BAR ADMISSIONS

New York, 1988; California, 1990; Wisconsin, 2015; U.S. Supreme Court, July 2006; U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1991; U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 2003; U.S. District Courts, Southern & Eastern Districts of NY, 1988; U.S. District Courts, Central, Northern, Southern & Eastern of Districts of CA, 1991; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of WI, 2007

EDUCATION

  • Fordham University School of Law, JD, cum laude, 1985
    Juilliard School, Bachelor of Music, 1982

PRACTICES

  • Insurance Recovery – Policyholders; Products Liability Defense/Counseling; Construction Law; Toxic Tort Defense; Class Action Defense; Complex Litigation and Arbitration

RECOGNITIONS

Martindale Hubbell, AV Preeminent Rating, 2014
Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, Rebecca Thompson Founder’s Award, 2014
Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, 2008 – Present
Corporate LiveWire Global Award, Insurance, 2016

PRO BONO AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

Scripps College, Trustee, 2015-2016
Los Angeles Master Chorale, Board Member, 2015-2018
Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, Chair, 2009-2012
Friends of the Levitt Pavilion, Founding Board Member, Chair, President
American Friends of Israel Philharmonic, West Coast Chairman’s Council
Won release under Battered Women’s Syndrome Act of woman incarcerated for 20 years
David Scheidemantle focuses his practice on insurance coverage and counseling on behalf of policyholders, products liability and construction litigation, toxic tort and class action defense, complex business litigation, and general counseling for companies and individuals. Before founding Scheidemantle Law Group P.C., Mr. Scheidemantle was an equity partner for 10 years at Proskauer Rose LLP and Co-Managing Partner of Connon Wood Scheidemantle LLP. He has also been a partner of Lathrop Gage LLP. Earlier, he practiced at Cahill Gordon & Reindel in New York, following two federal judicial clerkships.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

Insurance Coverage

  • Secured $70+ million coverage-in-place agreement in environmental matter for products manufacturer following litigation against four insurance carriers.
  • Prosecuted insurance coverage actions in federal district courts in Pennsylvania, Texas, and Massachusetts, resulting in highly favorable settlement under which insurer funded past and future claims alleging mass product failure across multi-billion-dollar market.
  • Advised multinational chemical company regarding insurance coverage for products liability claim with alleged damages exceeding $1.5 billion.
  • Won recovery from multiple insurers of $2.85 million in coverage fees and defense costs incurred by client in successfully defending liability action alleging 200+ product failures per week in installations throughout the United States.
  • Ran complex insurance coverage litigation in one of largest bankruptcies in history of State of California in which debtor sought and obtained millions of dollars in environmental cost recovery from multiple insurers and prior property owners.
  • Argued and won reversal in U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Cir., in favor of policyholder in which the court adopted the after-acquired property doctrine notwithstanding California appellate authority rejecting that doctrine. KF Dairies, Inc. v. Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co., 224 F.3d 922 (9th Cir. 2000).
  • Won full insurance coverage for internationally known performing artist sued for wrongful death by family members of a houseguest.
  • Won full insurance coverage from multiple off-shore insurance carriers for performing group under a tour-cancellation policy.
  • Represented public utility seeking insurance coverage in series of wrongful death and fear of cancer actions involving more than 1,000 plaintiffs.
  • Won full insurance coverage for software manufacturer sued for invasion of privacy, along with all costs incurred in pursing coverage.
  • Won full insurance coverage for property owner after carrier had denied coverage.
  • Counseled owner of $12 million Stradivarius violin regarding insurance coverage inadequacies in a London market policy.
  • Counseled private jewelry collector regarding inadequacies in collections insurance policy.
  • Obtained full coverage for damaged violin bow appraised at $45,000.

