Beverly Hills Bar Assoc Honors Judge Stephen Reinhardt and Top Trial Lawyer Morgan Chu at 6th Annual Litigation Awards Dinner

The Beverly Hills Bar Association (BHBA), heralded for championing access to justice, an independent judiciary and the Rule of Law, honors two legal standouts, The Hon. Stephen Reinhardt and leading trial lawyer Morgan Chu, at the Sixth Annual “BHBA Litigation Awards Dinner” on Wednesday, February 17, 2016 at 5:30 pm at Montage, Beverly Hills. Judge Reinhardt, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, receives the “Ronald M. George Award for Judicial Excellence,” named for the former California Supreme Court Chief Justice who retired in 2011 and was its first recipient. Chu, a partner and Chair of the Litigation Group at Irell & Manella LLP and widely recognized as one of the nation’s foremost trial attorneys, receives the “Excellence in Advocacy Award,” which honors a trial lawyer whose case successes have resulted from expert legal skills, unique trial strategy and courtroom teamwork, and who also gives back to the community.

“The Beverly Hills Bar Association is proud to honor Judge Reinhardt and Morgan Chu for their invaluable work advancing the legal profession and for their positive impact on the community,” says BHBA President Howard S Fredman.

Adds Jonathan Stein, chair of the BHBA Litigation Section and the Litigation Awards Dinner, “They are dedicated leaders distinguished for their vast accomplishments both inside and outside the courtroom.”

Judge Stephen Reinhardt was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit by President Carter. A graduate of Yale Law School, (the Order of the Coif), and Pomona College, he clerked for Hon. Luther Youngdahl of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He began his legal career as an associate with O’Melveny and Myers in entertainment law and subsequently specialized in labor law. He served as President of the Los Angeles Police Commission, President of the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Commission, Secretary of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee, and for a number of years as a member of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Amateur Athletic Foundation.

Morgan Chu, partner at Irell & Manella LLP and Chair of the Litigation Group, specializes in intellectual property and commercial matters. He has been lead trial counsel in some of the largest, precedent-setting jury verdicts and judgments, resulting in actual payments totaling over $5 billion. Chu has been described as the “most gifted trial lawyer in the USA” by Chambers, and named one of the Top Ten Trial Lawyers and 100 Most Influential Lawyers by the National Law Journal. He is a graduate of UCLA, Yale University, and Harvard Law School, magna cum laude. Chu maintains an active pro bono practice and a strong commitment to the community. He is the longest-serving board member of Public Counsel, received an honorary doctorate from City of Hope and served as President of the Harvard Board of Overseers, a governing board for the entire university.

Dinner Committee Members include FTI Consulting; Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP; Girardi Keese; Glaser Weil LLP; Irell & Manella LLP; Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP; Quinn Emanuel Urquhardt & Sullivan LLP and Russ August & Kabat.

The Beverly Hills Bar Association, founded in 1931, is the fifth largest bar association in California with nearly 6,000 members. Its mission is to serve its members, to lead the legal profession and to advocate for justice in the community. Previous Beverly Hills Bar Association Litigation Dinner honorees include Former Chief Justice of California Ronald M. George; Presiding Justice Norman Epstein; The Hon. Christina A. Snyder; Judge Michael Nash; The Hon. Arthur Gilbert; Roman Silberfeld; Tom Girardi; Marshall B. Grossman; Browne Greene and Thomas J. Nolan.

Tickets for the “Beverly Hills Bar Association Litigation Awards Dinner” are $300 per person ($325 after February 10). Montage Beverly Hills is located at 225 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. For tickets and information call (310) 601-2422 or visit www.bhba.org.