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Los Angeles

T(213) 955-5576

Education

  • J.D., Loyola Law School

  • M.S.W., University of California, Los Angeles

  • B.A., University of California, Los Angeles

Bar Admissions

  • California

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California

  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California

  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California

Memberships

  • Asian Pacific American Women Lawyers Alliance (APAWLA)

  • California Minority Counsel Program, Board Member

  • Association of Business Trial Lawyers (ABTL)

  • Thai American Bar Association

Marissa M. Dennis

Partner

Pragmatic and business-minded, Marissa is an advocate for her clients, excelling at both written and oral advocacy in contentious commercial matters. She is highly valued for her ability to put a strategy in play that considers all options for a successful outcome, including pre-dispute resolution, negotiated settlement, arbitration, or taking a case all the way to trial.

In addition to serving as Operating Partner for the Los Angeles office and a member of the firm's Management Committee, Marissa prides herself on balancing her legal practice with a commitment to giving back to the community through her involvement in the firm's Community Outreach, Diversity, and Pro Bono committees. Through these efforts, Marissa works with other employees in the firm to help raise funds and awareness for a variety of non-profits and community programs throughout Los Angeles, and recruits, mentors, and actively pursues professional and business development opportunities for younger attorneys of diverse backgrounds. Marissa also serves as a board member for the California Minority Counsel Program, whose mission is to promote diversity in the legal profession by providing lawyers of color with access and opportunity for business and professional development.

Practice Scope

In real estate matters, Marissa represents landlords, tenants, and developers in a variety of matters, including breach of contract, tort actions, unlawful detainer actions, partnership disputes, and fair market rent disputes. She handles unfair competition and false advertising claims for multinational technology companies and complex consumer finance litigation for national lenders and loan servicers.

An experienced trial attorney in jury and bench trials in federal and California state courts, she also argues before the California Court of Appeal, tries cases in arbitration, and adeptly navigates the nuances of practical deal making in settlements.

Where settlement can achieve a client’s business goal, whether that means negotiating contract terms the client wants, getting an amendment to an agreement, or reaching a financial number, Marissa understands the importance of timing in presenting their position and terms. She stays focused on her client’s objectives and provides an experienced, steady hand in all manner of sophisticated negotiations.

In litigation, Marissa is deeply invested in the outcomes for her clients and their businesses. She places a high value on creating efficiencies and thinking outside of the box when preparing their arguments. She becomes fully knowledgeable about all the underlying facts, takes control of the process, ensures that appropriate resources and right-sized staffing are in place, and keeps her clients informed at all times.

In both negotiations and trials, her attention to detail and clarity of thought and purpose have netted positive results over the years and earned her many loyal client relationships.

Professional Background

Marissa temporarily served in-house at a national financial company which provides her both the perspective on the structure and skillsets in-house counsel need to operate within, but also the organizational inner-workings of running a large financial institution.

Prior to joining the firm, Marissa served as a judicial extern for the Honorable A. Howard Matz of the U.S. District Court, Central District of California, and interned at the White House, Office of Media Affairs, and at the Los Angeles Regional Office of United States Senator Barbara Boxer. Before becoming a lawyer, Marissa was a social worker serving abused and neglected children and the homeless population in South Los Angeles.

Accolades

  • Named a “Future Star” by Benchmark Litigation (2020 - 2024)
  • Daily Journal’s Top Defense Verdicts of 2019: Citizen Systems America Corp. v. SMTC Manufacturing Corp. of California et al.
  • Named to Los Angeles Business Journal's “Most Influential Minority Attorneys in Los Angeles” (2018, 2019, 2021)
  • Named to Los Angeles Business Journal's “Most Influential Women Attorneys in Los Angeles” (2018, 2021)
  • Recipient of the National Diversity Council’s “Southern California Most Powerful and Influential Women Award” (2016)
  • Selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers' Southern California Rising Stars (2014 - 2016)

Practice Scope

In real estate matters, Marissa represents landlords, tenants, and developers in a variety of matters, including breach of contract, tort actions, unlawful detainer actions, partnership disputes, and fair market rent disputes. She handles unfair competition and false advertising claims for multinational technology companies and complex consumer finance litigation for national lenders and loan servicers.

An experienced trial attorney in jury and bench trials in federal and California state courts, she also argues before the California Court of Appeal, tries cases in arbitration, and adeptly navigates the nuances of practical deal making in settlements.

