Bartko Pavia LLP

Bartko Pavia LLP (“Bartko Pavia”) is an elite award-winning, complex litigation boutique law firm. Since 1978, Bartko Pavia has maintained a robust presence in California concentrated in the areas of litigation, corporate and commercial transactions, labor and employment, real estate, intellectual property, and trust & estate litigation. From securing multimillion-dollar settlements to winning industry-shaping jury verdicts, they have a proven ability to excel in critical moments on behalf of a broad range of clients from financial services, healthcare, media, retail, and technology industry sectors. Bartko Pavia's deep breadth of service ensures that wherever your business takes you within their practice areas, Bartko Pavia is there to guide you.

Bartko Pavia’s litigation practice represents both plaintiffs and defendants in complex litigation and investigations in trial courts throughout the United States. They help resolve disputes with precision and efficiency. Whether handling small-scale matters or high-stakes litigation, Bartko Pavia consistently delivers outstanding results with a focus on achieving the best possible outcomes for its clients. Their hands-on, high-level approach to every case is a key differentiator for their firm, with a proven track record among their professionals of successfully trying over 100 cases to verdict before juries, judges, and arbitrators.

Bartko Pavia is known for its antitrust and competition practice, representing both plaintiffs and defendants, appearing in California state court and federal district courts. They thoroughly understand and litigate the difficult distinctions between California’s Cartwright Act and the federal antitrust laws. As an example of their substantial experience, their firm has tried three federal antitrust cases to jury verdict, which is a point of differentiation for Bartko Pavia because most cases of these types resolve in settlement.

Bartko Pavia has substantial experience across the full spectrum of intellectual property (“IP”) disputes. Unlike classic big firm “litigators,” they are trial lawyers with deep experience representing high-tech companies in patent infringement, trade secret, design patent, trade dress, and trademark litigation before U.S. District Courts, the Federal Circuit, I.T.C., U.S.P.T.O., and various international bodies. The firm assists clients in navigating licensing agreements and addressing disputes related to proprietary technologies, as well as representing various industries, including, but are not limited to, computer security, smartphone, software, wireless communications, semiconductor, computer networks, and automotive technology. Their trial lawyers excel in crafting compelling litigation strategies, and present winning arguments to judges and juries. As a testament to their expertise, their exceptional team of attorneys led by firmwide Co-Managing Partner and Litigation Practice Chair, Patrick Ryan, achieved one of the largest trade secret verdicts in recent history—$845 million for ASML in 2019.Whether safeguarding an entrepreneur’s critical IP or ensuring a business withstands unfair infringement litigation, Bartko Pavia’s IP team delivers results-driven service to protect and enhance the value clients have built.

They also are experts at Alternative Dispute Resolution practice, with several of the firm’s lawyers serving as arbitrators and mediators. Bartko Pavia has handled domestic and international arbitration matters for many clients, including class action arbitrations, and has litigated a number of issues arising out of the arbitration agreement or conduct of the proceeding. The firm represented one of the largest retailers in the world in an international arbitration involving disputes arising out of its Asian operations. It also represented one of the largest U.S. franchisors in a class arbitration and has handled a number of arbitrations involving the franchise industry. Other cases include: a successful defense of preliminary injunctions involving trademarks; the representation of the founder of a large Silicon Valley company in major disputes with its VC lender; shareholder and earn-out disputes; and commercial litigation involving lenders, bonds, and other financing vehicles.

For more than 45 years, Bartko Pavia has litigated countless shareholder and partnership disputes through trial and appeals, including cases involving fiduciary duty, fraud, shareholder derivative claims, shareholder buyouts, buy-sell agreements, and corporate dissolution. They are well-versed in the tactics and strategies employed in high-stakes shareholder and partnership litigation and apply the weight of their expertise to each dispute they litigate. One of Bartko Pavia's partners recently provided expert testimony to the High Court in London concerning California legal standards for breach of fiduciary duty involving a joint venture between California and Eastern European partners.

