Janae Hill
Janae L. Hill is an Associate in Scali Rasmussen’s Litigation practice. She has experience in a wide range of civil litigation matters, including consumer protection, contract disputes, real estate, and personal injury. She joined Scali Rasmussen from the civil firm Bremer, Whyte, Brown & O’Meara, where she focused on insurance and business litigation. Previously, she worked for Rinos Martin & Sabongui, defending public entities in personal injury and civil rights litigation.
She received her Juris Doctor in 2019 from University of La Verne College of Law. During her time at La Verne, she served as Western Regional Director of Programming for the National Black Law Student Association.
Representative matters
- Representing majority heirs of a U.S.-based legacy automotive portfolio in disputes with a minority shareholder, the firm is leveraging its franchise and M&A expertise to facilitate the $50M sale of the portfolio to a third-party buyer, resolving longstanding ownership and control issues.
- Successfully defended a dealership in a commercial dispute over a Lamborghini Urus sold via dealer-to-dealer transaction. After a lienholder reported the vehicle stolen, the buyer sued for breach of contract and promissory fraud. Following a bench trial, the court found no liability and awarded the plaintiff nothing, with each party covering their own costs.
- Successfully opposed an appeal seeking to compel arbitration in a matter where the opposing party had actively litigated, raising waiver concerns. The appellate court affirmed the trial court’s denial, agreeing that the right to arbitrate had been waived, preserving the client’s position and avoiding the risks and inconsistent rulings associated with arbitration.
- Successfully defended a dealership client named in multiple lawsuits following a fatal auto incident involving a previously sold vehicle. Plaintiffs alleged liability based on the dealership’s role in the sale. After confirming full DMV compliance, our team served a Code of Civil Procedure § 128.7 motion with Safe Harbor notices. As a result, all claims were voluntarily dismissed, and the dealership avoided litigation, liability, and attorney’s fees.
- Successfully resolved a property damage dispute involving a luxury vehicle that was struck by an employee of a neighboring dealership while parked on our client’s service lot. Although the neighboring dealership initially denied liability, strategic negotiation led to a resolution in which they agreed to cover all payments to the customer. Our client paid no settlement funds, incurring no financial liability beyond internal costs.
- Successfully defended a dealership in arbitration over a disputed sale of a Maserati MC20. The claimant alleged breach of contract after financing fell through. The arbitrator found no contractual obligation to complete the sale and awarded zero damages, relying heavily on the legal arguments presented in our briefing.
Education
Juris Doctor, University of La Verne College of Law, 2019
B.A., Philosophy, with a minor in Writing & Rhetoric, California State University-Northridge, 2014
Professional Affiliations
Black Women Lawyers (LA)
Langston Bar Association
Phi Alpha Delta