Julia Strickland has been recognized by the Los Angeles Daily Journal as one of California's "Top Women Litigators" four times, including in 2008. Ms. Strickland began her legal career at Stroock in 1977. In addition to being a member of the Firm’s National Executive Committee, she has played a central role in development of the firm's Los Angeles office.

Ms. Strickland’s practice focuses on the defense of class actions and other complex actions brought against a multitude of companies in a wide range of industries, including banking and financial services, investment banks, real estate development, retail stores, manufacturers and food services. She has expertise as to the full range of litigation issues confronting large companies, having defended hundreds of class and complex actions through all stages of the litigation process. She has argued twice to the California Supreme Court as lead counsel on issues of critical concern in connection with the defense of class actions Washington Mutual v. Superior Court (Briseno) and Discover Bank v. Superior Court (Boehr). She also has successfully handled matters before the Ninth Circuit, Fifth Circuit, Second Circuit, Eleventh Circuit and the California Courts of Appeal. She recently obtained a landmark ruling that California’s Consumers Legal Remedies Act does not apply to credit transactions, and has prevailed in important appellate cases involving, among other issues, preemption, choice of law and arbitration.

In addition to her experience defending class actions through dispositive motion practice, trial and/or appeal, Ms. Strickland has vast experience settling all types of class and complex actions. She is versatile and creative in addressing settlement considerations, both legal and business, and the wide spectrum of settlement structure options.

Ms. Strickland frequently speaks on the topic of complex litigation. Her recent class action presentations include "2007 Overview of the Class Action Fairness Act" (Class Action Litigation 2007: Prosecution & Defense Strategies, Practising Law Institute); You’ve Been Sued--Now What? (CLE International Class Action Conference); Settling Complex Financial Services Actions (Practising Law Institute Annual Consumer Financial Services Litigation Institute); Recent Developments in Class Action and State Deceptive Practices Litigation (Practising Law Institute Consumer Financial Services Litigation); and Reform at last! Reform at last! Thank God Almighty, Reform at Last! (Or, Same Old Story) (California State Bar Business Law Section). Ms. Strickland has been a Guest Lecturer at UCLA Law School on the topic, "Negotiating and Drafting a Class Action Settlement Agreement." Annually from 1997 through 2008, Ms. Strickland has co-chaired the Consumer Financial Services Litigation Institute for the Practising Law Institute. She will speak again in 2008 at PLI’s Class Action Litigation: Prosecution & Defense Strategies program. She also speaks regularly to professional and trade groups, as well as to government bodies, such as the California Department of Consumer Affairs.

Ms. Strickland also speaks frequently on the subject of the state and federal securities laws. She spoke at the Practising Law Institute’s Annual Institute on Securities Regulation on the bespeaks caution doctrine under the federal securities laws, the use of that doctrine defensively in moving to dismiss disclosure-based litigation, and the litigation perspective on disclosure. She spoke at the 28th Annual Institute on Securities Regulation on publicity and information practices during public and private offerings. She spoke at the 29th Annual Institute on Securities Regulation regarding interactions with securities analysts and potential liability for analysts’ statements. She spoke at the PLI Mechanics of Underwriting/Securities Offerings programs on the subject of due diligence and public offerings, and she spoke at programs addressing the use of the Internet and technology in connection with corporate disclosures and offerings.

Ms. Strickland also regularly addresses issues pertaining to officer and director liability. She has been a panelist on the CEB and California State Bar Business Law Section program entitled Protecting Corporate Officers and Directors from Liability.

Ms. Strickland has authored articles in a wide range of publications, including Overview of California’s Unfair Competition Law and Consumers Legal Remedies Act,Overview of the Class Action Fairness Act, Limitations on the Scope of Plaintiffs’ Discovery Prior to Class Certification in Financial Services Litigation, Shock Waives,Recent Developments in Consumer Class Action Litigation,No More ‘Private Attorney General’ Cases in California: Voters Pass Initiative Restricting Certain Lawsuits Under Consumer Protection Statute,Recent Developments in Litigation Under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Shifting the Loss: Claims and Defenses in Check Kite Litigation, and Recent Developments in Consumer Financial Services Arbitration.

Admitted to Practice

California; U.S. District Court, Central, Southern, Northern, and Eastern Districts of California; U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit; U.S. Supreme Court

Education

J.D., University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, 1978

B.A., University of California - San Diego, 1975