Whitney Jones Roy

Practice Details

• Firm Information
  Position

  Partner

  Firm Name

  Sheppard Mullin
• Representative Cases & Transactions
  Cases

  Experience: Representative Matters: Business Litigation: Whitney obtained a complete defense verdict for State Compensation Insurance Fund in the matter Cumbre, Inc. et al. v. State Compensation Insurance Fund. The case was filed by several insurance brokers who asserted a variety of novel legal theories including unfair business practices, violation of due process, violation of the duty of fair procedure
  breach of contract. Despite the plaintiffs' dem
  of $49 million in damages, after a 6-week jury trial in state court, Ms. Roy succeeded in obtaining a complete defense verdict. Ms. Roy then successfully defended the judgment on appeal before the Fourth Appellate District of the State of California
  in a subsequent federal court action that was reviewed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
  Whitney obtained a $24.7 million fraud judgment for her clients in a 9-day private arbitration in the matter Bruinbilt v. Persistence Capital, et al. Ms. Roy's clients were investors who had been defrauded by an elaborate ponzi scheme involving life insurance.
  Whitney also prevailed on summary judgment on behalf of client Wynn Oil Company in the Los Angeles Superior Court matter Miguel, et al v. Wynn Oil Company. The case involved allegations of fraud, breach of contract, intentional interference with economic advantage, unfair business practices,
  misappropriation of trade secrets associated with a 10-year relationship between Wynn Oil
  its Brazilian distributor. Ms. Roy successfully defended the judgment on appeal to the Second Appellate District of the State of California.
  Environmental Litigation: In 2021-2022, Whitney defended Soco West, Inc.,
  Brenntag Pacific, Inc., in a 13-month Zoom bench trial in Orange County Superior Court in Orange County Water District v. Sabic Innovative Plastics US, LLC, et al., a cost recovery lawsuit under the Orange County Water District Act, the Hazardous Substances Account Act (California Superfund),
  several common law tort theories. At the conclusion of trial, the court awarded less than the amount of other settlements, which offset the award.
  Whitney was counsel for Exxon Mobil Corporation in City of Merced v. Chevron U.S.A. Inc., et al., a 41/2-month products liability jury trial in Merced County Superior Court. She obtained dismissal on directed verdict of punitive damages
  millions of dollars in claimed compensatory damages, followed by a favorable jury verdict.
  Whitney was also counsel for Exxon Mobil Corporation
  ExxonMobil Oil Corporation in the matter in Orange County Water District v. Unocal, et al. She h
  led all aspects of litigation while the matter was pending in a federal multi-district litigation court in the Southern District of New York
  sat as first-chair for Exxon during the trial when the case was rem
  ed to the Central District of California for trial
  obtained a favorable settlement for her client during trial.
  Whitney obtained a number of other significant victories in a series of cases regarding MTBE groundwater contamination
  products liability claims pending in a federal multi-district litigation
  in California courts: Summary judgment on all claims in City of Fresno v. Exxon Mobil Corporation, et al.
  Summary judgment on all claims in City of Merced Redevelopment Agency v. Exxon Mobil Corporation, et al.