Leach, Barbara

Michael is the managing partner of Ferguson Case Orr Paterson LLP. He maintains a diverse practice in all aspects of business litigation, with an emphasis on trade secret disputes, intellectual property and employment law.

Michael has significant experience in defending and prosecuting cases in a variety of business litigation disputes. He has handled numerous trade secret disputes, including helping his client obtain a complete defense verdict after a five-week jury trial. Michael also recently obtained a dismissal on behalf of clients accused of participating in scheme to fraudulently transfer equity in a publicly-traded company through a leveraged buyout by private equity firm. In that case, the plaintiffs sought over $80 million from his clients. Michael has also successfully tried numerous consumer and wage and hour class actions on behalf of his clients. He was recently named by the Pacific Coast Business Times as a leading business attorney in the Tri-County region.

Michael earned his law degree magna cum laude from Georgetown University, where he also received a master's degree from the School of Foreign Service. At Georgetown, Michael was a member of the Georgetown Law Review and interned for the Hon. Harry T. Edwards, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeal for the District of Columbia. After graduation, Michael spent a year serving as a law clerk for the Honorable William D. Keller, a judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. He then joined the litigation department of the international law firm of Latham & Watkins in San Francisco. In 1999, Michael moved to the firm of Farella, Braun & Martel. While at Farella, Michael obtained a complete defense jury verdict on behalf of a major aeronautical manufacturer against claims of defamation, fraud, negligence, and unfair competition. Michael also helped resolve a complicated copyright/partnership claim on behalf of the developer of a popular computer software program.

A Ventura County native, Michael moved back to Ventura and joined Ferguson Case Orr Paterson LLP in 2001. Since then, Michael has been actively involved in the Ventura County Bar Association as both a member of the Board of Directors and a member of the Steering Committee of the Business Litigation Section. Michael is currently a member of the editorial board for Citations magazine, the VCBA journal. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Ventura Botanical Gardens and the World Affairs Council – Central California Coast. Michael's personal life revolves around his wife and two children and their various activities. When he has the time, Michael enjoys sailing, hiking, basketball and golf.

Noteworthy Verdicts and Cases:

• Obtained defense verdict on behalf of client accused of misappropriating trade secrets relating to the breeding of vegetable seeds after five-week jury trial.
• Obtained complete defense verdict in defamation and trade libel action after three week jury trial in federal court on behalf of aerospace manufacturer.
• Obtained substantial arbitration award on behalf of landlord in dispute arising out of failure by tenant to properly maintain the premises; case subsequently settled for over one million dollars.
• Obtained dismissal of claims against clients accused of fraudulently transferring equity in publicly-traded company as a result of a leveraged buy-out of the firm by a private equity firm.
• Represented medical device manufacturer against allegations of trade secret misappropriation relating to the design and manufacture of a tool used in the implantation of cardiac defibrillators.
• Successfully resolved numerous cases on behalf of clients in wage and hour and consumer class actions.