Where settlement can achieve a client’s business goal, whether that means negotiating contract terms the client wants, getting an amendment to an agreement, or reaching a financial number, Marissa understands the importance of timing in presenting their position and terms. She stays focused on her client’s objectives and provides an experienced, steady hand in all manner of sophisticated negotiations.

In litigation, Marissa is deeply invested in the outcomes for her clients and their businesses. She places a high value on creating efficiencies and thinking outside of the box when preparing their arguments. She becomes fully knowledgeable about all the underlying facts, takes control of the process, ensures that appropriate resources and right-sized staffing are in place, and keeps her clients informed at all times.

In both negotiations and trials, her attention to detail and clarity of thought and purpose have netted positive results over the years and earned her many loyal client relationships.

Professional Background

Marissa temporarily served in-house at a national financial company which provides her both the perspective on the structure and skillsets in-house counsel need to operate within, but also the organizational inner-workings of running a large financial institution.

Prior to joining the firm, Marissa served as a judicial extern for the Honorable A. Howard Matz of the U.S. District Court, Central District of California, and interned at the White House, Office of Media Affairs, and at the Los Angeles Regional Office of United States Senator Barbara Boxer. Before becoming a lawyer, Marissa was a social worker serving abused and neglected children and the homeless population in South Los Angeles.

Accolades

  • Named a “Future Star” by Benchmark Litigation (2020 - 2024)
  • Daily Journal’s Top Defense Verdicts of 2019: Citizen Systems America Corp. v. SMTC Manufacturing Corp. of California et al.
  • Named to Los Angeles Business Journal's “Most Influential Minority Attorneys in Los Angeles” (2018, 2019, 2021)
  • Named to Los Angeles Business Journal's “Most Influential Women Attorneys in Los Angeles” (2018, 2021)
  • Recipient of the National Diversity Council’s “Southern California Most Powerful and Influential Women Award” (2016)
  • Selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers' Southern California Rising Stars (2014 - 2016)

Litigation

  • National Restaurant Chain Tenant. First-chaired a four-week jury trial representing a national corporate restaurant chain tenant against its landlord in an easement dispute regarding the tenant’s parking and access rights. The jury returned a verdict in favor of tenant and were unanimous that the landlord interfered with the tenant’s easements and caused harm to the tenant. 
  • International Technology Company. Successfully defended an international technology manufacturing company and leading provider of point-of-sale printer devices used around the globe. Plaintiff, a manufacturer of touch screen tablet devices used at restaurants sought $200 million in damages alleging our client both defrauded them and provided defective printers. After a two week-jury trial, obtained complete defense verdict on behalf of our client for this highly contentious case that was featured as one of the top defense verdicts in 2019 by the Daily Journal.
  • National Retailer. Four-day "baseball" fair market rent arbitration for a 130,000-sf retail lease in San Francisco, California. The arbitrator decided in the tenant's favor, resulting in savings of more than $70 million to the tenant over the renewal term. The award was challenged by the landlord, but upheld by the California Court of Appeal.
  • Institutional Landlord. Fair market rent arbitration regarding an 80,000 square foot office premises in Santa Monica, California. After the hearing, the arbitrator decided in favor of the landlord, resulting in gains of over $7 million for the landlord.
  • Homeowner. Represented defendant/cross-complainant homeowner against her general contractor in a breach of contract/construction defect matter. After eight days of hearing, the arbitrator issued an award, including a sizable attorneys' fee award, in the owner's favor. The award was challenged by the contractor, but upheld by the California Court of Appeal.
  • National Lender. Putative class action brought by certain borrower tenants-in-common for breach of a commercial loan on a one-million square foot office property in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Court dismissed the class action at the pleading stage, and the dismissal was upheld by the California Court of Appeal.
  • Institutional Landlord. Fair market rent arbitration for restaurant space in San Francisco, California. After a two-day hearing, the arbitrator set rent in landlord's favor.
  • National Financial Services Company. Three mortgage mass actions brought by The Real Estate Law Center (RELC). Obtained dismissals of all actions, and a sanctions award and attorneys’ fees against Plaintiffs’ counsel.
  • International Technology Company. Multiple class actions alleging claims of unfair competition and false advertising.
  • Property Owner. Action against a general contractor for fraud and other construction defects, which resulted in a $2 million judgment against the contractor after a two-week bench trial.

Pro Bono

  • Pro Bono. Represented numerous pro bono clients in matters involving adoption, guardianship, and trustee-related issues.

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