Sue St. Denis

StDenis

Partner

Direct: (310) 893-5159
Fax: (310) 893-5195
sue@hawxhurstllp.com

Profile
Sue is a partner at the Firm. Sue’s practice focuses on complex commercial matters in state and federal courts involving class actions and individual claims of product liability, fraud, unfair competition, and breach of contract. Sue routinely advises clients on regulatory matters and litigation risk and has extensive experience supervising litigation teams, including local counsel.

Prior to joining the Firm, Sue practiced at Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro (now Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman) and Chadbourne & Parke (now Norton Rose Fulbright). Sue earned her J.D. from Loyola Law School and her B.A. in political science from the University of Washington.

Sue has been named a “Super Lawyer” in general litigation, is certified as a Trial Advocate, is a court-appointed arbitrator, and has served as Judge Pro Tem (from 1997-2005). In addition to practicing law, Sue was president of and served four years on the executive committee of the Palos Verdes High School PTSA. She was appointed to the Development Board for the University of Texas at Austin and is a member of the Littlefield Society. Sue is admitted to practice law in California and Texas.

Representative Engagements

  • Successfully represented a Russian bank in a highly contested state court case in which the Bank, suing under the Uniform Foreign-Country Money Judgments Recognition Act, sought to enforce a multi-million dollar Russian court judgment against a Russian debtor who had fled to the United States.

  • Defended a major alcoholic beverage manufacturer in numerous putative multi-state and nationwide class actions that alleged the words “all natural” were false and misleading. In each case, class certification was denied and the case dismissed.

  • Successfully defended a major health insurer against a $20 million breach of contract claim brought by a large hospital system. Sue second-chaired the month-long binding arbitration that involved tens of thousands of individual claims as well as complex billing and regulatory issues. The arbitrator issued a complete defense award and costs.

  • Defended a French cosmetics company in a putative, multi-state class action against claims that its label and advertising statements were false and misleading. The court denied class certification and the case was dismissed.

  • Represented French investors in several intertwined, high stakes lawsuits arising from the California Insurance Commissioner’s conservation and rehabilitation of Executive Live Insurance Company. The related cases included a $4 billion fraud and breach of contract action brought by the California Insurance Commissioner (settled at the beginning of trial of very favorable terms), a qui tam case (dismissed), a putative class action brought by annuitants (dismissed) and derivative and direct claims brought by a subsequent investor (dismissed).

  • Obtained summary judgment for the manufacturer of disposable lighters in a design defect case.

  • Obtained dismissal of a Proposition 65 lawsuit brought against an international cosmetics company.

  • Defended a Japanese dietary supplement manufacturer against hundreds of personal injury and wrongful death claims. Sue was on the trial team that took the first test case to trial and obtained a well-publicized defense verdict.

  • Defended an international tobacco company in numerous personal injury, class action, and third party payor lawsuits.

  • Sue also has represented employers in wrongful termination and defamation lawsuits, and has advised employers on issues of hostile work environment and discrimination.

Education
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles (J.D.).

University of Washington (B.A.).