Profile
Lisa C. McCurdy is Co-Chair of the firm’s global Women’s Initiative and a shareholder in the firm's Litigation Practice. She is a seasoned litigator with over 20 years of experience representing clients in high stakes commercial civil litigation, real estate disputes (including disputes over purchase and option agreements, commercial leases, partnership disputes, and complex eminent domain) and trust and estate litigation, particularly trusts and estates with significant real estate and business holdings. She has wide-ranging experience in federal and state court, administrative proceedings, and in probate and other specialized courts handling trust and estate matters.
Lisa is a trusted advisor and advocate who has been described as both a “shark” and a “class act.” With a background in business, Lisa begins every representation with an understanding of her client’s business and goals. She applies that understanding through all stages of representation, from pre-litigation counseling, through trial. Lisa is also experienced in all forms of alternative dispute resolution, including arbitration and mediation.
Lisa also has a lifelong interest in animal protection law and has litigated cases on behalf of both animal protection groups and individual clients, as well as working on legislation and education to improve the treatment of animals. In 2012, she was appointed by the Mayor of Los Angeles to serve as a Commissioner for the Animal Services Department of the City of Los Angeles and served in that capacity and as Board president until February 2014. For over a decade, she was a board member and past Board President of Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest and is now a board committee member.
Concentrations
- Complex commercial disputes and business torts
- Real estate litigation, including landlord-tenant and property acquisition disputes
- Commercial leasing disputes
- Probate Trust and Estate litigation
- Fiduciary litigation
- Partnership and limited liability company disputes
- Animal protection law
Capabilities
Experience
- Prior to joining Greenberg Traurig, Ms. McCurdy worked for two other top tier law firms in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
- Prior to law school, she worked in the executive office of a regional department store in retail buying and vendor space allocation & management.
- Represented Britney Spears in her successful efforts to terminate a 13-year long conservatorship and related disputes.
- Representation, including on appeal, of the sole non-contingent beneficiary of the $400+ million Mark Hughes Family Trust in litigation spanning years against the originally named co-trustees of the Trust in connection with a multitude of disputes, including a six-month trial resulting ultimately in the suspension and removal of the co-trustees. Litigation included the pursuit of claims for the co-trustees’ failure to honor support obligations, improper attempts to allocate trust obligations to a custodial account, proposed improper settlement of a Graegin (estate tax loan) transaction, improper accounting, and gross negligence in connection with the sale, proposed development and management of 157 acres of entitled real property located above the Beverly Hills Hotel. Represented the same beneficiary in connection with his successful efforts to establish the bona fide nature of lien rights securing over $80 million against the property. The suspension and removal of the original co-trustees was affirmed in full by the California Court of Appeals, with continued representation concerning attorney-client privilege claims, successor trustee appointment, and unapproved accountings and related issues. Surcharge issues are being tried in phases, with surcharges presently at more than $34 million so far.
- Representation of estate and trust beneficiary of family trust with extensive land, business, and partnership holdings, in claims for failure to account, turnover of assets, constructive trust, appointment of representative, and related issues.
- Representation of estate and trust beneficiaries of family trust with extensive business and foreign asset holdings, in claims for breach of contract, fraud, injunctive relief, breach of settlement, double damages, and related issues.
- Representation of trustee overseeing assets designated for charity against claims of undue influence and lack of capacity.
- Representation of co-conservators in litigation against conserved father’s former spouse for breach of fiduciary duty and other claims.
- Representation of certain board members of foreign holding company in connection with U.S. based trust litigation involving company shares held in trust.
- Represented Bird Nest LLC (Katy Perry), securing the right to acquire a former convent from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles for redevelopment into a residential compound and, in the process, defeating the claims of a competing buyer (hotel developer) and cancelling the competing buyer’s recorded deed and other clouds on title.
- Represented a special purpose entity and its billion-dollar investment fund parent in connection with breach of contract and specific performance claims arising from the termination of a $68 million real estate purchase and sale contract, including at trial and in subsequent appeals.
- Represented the trustee of the Jack Hazard Trust which owns System Property Development Company, the successor to System Parking, and owner of a national real estate portfolio.
- Represented the sole non-contingent beneficiary of the $400+ million Mark Hughes Family Trust in litigation the sale, proposed development and management of 157 acres of entitled real property located above the Beverly Hills Hotel. Represented the same beneficiary in connection with his successful efforts to establish the bona fide nature of lien rights securing over $80 million against the property.
