Mark Anchor Albert is a seasoned and battle-tested attorney who specializes in complex business litigation, trials and related appeals. Mr. Albert has more than 20 years of experience at major firms in Los Angeles (including Graham & James, Sidley & Austin, and Hennigan, Bennett & Dorman), working with and against some of the best attorneys in the country. During the course of his career, Mr. Albert has achieved an established reputation for successfully prosecuting and defending high-stakes, complex business cases. Mr. Albert has had primary responsibility and senior roles in many cases involving hundreds of millions, and even billions, of dollars. Mr. Albert is more than capable, therefore, of handling cases involving hundreds of thousands of dollars, or tens of millions of dollars, in a cost-effective and hands-on manner that larger firms often are unable to achieve due to their size and overhead.

Mr. Albert is dedicated to achieving results economically and efficiently, working on a hands-on basis with his clients from pre-litigation counseling through trial and related appeals. Mr. Albert litigates cases vigorously and effectively, with skill and determination, as well as efficiency. When settlement is appropriate, Mr. Albert also knows how to negotiate resolution under the best possible terms. He works diligently with his clients to maximize results without duplicative and wasteful efforts, always remaining mindful of a clients' budgetary objectives.

Examples of complex business litigation matters that Mr. Albert has handled include the following:

• In re First Community Bancorp Ponzi Litigation. Mr. Albert represented First Community Bancorp in defense of claims by investors in Four Star Financial Services, a $500 million Ponzi scheme. Mr. Albert was the primary architect of the analysis that resulted in the dismissal of the Bank on the pleadings, leading to a favorable settlement on deeply discounted terms. The plaintiffs failed to establish that the Bank had actual knowledge that its customer -- the Ponzi enterprize -- was engaging in fraudulent banking transactions.
• In re Estate Financial Mortgage Fund Ponzi Litigation. Mr. Albert advised litigation and bankruptcy lawyers representing various businesses and high-net-worth individuals who lost millions of dollars investing in the Estate Financial Mortgage Fund Ponzi scheme involving "hard money" loans to developers secured by fractionalized interests in deeds of trust.
• In re Enron Debenture Holders Ponzi Litigation. Mr. Albert played a senior role in drafting and prosecuting claims on behalf of Enron bond holders which lost millions of dollars in a sophisticated Ponzi scheme involving complex financial and accounting fraud.
• In re Banco Commercial Arabe Letter of Credit Litig. Mr. Albert represented a foreign-owned California trading company in a fraud and breach of contract lawsuit against an off-shore bank -- Banco Comercial Arabe -- for failure to honor letters of credit with respect to the importation of tooling machinery from China. As the "first chair" trial attorney, Mr. Albert obtained a $750,000 verdict against the bank and its directors.
• Two Rodeo Drive Commercial Lease Litig. Mr. Albert represented the foreign corporate owners and developers of a high-end Beverly Hills shopping and entertainment complex (the Two Rodeo center) in a breach of lease and unlawful detainer action in Superior Court against a corporate tenant which cross-claimed for breach of contract and fraud. As the "first chair" trial attorney, Mr. Albert obtained an eviction order and money judgment against the commercial tenant after 3-day bench trial, defeating the commercial tenant's counter-claim.
• In re Scott Paper Defective Tissue Paper Litig. Mr. Albert represented a paper importer in a federal District Court lawsuit involving a Brazilian paper manufacturer and a United States purchaser alleging that tons of tissue paper imported from Brazil were defective. After conducting all discovery and depositions with local and foreign witnesses, Mr. Albert obtained a favorable settlement on steeply- discounted terms on the eve of trial.

Mr. Albert also has extensive appellate experience in both state and federal court, including bankruptcy appeals. In addition to briefing and arguing dozens of unpublished appeals, Mr. Albert has played the lead or a significant role in many important published decisions by state and federal courts. Please see our Published Decisions page.