EDUCATION

University of Pennsylvania Law School, JD’83 (Law Review v.130 and 131, Wharton Business School courses finance and accounting)
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\r\n Harvard College, BA’79 (magna cum laude, Economics)
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\r\n Phillips Academy ’75 (Andover, MA, five prizes in math and science)

PAST ASSOCIATIONS

1992-2010 Law Offices of Jonathan Stein (litigation and gaming practices)

1989-92 President, Old Ivy Homebuilders, Inc. (developed and built 28 SFR’s)

1988 Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison (LA, 9-figure financial transactions)
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\r\n 1986-87 Hughes Hubbard & Reed (LA, securities litigation)
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\r\n 1983-85 Morgan, Lewis & Bockius (NYC, 9-figure financial transactions)

PROFESSIONAL AND SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS

Beverly Hills Bar Association. Chair, Litigation Section (800 civil litigators); Board of Governors (2 terms). Presidents Award 2011.

International Assn Of Gaming Advisors (IAGA).   Co-chair, Membership Comm.; Strategic Policy Comm. (gaming industry general counsel, CFOs and investment bankers)

United States Team, Maccabiah Olympics, Israel July 2009. Gold Medal, Cycling. Captain, Masters Triathlon

United States Team, Maccabiah Pan Am Games 2007 (Buenos Aires). Bronze Medal Masters Triathlon

Amateur Rugby. 20 years on amateur teams in LA, NYC, Philadelphia and Boston. 6 international tours.

PUBLICATIONS

Sovereignty Struggles and Native Rights in the United States, etc. (Univ. of North Carolina Press 2012). Co-author of Chapter 2, “State Recognition of American Indian Tribes, etc”.

Stein and Gallaway, “Swapping Out Debt: Solving The Riddle Of Debt-Asset Swaps And Triangular Deal Structures”, Global Gaming Business Magazine (April 2009)

Koenig and Stein, “Federalism and State Recognition of Native American Tribes: A Survey of State-Recognized Tribes and State Recognition Processes Across the US”, 48-1 Santa Clara Law Review 79 (2008)

Koenig and Stein, “Lost in Shuffle: State-Recognized Tribes and the Tribal Gaming Industry”, 40-2 Univ. of San Francisco Law Review 327 (2006)

First Annual Native American GRAMMY® Nominee Showcase (2002) Producer of theatrical show with 112 performers for sellout black-tie crowd at the Kodak® Theatre in Hollywood (home of the Academy Awards).

CONTINUING EDUCATION SEMINARS

October 2011, IAGA Annual Meeting, “Tribal Law Update on Land-Into-Trust Issues”

August 2011, BHBA, “Trial Proceedings Key Topics, Civil Litigation A – Z series”

Feb 2011, BHBA, “ Stars of Litigation V: Advanced Cross-Examination Techniques and the Appropriate Use of Objections”

June 2011, BHBA, “Inaugural Judicial Town Hall, with the Presiding Judges of Los Angeles Superior Court”

May 2010, BHBA, “Stars of Litigation IV: Tom Girardi, et al”

April 2010, BHBA, “Stars of Litigation III: Waged Battle: Litigating the Big Dollar Wage Hour Class Action Case”

Feb 2010, BHBA, “Stars of Litigation II: Picking A Jury With Browne Greene”

Oct 2009, BHBA, “California E-Discovery”

June 2009, BHBA, “Navigating Attorney-Client Fee Disputes Through The Revolving Doors Of Arbitration And Litigation (And More Arbitration): Strategies For Promoting Efficiency And Minimizing Risk”

May 2009, BHBA, “Litigation A to Z: Pre-Litigation Considerations”

Nov 2007, BHBA, “California\'s Next Top Model: California\'s New Model State Trademark Law”

BUSINESS LITIGATION PRIMARILY FOR THE GAMING INDUSTRY

In the last three years, Jonathan has handled client matters in California, Florida, Idaho, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas and Vietnam. Within the general field of litigation, Jonathan is especially known for successful litigations and dispute control in the gaming industry, as “Recent Cases” demonstrate below.

Jonathan has won 14 seven-figure litigations in the last 16 years. His overall record in litigated matters in the last 18 years is 56 wins and 6 losses.

Jonathan’s reputation among judges and other senior lawyers in Los Angeles Superior Court (the nation’s largest); his strong academic background; past associations with national law firms; and over 260 trial days before a judge and jury, lend stature and ease when handling diverse business litigations.

Jonathan is a well-known speaker and writer on business litigation and gaming topics. He chairs the 800-lawyer Litigation Section of the 4,600-lawyer Beverly Hills Bar Association. He is co-chair of IAGA’s Membership Committee.

RECENT CASES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Fall 2011. Jonathan files an information theft action on behalf of client Reel Games in USDC Southern Florida. This 7-figure litigation alleges misappropriation of certain game designs for community play and envy bonuses originated by Reel Games, but shared with defendants pursuant to an executed NDA.

Fall 2011. Jonathan receives the prestigious Presidents Award from 80-year-old Beverly Hills Bar Association. This annual award is given to recognize one member for his exceptional service, chosen from over 4,600 members of the Bar.

Summer 2011. Jonathan settles a fast and furious IP litigation in USDC Nevada. This trademark infringement action was brought against Jonathan’s client by Stations Casinos. It was settled by Jonathan without any payment to Stations.

