Shawn Ledingham is a litigator in the firm's Trials practice, successful in obtaining early victories through motion practice and defending client interests at trial. He has represented over thirty Fortune 500 companies and subsidiaries in litigation, as well as many other businesses, sports leagues, law firms, and public entities.
Shawn is a member of the firm’s Antitrust Group, representing clients in industries ranging from professional and collegiate athletics, to agriculture, to pharmaceuticals. Shawn’s clients draw on his deep understanding of the federal Sherman and Clayton Acts and state competition laws, to advise them in avoiding litigation and to defend them when litigation arises, including at trial.
Shawn also has substantial experience in toxic tort, product liability, and environmental litigation. A member of the firm's Mass Torts & Product Liability Group, Shawn defends clients in cases of alleged environmental contamination, product design or manufacturing defects, and improper or inadequate labeling.
Shawn is a member of the firm's Sports Law Group and has represented and counseled a wide range of sports leagues and teams, including Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, the Women's National Basketball Association, the National Football League, the World Surf League, the Pac-12 Conference, the Big East Conference, the Drone Racing League, and Oracle Team USA.
Shawn is actively involved in promoting justice in his community and is a member of Proskauer's Pro Bono Committee. Shawn serves on the boards of Public Counsel and the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Counsel for Justice, helping serve the unmet legal needs of Los Angeles’s most vulnerable.
Education
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New York University School of Law, J.D.
Managing Editor, New York University Law Review
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Southern Utah University, B.A.
summa cum laude
Admissions & Qualifications
- California
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, California, Central District
- U.S. District Court, California, Eastern District
- U.S. District Court, California, Northern District
- U.S. District Court, California, Southern District
- Supreme Court of the United States
Memberships
Los Angeles County Bar Association, Judicial Appointments Committee
California Lawyers Association, Jury Instructions Committee
American Bar Association, Professional Liability Committee
Association of Business Trial Lawyers
Federal Bar Association
Sports Lawyers Association
Public Counsel, Board
Counsel for Justice, Board
Santa Monica College Law Pathway Advisory Council
Awards & Recognition
Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2015-2023
Benchmark Litigation, 40 and Under 2023
Benchmark Litigation, Future Stars 2025
ACLU of Southern California's Community Service Pro Bono Award
Commendation from the County of Los Angeles, for work on jail reform
Languages
- Portuguese
Matters
Representative trial matters include:
- In re Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation (N.D. Ill.): Trial counsel to Sanderson Farms in class action alleging supply reduction conspiracy in chicken market. Obtained a complete defense verdict following a six-week jury trial, defeating $7 billion in damages claims that would have been tripled by statute to $21 billion. Reuters, “Jury sides with chicken producer Sanderson in US price-fixing trial.”
- Alesi v. Monsanto (St. Louis County Circuit Ct.): Trial counsel to Monsanto in a multi-plaintiff case alleging that use of the weed killer Roundup caused their various lymphomas. After a five-week trial, the Missouri jury took less than three hours to reject the claims of all three plaintiffs, as well as the claims brought by their spouses. Reuters, “Bayer on winning streak in Roundup litigation after huge initial losses.”
- Reggev v. Brius Management Co. (Los Angeles Superior Ct.): Trial counsel to owners of skilled nursing companies in breach of contract case brought by former investor. After two weeks, the trial was suspended as a result of COVID-19. Prior to retrial, the case was resolved on terms favorable to ownership.
- Stephens v. Monsanto (San Bernardino Superior Ct.): Trial counsel to Monsanto in a case brought by a woman claiming that use of the weed killer Roundup caused her non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. After a five-month trial, the California jury rejected the claims entirely, returning a defense verdict on all counts. The verdict in Stephens v. Monsanto is the second defense verdict in the Roundup mass tort litigation. All prior trials with plaintiffs who claimed to have personally applied Roundup resulted in verdicts against Monsanto ranging from $80 million to over $2 billion. Reuters, “Bayer wins second straight verdict in a Roundup cancer case.”
