Contact Harmeet

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.

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:

Representative Speaking Engagements:

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

Contact Krista

Krista Baughman is a Partner of the firm, whose focus is in commercial litigation, First Amendment rights, and intellectual property and privacy issues.

Krista’s clients include private companies, CEOs, nonprofit organizations, gig economy companies, trade associations, celebrities, authors, and students. Across the board, Krista’s clients appreciate her judgment, creativity, and devoted partnership in helping them navigate the most stressful and high-stakes problems in their business and personal lives.

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Krista’s broad experience includes complex contractual disputes, unfair competition/trade secret misappropriation, intellectual property issues (including trademark and copyright litigation, and internet torts), and First Amendment litigation (including defamation, trade libel, and right of publicity). Krista has also developed a niche practice in California anti-SLAPP law, and has successfully handled numerous anti-SLAPP cases, for both plaintiffs and defendants.

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Krista litigates in state courts throughout California, and in federal courts around the nation. She has successfully handled multiple mediations and has resolved many business disputes prior to the initiation of litigation. Krista is admitted to practice in the States of New York and California, and is proficient in French.

Education:

• Lehigh University, B.A. International Relations, magna cum laude
• Brooklyn Law School, J.D., cum laude

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

Contact Nitoj

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.

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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.

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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

Contact Gregory

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.

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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.

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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).

Contact Michael

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.

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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

Contact Dorothy

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.

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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

Contact Soha

Soha Malik joined Dhillon Law Group as a paralegal in 2018. Her multifaceted role supports all areas of the firms broad litigation and counseling practice. Prior to joining the DLG team, Soha worked directly with corporations and LLCs as the primary interface with corporate governance, equity plans, private placement financings and M&A.

Soha attended the University of California, Berkeley and San Francisco State concurrently, earning a degree in Cognitive and Behavioral Science and International Relations. She spent her summers in Los Angeles as a legal assistant for the District Attorney’s Office and a judicial Law Clark, providing legal support and trial preparation to the court and prosecution.

Soha was actively involved in Speech and Debate at Berkeley. She served as a tournament director and event judge, and participated as a competitor in informative, impromptu, and interpretative speaking events. She won top honors at the National Speech and Debate champion tournaments in each of her events.

Soha is deeply committed to public service and advocates for mental health. She works as a Crisis Counselor and Youth Mentor for the Crisis Text Line.

In her free time, Soha works as a Fashion Stylist for local Clothing Companies and Media.