Rocky N. Unruh focuses his practice on the litigation and trial of complex commercial disputes, including antitrust and trade regulation cases, class actions, commercial construction disputes and environmental litigation.

Over the years, Mr. Unruh has represented defendants in several class action cases alleging fraud and unfair business practices. Recently, he worked with attorneys from the Chicago office in defending an insurance company in a consumer class action pending in the Central District of California. The court dismissed the case at the pleading stage.

He has tried several cases to verdict in state and federal court, and also has tried contested regulatory proceedings before air quality districts, state public utility commissions, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Experience

• Represented a national general contractor in lawsuits arising out of construction of SBC Park and the Moscone West Convention Center expansion.
• Represented a national general contractor and its payment bond sureties in actions arising out of the construction of the San Jose Convention Center. (One lawsuit arising out of this project was successfully tried twice, once on behalf of the general contractor in 1993 in a decision ultimately affirmed by the California Supreme Court in Scott Co. of California v. Blount, Inc. (1999) 20 Cal.4th 1103, and the second in 2004 on behalf of the general contractor's payment bond sureties.)
• Represented a large national manufacturer in antitrust litigation arising out of natural gas distribution and pricing in California.
• Represented a national manufacturer in various lawsuits and administrative proceedings alleging violations of clean air regulations and Prop. 65.
• Represented a major investor in Internet security software company in lawsuit against co-investors and the developer of the software.
• Represented a start-up company in obtaining state regulatory approval in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas for its acquisition and operation of local telephone lines.
• Represented a competitive long distance and local telephone service provider in contested administrative proceedings before the FCC and state public utility commissions against "Baby Bells" seeking to enter the long distance telephone market.

Previous Experience

Mr. Unruh took leave from Morgenstein & Jubelirer, before its 2007 combination with Schiff Hardin, from mid-1995 until early 1997 to work as special trial counsel for the antitrust division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). While at the DOJ, he was special trial counsel assigned to a Nasdaq price-fixing action and Microsoft investigation.

Awards and Honors

AV Rated — Martindale-Hubbell

Northern California Super Lawyers, Business Litigation