
Jeffrey W. Erdman
With three decades of litigation experience, Jeffrey Erdman is a seasoned trial lawyer who represents clients in state and federal courts throughout California. His practice encompasses complex disputes across the business, real estate, and employment sectors, with a particular emphasis on defending and advising auto dealer groups. He has successfully handled matters as both plaintiff’s and defense counsel, including arguments before the California Court of Appeal and the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Ninth Circuit.
Jeffrey frequently serves as outside general counsel, offering strategic legal guidance to business owners and entrepreneurs. His experience spans a wide range of industries, including automotive, real estate, manufacturing, insurance, and professional services.
A strong advocate for social justice, Jeffrey dedicates significant time to pro bono work, earning the State Bar President’s Pro Bono Services Award for his efforts. He actively supports and serves on the boards of bar associations and nonprofit organizations, including SAGE, which advocates for the rights of LGBT elders. His leadership has been recognized by the Los Angeles LGBT Bar Association with the Co-President’s Award for Leadership and by the Mountains AIDS Foundation with the Richard Taylor Leadership Award.
Jeffrey’s commitment to his clients and the broader legal community has earned him recognition from The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Business Journal, Lawdragon, and Super Lawyers.
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.
- Won a full defense verdict in a three-week jury trial in San Diego County, California for a franchised auto dealer facing claims of disability discrimination and failure to accommodate. Plaintiff sought more than $20 million in damages; the jury returned a complete defense verdict on all counts.
- Successfully prosecuted a high-stakes, protracted bad faith insurance dispute in state court on behalf of a Southern California auto group. Obtained coverage benefits from a non-admitted casualty insurer following a major fire loss, overcoming substantial resistance from the carrier.
- Prevailed in a quiet title and partition action involving high-value residential real estate in West Hollywood, California. Despite the client not being a record titleholder, secured a fair and equitable division of sale proceeds, vindicating the client’s beneficial ownership rights.
- Led the prosecution of multi-year federal litigation on behalf of a franchised auto dealer against an OEM, challenging the use of performance-based incentives to compel costly facility upgrades. The case, grounded in alleged violations of California Vehicle Code §11713.13, culminated in a favorable resolution through a federal court settlement conference.
- Successfully resolved a complex, long-standing state court dispute concerning the exercise of real estate purchase options valued in excess of $100 million. The options had been executed in conjunction with the client’s acquisition of a multi-rooftop dealership group. Achieved a highly favorable settlement that preserved the client’s strategic interests.
Education
- Juris Doctor, Southwestern University School of Law, 1995
- B.A. (with honors), Business Administration, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 1987
Bar Admissions
- State Bar of California, 1995
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California, 1995
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1996
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California, 2018
Professional Affiliations
- California State Bar Association
- Los Angeles County Bar Association
- Los Angeles LGBT Bar Association (Lifetime Member)
- XLNC — a global association of independent law, accounting and management consulting firms
Accolades
- Top Minority Attorney, Los Angeles Business Journal, January 2023, 2024, 2025
- DEI&A Visionary, Los Angeles Times, October 2024
- 500 Leading Litigators in America, Law Dragon, September 2023, 2024
- Legal Visionary, Los Angeles Times, July 2023
- Leaders in the Law, Los Angeles Business Journal, November 2021