Bruce Wessel advises individuals and private companies on legal matters.

He has more than thirty years of litigation experience, including dozens of trials in state and federal courts and before U.S. and international arbitration tribunals.

Bruce has litigated free speech matters on behalf of owners of intellectual property and attorneys. Best Lawyers named him 2025 Lawyer of the Year in Los Angeles for First Amendment Law.

Bruce is a member of the Honorary Board of the Coro Foundation of Southern California and is an appointed member of the Measure GS Resident Oversight Committee for the City of Santa Monica.

Experience

  • Dove Audio v. Rosenfeld, Meyer & Susman, 47 Cal. App. 4th 777 (1996)
  • Cano v. Davis, 211 F. Supp. 1208 (C.D. Cal. 2002) aff’d 537 U.S. 1100 (2003)
  • Globetrotter Software v. Elan Computer Group, 362 F.3d 1367 (Fed. Cir. 2004)
  • Hollywood Screentest v. NBC Universal, 151 Cal. App. 4th 631 (2007)

Honors & Awards

  • Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of commercial litigation, First Amendment law and media law every year since 2007 and named “Lawyer of the Year” in 2018, 2020 and 2025
  • Rated Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent

Publications

  • “What You Need to Know About the Defend Trade Secrets Act,” The Recorder (April 27, 2016)
  • “Senate Gridlock Causes En Banc Uncertainty,” The Recorder (July 12, 2013)
  • “Libel Claims Against Lawyers for Statements Made to the Press,” Communications Lawyer (Fall 1998)

Education

Yale Law School (J.D., 1984)

Occidental College (M.A., Urban Studies, 1984)

Coro Foundation Fellow (1977-1978)

Trinity College (B.A., 1977)

Admissions

  • California, 1984
  • U.S. District Court for the Central, Eastern, Northern and Southern Districts of California
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth and Federal Circuits

Clerkships

  • Hon. Edward Rafeedie, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
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