lacking Among Mediators, Some Attorneys Say | Daily Journal | 2012 |
| State Prisons Settle Discrimination Case | Daily Journal | 2011 |
| Activists Lose Fight to Grab LA GOP Leadership | Los Angeles Daily News | 2010 |
| State Prisons Settle Discrimination Case | ||
| Will the Real LA County GOP Please Stand Up? | FlashReport | 2010 |
| The Emergence of Sikh Advocacy | Civil Rights in Wartime | 2009 |
| The New Gold Rush? Wireless Opportunities for Colleges and Universities Through EBS Broadcast Spectrum Leases | University Business | 2007 |
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| Brother Sister Legal Team Fights to Protect Bay Area Sikhs | The Recorder | 2001 |
| Preliminary Injunctive Relief in the Federal Courts | ALI/ABA publication | 1996 |
Representative Speaking Engagements:
| LLC vs Corporation: What’s the Right Business Structure for Entrepreneurial Political Practitioners? | American Association of Political Consultants | June, 2016 |
| “What Korean Airline Crashes Can Teach Us About Diversity” | National Pacific American Bar Association Western Regional Conference | July, 2010 |
| SLAPP Litigation – Free Speech in the Commercial and Political Context | Law.com CLE Presentation | June, 2010 |
| “Ashcroft v. Iqbal” – The Importance of the Supreme Court’s Decision on Civil Rights Litigation | Bar Association of San Francisco CLE Presentation | June, 2010 |
| Trade Secret Litigation: The New Method to Protect Theft of Intellectual Property | Minority Corporate Counsel Association 9th Annual CLE Expo (Chicago) | March, 2010 |
| Reflections on Balancing a Career of Litigation, Pro Bono and Civic Involvement | SABA Sacramento Annual Gala | March, 2010 |
| So You Think You Want to Run for Public Office | 21st Annual NAPABA Convention (Boston) | November, 2009 |
| A Conversation with New South Asians in Politics | NASABA Convention (Vancouver) | June, 2009 |
| Panelist on Presidential Campaigns | Minority Bar Council Conference (Golden Gate Law School, San Francisco) | July, 2008 |
| Ethical Issues: What Do You Do When Your Friend Crosses the Line? | NAPABA Convention (Seattle) | November, 2008 |
| Running for Office as a South Asian Lawyer | NASABA Convention (Chicaco) | June, 2008 |
Civic Leadership:
- Director, South Asian Bar Association of Northern California (2001-2004: Board Member at Large; 2007-2009: Chair, Civil Rights Committee)
- Director, Support Network for Battered Women (Santa Clara County) 2001-2003
- Trustee, Sikh Foundation (2001-2009)
- Director, California Women’s Leadership Association(2004-2005; 2008-2009)
- Legal Counsel, Sikh Coalition (2007-present)
- Legal Counsel, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (1998-present)
- Legal Counsel, Lohgarh Sikh Educational Foundation (1993-present)
Selected Awards:
- Top 100 Lawyers in California – Daily Journal, 2018
- “SALDEF Public Service Award” – Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), 2013
- “Woman Leader in Law” – The Recorder, 2012
- “Cornerstone Award” – North American South Asian Bar Association, 2012
- “Northern California Super Lawyer” – Super Lawyers Magazine, 2011-2012
- “Outstanding Attorney Award” – South Asian Bar Association of Northern California, 2010
- “Best Lawyers Under 40” – National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, 2007
- Centennial Foundation of Canada Distinguished Community Service Award, 2003
- Minority Bar Council Outstanding Community Service Award, 2002
LAWSUITS
Harmeet Dhillon was voted one of the Top 100 Women Lawyers in 2019, and recognized as one of Top 100 Lawyers in California in 2018 by Daily Journal.
Dhillon Law Group is proud to represent clients seeking justice in California's increasingly hostile political and human rights environment. Follow some of our latest cases on our website.
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