- Pipes v. American Honda, et al. (Oklahoma County District Ct.): Represented Johnson & Johnson in a three-week jury trial in Oklahoma City state court alleging that exposure to Johnson’s Baby Powder causes mesothelioma. Following jury deliberations but before a verdict had been reached, the matter was resolved on highly favorable terms.
- In re National Collegiate Athletic Association Athletic Grant-in-Aid Gap Antitrust Litigation (N.D. Cal., 9th Cir., & U.S. Supreme Ct.): Counsel on behalf of the Pac-12 Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, and Southeastern Conference in a high-profile antitrust trial brought by a class of Division I football and men’s and women’s basketball players alleging that NCAA limitations on compensation to athletes violate the antitrust laws. Associated Press, “ NCAA can claim victory after losing federal antitrust case.”
- United States v. Aggarwal, United States v. Bolandian, United States v. Sadigh (C.D. Cal.): Counsel to non-party witnesses in white collar criminal trialsalleging the witnesses’ former co-worker engaged in insider trading. Reuters, “ Ex-JPMorgan analyst largely cleared in U.S. of insider trading.”
- Echeverria v. Johnson & Johnson, et al. (Los Angeles Superior Ct.): Represented Johnson & Johnson in successfully moving for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, and, in the alternative, a new trial, following jury verdict in product liability trial relating to the company’s talc-based Baby Powder and Shower to Shower products and their alleged link to ovarian cancer. Reuters, “California judge tosses $417 million talc cancer verdict against Johnson & Johnson.”
- TMO CA/NV, LLC v. Site Management Services, Inc., et al. (San Diego Superior Ct.): Represented T-Mobile in pursuing claims against former employee, who had sought in excess of $500 million from T-Mobile, for fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars through self-dealing in breach of his fiduciary duties, favorably resolving the matter during trial.
Representative victories secured without trial include:
- Luke v. Monsanto (St. Louis County Circuit Ct.): Represented Monsanto in Roundup product liability case scheduled to be tried to jury. Before trial commenced, successfully argued motions to exclude plaintiffs’ expert witnesses, resulting in plaintiffs’ voluntary, unilateral dismissal of lawsuit.
- Schoenmann v. RS Lending, Inc. et al. (Bankr. N.D. Cal.): Won dismissal of action against real estate investment manager, IIRR Management Services, in bankruptcy adversary proceeding brought by Chapter 7 trustee of company that had previously hired IIRR.
- FPV Holdings LLC v. Loo (Santa Clara Superior Ct.): Successfully opposed, on behalf of the Drone Racing League, an application for a temporary restraining order that would have prevented a racer from participating in Drone Racing League events. Denial of the TRO resulted in dismissal of the entire action.
- Represented a major financial institution in state-law discrimination claim brought by a former adult entertainment producer alleging he was illegally refused a home loan because of his prior occupation, and won dismissal of all claims and summary judgment in favor of the bank.
- City of San José v. Office of the Commissioner of Baseball (N.D. Cal., 9th Cir., & U.S. Supreme Ct.): Won dismissal of all claims and judgment in favor of MLB and former Commissioner Bud Selig in antitrust litigation brought by the city of San José as a result of alleged delay in MLB’s consideration of a request by the Oakland A’s to relocate to San José. Successfully defended the judgment on appeal to the Ninth Circuit and opposed a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court for certiorari. Reuters, “Supreme court won’t hear challenge to baseball antitrust immunity.”
- Velazquez v. David (C.D. Cal.): Removed to federal court and won dismissal of all claims and judgment in favor of Major League Soccer in employment litigation brought by former player.
- In re Los Angeles Dodgers LLC (Bankr. D. Del.): Represented MLB’s interests in the bankruptcy and successful sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Reuters, “Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB agree to sell the team.”