John A. Taylor

Practice Areas

Appellate law

Career

A California State Bar Certified Appellate Specialist, John A. Taylor, Jr. has helped numerous clients prevail in high-stakes appeals concerning legal issues of industry-wide importance and from multimillion-dollar judgments.

John has argued appeals throughout the state, including several in the California Supreme Court. Among them are a groundbreaking matter addressing automobile manufacturers’ warranty liability (Gavaldon v. Daimler Chrysler) and an intellectual property case in which the court overturned a $15 million judgment against a coffee manufacturer based on alleged unauthorized use of the plaintiff’s image on labeling (Christoff v. Nestlé USA, Inc.). John’s name currently appears on over 100 appellate decisions, including more than 50 published opinions. He has been lead appellate counsel in dozens of civil appeals for individuals, insurers, and entities in the entertainment, automotive, and other industries, including matters involving entertainment law, the right of publicity, the Unfair Competition Law (UCL), breach of contract, insurance coverage, wage and hour law, employment discrimination, personal injury, California’s “lemon law,” arbitration awards, and trusts and estates. John’s many victories include his role as lead counsel in (Don Johnson Productions, Inc. v. Rysher Entertainment), obtaining a $37 million reduction of a $52 million judgment against his client

John is a partner at the firm, where he has been practicing appellate law since 1993. Before joining the firm, John was a litigation associate with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

John has authored numerous amicus curiae briefs in the California Supreme Court on issues such as evidentiary requirements in product liability and wage and hour litigation; the scope and application of Proposition 64’s amendments to the UCL; public policy issues arising out of subcontractor indemnity provisions in residential construction contracts; the constitutionality of Proposition 5, the Indian gaming initiative; and the validity of the Seaman's tort.

Professional Memberships

American Academy of Appellate Lawyers

California Academy of Appellate Lawyers, President, 2019-2020; First Vice President, 2018-2019; Second Vice President, 2017-2018; Secretary-Treasurer, 2016-2017; Chair, Rules Commentary & Legislative Suggestions Committee, 2020-present (member), 2014-2016 (chair)

California State Bar Association, Committee on Appellate Courts (Chair, 2003-2004; Vice-Chair, 2002-2003)

Judicial Council Appellate Advisory Committee of California, 2007-2013

Los Angeles County Bar Association, Appellate Courts Section (Executive Committee, 2014-Present; Rules & Law Subcommittee, 2014-Present); Appellate Judicial Evaluations Committee (Vice-Chair, 2007-2011)

J. Reuben Clark Law Society, Clark Society Advisor, 2016-Present; Religious Freedom Committee, 2016-Present; Chair, Los Angeles Chapter, 2009-2010

Association of Southern California Defense Counsel

Publications

ASCDC Annual Seminar Recap: California Defense Counsel Legislative Update (Vol. 2, 2023) Verdict, p. 15

Book Review - The Defense Lawyer by James Patterson and Benjamin Wallace (Vol. 1, 2022) Verdict, p. 25

Navigating the New Settled Statement Procedures (2020) California Litigation, Vol. 33, No. 2, p. 24

People v. Sanchez, Hearsay, and Expert Testimony (2018) California Litigation, Vol. 31, No. 1, p. 4

Calif. Fixes Timing Problem for Post-Trial Motions (Jan. 8, 2015) Law360

A Music Fan's Guide To New California Appeals Rules (Nov. 4, 2014) Law360

Recently Signed Bill Solves Inconsistencies in Post-Trial Motion Debriefing Deadlines (Summer 2014) ABTL Report, Vol. XXXIV, No. 4, p. 5

The Rules of Court, They Are A-Changin' (Dec. 4, 2013) Daily J., p. 6

The 'Bring Your Own Transcript' Approach to Civil Appeals (Nov. 20, 2013) Daily J., p. 5

To Boldly Go Where No Court Reporter Has Gone Before: A New Prime Directive Governing the Reporting of Electronic Evidence at Trial (Vol. 2, 2011) Verdict, p. 23

Preparing for Oral Argument (March 2011) LACBA E-Publication, Vol. III, No. 3

Interest for Thee but Not for Me? (Aug. 25, 2010) Daily J., p. 7

Another Exception for Judicial Review of Arbitration Awards (June 15, 2010) Daily J., p. 7

Arbitration After Burlage: A Second Take (June 2010) Citations, p. 8

New Year Brings New Rules for Appellate Lawyers (Oct. 28, 2009) Daily J., p. 7

The Itchy & Scratchy Show (Summer 2004) The Off. Record p. 3

Reelin' in the Years (Spring 2004) The Off. Record p. 9

Computer-Readable Transcripts (Winter 2004) The Off. Record p. 6

Counting the Cost (Fall 2003) The Off. Record p. 7

Reporters' Transcripts on Appeal: Transcript Formatting (Summer 2003) The Off. Record p. 5

Those R.T.'s (Spring 2003) The Off. Record p. 4

The Sinking of Seaman's (4th Quarter 1995) Verdict

The General Verdict Rule: Appellate Trap or Opportunity? (1994) 16 CEB Civ. L.R. 93