- Represented scrap metal business in eminent domain proceedings concerning property taken by the State of California in connection with the I-5 corridor widening project in Los Angeles County. Just prior to the Final Status Conference leading up to trial, secured settlement for double the offered real estate value, double the offered value of FF&E, multimillion-dollar relocation reimbursement, and the more than twenty times the previous largest award of goodwill for any condemned businesses in the history of the State of California.
- Representation of multibillion-dollar energy company in various eminent domain proceedings concerning property taken by the State of California in connection with construction of the High-Speed Rail Project.
- Representation of privately-owned preschool in disputes related to public right-of-way, continuity with community development plan, permitting, and related issues.
- Representation of shopping center owner in negotiations regarding redesign of, and compensation for, eminent domain project for highway expansion.
- Representation of memorial park in litigation involving nuisance and other claims relating to use and development of property.
- Representation of family holding company in litigation concerning various real estate investments in the hospitality space.
- Representation of limited partner in litigation concerning disputes over control and sale of partnership’s primary commercial real estate asset and related issues.
- Representation of logistics company in litigation concerning its purchase of industrial real property and disputes over breaches of representations and warranties, including undisclosed options.
- Representation of various brick and mortar retailers in litigation regarding real estate purchase and sale and lease agreements.
- Representation of hotel operator in litigation concerning contract termination and related disputes.
- Representation of bank branch tenant in litigation with municipality over impact of and compensation for eminent domain street-widening project.
- Representation of industrial park owner in pre-litigation negotiations with municipality over sidewalk improvement project and related compensation and other issues.
- Representation of commercial broker in litigation concerning buyer obligations to due diligence and related issues.
- Representation of contract manufacturer of personal care and cosmetic products in state and federal court litigation involving manufacturing, licensing, purchasing and sales agreements and related issues.
- Represented private equity company and subsidiary in litigation involving sale of business to subsidiary and resulting litigation involving creditor’s claims, breach of contract claims, breach of fiduciary duty claims, and alter ego claims.
- Represented major forest products company in series of antitrust (alleged monopolization) litigation, including jury trial, in federal district court.
- Represented manufacturer of consumer novelty products in licensing dispute.
- Represented medical billing services provider in service contract dispute.
- Representation of various online retailers in litigation concerning secured financing disputes.
- Representation of U.S. division of worldwide clothing manufacturer and retailer in connection with vendor disputes, compliance audits, internal policies, and a range of other matters.
- Representation of hotel operator in litigation concerning contract termination and related disputes.
- Representation of biopharmaceutical company in litigation regarding scientific advisor and other agreements and related damages claims.
- Representation of various online retailers in litigation concerning secured financing disputes.
- Representation of U.S. division of worldwide clothing manufacturer and retailer in connection with vendor disputes, compliance audits, internal policies, and a range of other matters.
- Representation of various brick and mortar retailers in litigation regarding real estate purchase and sale and lease agreements.
- Represented manufacturer of consumer novelty products in licensing dispute
- Representation of contract manufacturer of personal care and cosmetic products in state and federal court litigation involving manufacturing, licensing, purchasing and sales agreements and related issues.
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, Los Angeles Business Journal, “Top 100 Lawyers List,” 2024
- Team Member, a Law360 "Real Estate Practice Group of the Year," 2023
- Selected, Century City Bar Association, "Trust and Estates Litigation Attorney of the Year," 2022
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America
- Litigation - Trusts and Estates, 2020-2025
- Commercial Litigation, 2025
- Team Member, U.S. News - Best Lawyers®, Best Law Firms Edition, "Law Firm of the Year," Real Estate - Litigation, 2017 and 2022
- Board Member and Past Board President, Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest (CSNW), Board of Directors (one of only a handful of sanctuaries in the United States that cares for chimpanzees previously used in the entertainment and biomedical testing industries)
- President and Commissioner, Board of Los Angeles Animal Services Commissioners, 2012-2014
- Member and Past Vice-Chair, Animal Law Committee, American Bar Association, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section
- Past Vice-Chair, Intellectual Property Law Committee, American Bar Association's Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section
- Global Co-Chair, GT Global Women's Initiative
- Member, National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL)
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, State Bar of California
- Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association
- Member, Association of Business Trial Lawyers Los Angeles
- Member, Century City Bar Association
Credentials
Education
-
J.D., cum laude, Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, 2003
- Order of the Coif
- St. Thomas More Law Honor Society
- Production Editor, Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review
- Member, Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court Team
- B.A., University of California at Los Angeles, 1998
Admissions
- California
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California