Product Liability, Toxic & Mass Tort, and Class Action Defense

  • After defeating all of plaintiffs’ claims in the district court, argued and won affirmance in U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Cir., of summary judgment in favor of U.S. subsidiary of $90 billion petro-chemical company in putative nationwide class action involving alleged defects in component materials used in $4 billion worth of finished goods over a 20-year period. Wasco Products v. Southwall Technologies, et al., 435 F.3d 989 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 127 S.Ct. 83 (2006).
  • Won dismissal of virtually all claimed damages in alleged $30 million products action based on plaintiff’s spoliation of evidence, then defeated plaintiff’s petition for interlocutory appeal. Shortly thereafter, plaintiff agreed to dismiss action in exchange solely for a waiver of costs.
  • Argued and won affirmance in U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Cir., of dismissal of a products liability action alleging $4 million in damages. Four Seasons Solar Prods. Corp. v. Black & Decker Corp., et al., 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 10688 (2d Cir. Jun. 1, 2004).
  • Won early dismissal on the pleadings, without leave to amend, in Atlanta federal court of $3.5 million fraud and breach of warranty claim alleging sale of defective construction products.
  • Obtained dismissal of multiple products liability actions throughout the United States involving same alleged defect across product line, while avoiding any payments to the claimants.
  • Won dismissal of multiple benzene manufacturing work-place exposure actions in numerous states.
  • Avoided litigation and negotiated minimal settlement on behalf of alleged manufacturer of polybutylene water pipes in multimillion-dollar claim asserted by utility company.
  • Argued and won dismissal on pleadings of environmental nuisance and fear of disease action against industrial company by 60 residents of trailer park.
  • Defended major rental car company in two putative nationwide consumer class actions alleging unfair business practices.
  • In products liability action arising from nationally reported vehicular crash involving 16 fatalities in a single vehicle, won dismissal of alleged manufacturer of vehicle’s shock absorbers.
  • Participated in coordinating national defense and trial strategy for Fortune 100 company in approximately 150 products liability asbestos-in-buildings cases involving tens of thousands of buildings located throughout United States, including virtually every public utility building, public school, public office building, bridge, and tunnel in the City of New York.

Complex Litigation and Arbitration

  • Won multi-million dollar settlement on behalf of parent of failed savings and loan association in action against multiple federal regulators. Due to its size, the settlement required approval of the President of the United States and Secretary of the Treasury.
  • Prosecuted and successfully settled $100 million contract claim on behalf of Spanish pharmaceutical company against California supplier of blood plasma in International Chamber of Commerce arbitration in London, governed by California and Dutch law, in which the principal arbitrator sat on Britain’s House of Lords.
  • Won permanent injunction against a trademark infringer and successfully moved to have infringer held in contempt of court. Henry Schein, Inc. v. Certified Business Supply, Inc., U.S. District Court, Central District of California, Case No. SACV03-1662 DOC.
  • Obtained favorable settlement in defense of antitrust and RICO action against major television studio, precipitated by summary judgment motion scheduled for hearing on day settlement was reached, which resulted in payment to studio in excess of $1 million.
  • Successfully defended Fortune 500 company in series of complex limited partnership disputes involving divestiture of hospital.
  • Represented weight loss company in AAA International Arbitration proceedings and in multiple injunction actions by franchisees throughout United States and Canada alleging breaches of alleged rights to exclusive territories.
  • As West Coast litigation counsel to Australia’s largest bank, litigated and advised bank concerning securities and lender liability actions and other banking-related matters.
  • Achieved multi-million dollar settlement in favor of claimants in accountant malpractice action involving highly complex tax issues, without necessity of commencing litigation.

Musical Pursuits

  • Violin soloist, Opera Meets Violin, salon performance, San Marino, California, 2018
  • 5 Violins, 5 Centuries, 5 Composers Salon Performance, James Allen Freeman house, Pasadena, California, 2014.
  • Violin soloist, L.A. Children’s Chorus (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles; Hong Kong; Shanghai, Beijing, China), 2008-2012.
  • First violinist, Cuarto del Mundo, 1999-2002.
  • Concertmaster, Juilliard Symphony, 1980-82 (Lincoln Center, New York).
  • Concertmaster, National Orchestra of New York, 1980-82 (Carnegie Hall, New York).
  • Concertmaster, Juilliard Philharmonia, 1979-80 (Lincoln Center, New York).
  • Violinist, 1978-82 (Basically Bach Music Festival, New York; Original Broadway Sweeney Todd Production (1980), Uris Theatre, New York; Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York; Lincoln Center, New York).