Charles E. Elder

Charles E. Elder is a litigator in Irell & Manella's Los Angeles office.  His practice encompasses a wide variety of complex commercial disputes, with a focus primarily on antitrust, securities and entertainment litigation.  Mr. Elder has a remarkable record of successes in the trial and appellate courts, winning a large number of cases outright and negotiating satisfactory resolutions of many others.  In over fifteen years of practice he has never lost a case. 

Representative Matters

• Won summary judgment on behalf of video game publisher THQ in a lawsuit brought by one of its biggest licensors seeking to terminate a lucrative license agreement based on allegations of antitrust and RICO violations, bribery, and fraud.
• Represented a chip packaging technology company in an antitrust lawsuit it filed against two major memory chip manufacturers. The case settled on the eve of trial on terms very favorable to our client.
• Won trial judgment in Delaware Chancery Court in lawsuit accusing our client of mismanagement and fraud in connection with the operations of a limited liability company.  Also successfully argued the appeal in the Delaware Supreme Court, which affirmed the Chancery Court’s judgment in our client’s favor. 
• Represented PolyGram Records in antitrust class actions alleging that the major record companies conspired to fix compact disc prices, as well as regulatory investigations and civil suits regarding PolyGram's below cost pricing and minimum advertised price programs. 
• Represented Universal Music Group in antitrust suits brought by small record labels claiming monopolization via alleged payola practices. 
• Represented the former Chairman and CEO of Countrywide Financial Corporation, Angelo Mozilo, in a series of securities fraud and other lawsuits, including a civil suit brought by the SEC, arising from the demise of the mortgage banking industry. 
• Represented Activision Publishing, Inc. in a series of cases claiming hundreds of millions of dollars in connection with the best-selling Call of Duty video games.  
• Won a “baseball” arbitration regarding the royalty rate to be paid pursuant to a joint venture agreement. 
• Won trial in arbitration in which THQ’s joint venture partner sought to expand the scope of the venture and obtain rights in a highly successful video game title released by our client.
• Won summary judgment on behalf of Idealab, a privately-held California technology company, in a lawsuit brought by a large institutional shareholder challenging Idealab's amendment of its corporate charter.
• Won summary judgment on behalf of Universal Music Group in action by recording artists complaining they were not properly credited for a “sample” used in a popular song. 
• Won summary judgment on behalf of one of the nation's most prestigious law firms in a malpractice lawsuit involving allegedly incorrect securities regulatory advice.
• Represented two former officers and directors of Global Crossing, Ltd. in connection with a number of high-profile shareholder class actions alleging violations of the securities laws.
• Represented a member of the Mondavi winemaking family and his company, Davi Skin, in securities litigation concerning the company’s business of selling skin-care products made from grape extracts. 

Professional Activities

• Association of Business Trial Lawyers
• Practicing Law Institute

Bar & Court Admissions

• 1996, California