Spring 2011. Jonathan begins work for Mai Linh Group, a 27,000-person transportation group in Vietnam. Jonathan is US counsel for certain financings and other projects here in the United States and in Vietnam. Jonathan also represents Mai Linh Group’s controlling shareholders, the Ho family of Vietnam (as in Ho Chi Minh City).

Spring 2011. Jonathan wins a dispute over Indian Casino development rights for his client, the existing developer for a federally recognized Indian Tribe in California. The Tribe and a third party attempted to enter into a competing development agreement, but instead, Jonathan’s client was reinstated as the Tribe’s casino developer.

Winter 2011. Jonathan was Dinner Chair for the inaugural Beverly Hills Bar Association’s Annual Litigation Section Awards Dinner. Honored were retiring California Chief Justice Ronald George and Roman Silberfeld, head of the LA Office of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy was a presenter. The Dinner sold out its inaugural event at Hotel Montage in downtown Beverly Hills.

Fall 2010. Jonathan reaches a 7-figure settlement of the claims of 660 gaming and non-gaming personnel from SunCruz, the largest “cruise to nowhere” casino company in the USA. The settling defendant was a $10-billion private equity fund represented by a 6-lawyer litigation team from the largest firm in Florida.

Fall 2010. Jonathan wins an appeal to the California Second Circuit Court of Appeals, reversing a high-six-figure judgment against his client. Upon remand, Jonathan gains the trial court’s approval to switch the case to another trial judge.

Fall 2010. Jonathan and his co-author finish a chapter in an upcoming college textbook on tribal sovereignty, to be published by University of North Carolina Press. The chapter is moved from 7th slot up to the first slot because of its theoretical breadth and careful writing.

Summer 2010. Jonathan completes a 6-month assignment restructuring a series of 7-figure Idaho real estate investments for a leading stunt coordinator in the movie industry. The representation spanned work by the stunt coordinator on two of the largest budgeted film productions in history. Client phone conferences were conducted from Dubai, Prague, Seville, London and Coeur d’Alene, ID.
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OF COUNSEL AT FINESTONE & RICHTER

Finestone & Richter is a 34-year-old law firm located in the heart of Century City, with over 1,000 clients. Besides it own distinguished history, F&R attorneys have worked in the finest law firms in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago; attended universities such as Princeton, Harvard, and Columbia; and served as editors for UCLA Law Review, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, and Texas Law Review, among others.

In addition to Jonathan, Finestone & Richter has five litigators. A 7-figure case is usually staffed with a 2-litigator team, which a senior litigator would lead. However, for larger litigations, a larger team is easily assembled. Smaller litigations would utilize only one litigator.

Most of Jonathan\'s cases are 7-figure cases. Mr. Stein’s hourly rate in 2011 is $575 per hour. This rate is designed to be 20-25% less than comparable rates charged by litigation partners at national or international law firms.

Unlike the majority of business litigators, Jonathan relishes the opportunity to try a case before a jury, and values winning above all. His clients regularly spend less than half the money spent by less-focused opponents.

His consistent emphasis on winning the case, rather than processing court papers, also reduces time to trial. Jonathan avoids discovery battles whenever possible, on the theory that perhaps 20 documents win most jury trials.

Mr. Stein emphasizes a direct and cost-effective approach to mediation and alternative dispute resolution. A sense of strategic timing; the choice of a good mediator; and his personal reputation as someone who wins trials, give Mr. Stein\'s clients the ability to settle cases on preferential terms.

GAMING WORK INCLUDES RAISING CAPITAL

After 10 years in gaming-related activities, Jonathan is comfortable with commercial gaming operations and problems, federal Indian law and IGRA, state gaming laws and regulatory bodies, as well as tribal compact terms and conditions.

Jonathan was instrumental in raising a $21-million casino development financing in 2006. He is now working on a number of EB-5 financings. USCIS promises a "green card" to each alien investor who funds $500,000 into a qualified job-creation project. New regulations allow this low-cost, "true risk" money to be pooled, generating large-scale equity funding with a 2% to 5% return.

Mr. Stein has represented Paramount Digital Entertainment in licensing IP properties to all facets of the gaming industry.

Jonathan has negotiated substantial contracts with 20th Century Fox (Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 2, Night At The Museum, Taxi, Big Momma\'s House 2), Sony (Spiderman, Big Fish), Paramount (Paycheck,  Aoen Flux), NBC Universal (Jarhead), Disney (Hot Chick), Warner Bros. (Lady In The Water), MGM (Walking Tall), Dimension Films (Cursed), ABC-TV (Alias), NBC-TV (Crossing Jordan) and Fox-TV (Boston Public), among others.

Mr. Stein has been attorney of record in litigations for such above-the-line talent such as Pamela Anderson, and represented in business matters several of the industry\'s busiest second unit directors and stunt coordinators..

Jonathan is a registered lobbyist under California’s Political Reform Act, focusing on gaming topics as well as broader public policy. His lobbying clients include the Gabrielino-Tongva Indian Tribe, a major gaming machine manufacturer, and the Beverly Hills Bar Association.

Jonathan has been a lobbyist for six years and has a large number of relationships with elected officials and their staff. As important, Jonathan has been part of high-profile, controversial legislative battles between the most sophisticated special interest groups (see Press).