In the area of data privacy & cybersecurity, Bartko Pavia attorneys have decades of experience in defending clients, both in the private and public sectors, in high-stakes privacy litigation, and enforcement matters. They have been lead trial counsel and undertaken appellate proceedings defending privacy class actions stemming from alleged data breaches as well as alleged sharing of data due to the use of online technologies. This experience has provided them, with a well-regarded reputation that has allowed them to deal effectively with government enforcers as well as judges. Their clients in these cases have included healthcare systems, public and private hospitals, financial institutions, technology companies, operators of online portals, and Department of Defense contractors. Bartko Pavia’s work has resulted in leading published and cited opinions, including two groundbreaking opinions on the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act and others that resulted in the dismissal of class actions without liability or any settlement payments. This has allowed clients to continue delivering critical services and preserving their resources instead of having to continue addressing class actions seeking damages ranging from millions to billions of dollars.

In addition to being able to efficiently handle matters in which multiple class action complaints are filed, including concurrent proceedings in federal and state courts, Bartko Pavia has extensive experience in gathering evidence in a manner that preserves the confidentiality required under federal and California law. Further, Bartko Pavia's attorneys can efficiently distill the facts, data, and circumstances leading to the development of creative strategies to defend the actions, including against the latest waves of litigation asserting cookies and pixels, which constitute illegal wiretaps or pen registers.

Bartko Pavia’s attorneys have also successfully handled investigations by federal and state regulatory agencies, including the Federal Department of Justice Office of Civil Rights, the California Office of the Attorney General, the California Department of Public Health, and various California state licensing agencies. They are adept at addressing regulatory investigations while concurrently defending against civil litigation. They have a well-regarded reputation that has allowed them to effectively address government enforcers as well as judges.

Bartko Pavia has also assisted clients in their initial responses to data breaches, including addressing on-going ransomware attacks, hacking by foreign state actors, physical theft by former employees or third parties, and errors by current employees. Clients regularly seek their input on the content of mandatory notices to potentially affected individuals and reports to regulators.

Bartko Pavia also offers unparalleled expertise across the full spectrum of real estate transactions and disputes. Representing tenants, property owners, developers, real estate partnerships and LLCs, and investors nationwide, the firm handles leasing, acquisitions, sales, and management of commercial, retail, and industrial properties.

Bartko Pavia has litigated countless real estate disputes through trial and appeals, including cases involving retail leases, partnership disputes, premises liability, broker liability, and fiduciary duty. They are well-versed in the tactics and strategies employed in high-stakes real estate litigation and apply the weight of their expertise to each real estate dispute they litigate.

Bartko Pavia’s labor & employment practice has substantial experience counseling employers and employees in all aspects of employment-related matters, delivering tailored solutions that address both immediate challenges and long-term goals. They serve as trusted advisors, acting as outside general counsel regarding H.R. matters for several companies, advising on issues such as Family and Medical Leave Act compliance, overtime regulations, anti-harassment and discrimination policies, the Americans With Disability Act, preparing separation agreements and offer letters, drafting employee handbooks and company policies, and counseling on day-to-day matters that arise in the running of any business.

Bartko Pavia's experienced team has successfully represented employers in defending against civil and regulatory claims concerning a range of issues, including claims for discrimination, hostile work environment, retaliation, actions alleging violation of overtime laws, lawsuits involving the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disability Act, and other federal, state, and local laws. The firm also represents individuals who have been aggrieved by their employers, with a track record of success in prosecuting claims for discrimination, wrongful termination, breach of contract, and violations of federal and state laws.

Bartko Pavia’s trial-proven attorneys protect clients in complex disputes, such as issues related to contracts, labor and employment—including collective bargaining agreements—class actions, antitrust issues regarding hospital services, and intellectual property. Their attorneys act as the chief negotiator on several significant collective bargaining agreements for healthcare systems, manufacturing companies, and media companies, including multiple master collective bargaining agreements, initial labor agreements, as well as successor agreements. Their work has resulted in leading published and cited opinions, including two groundbreaking opinions on the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act and others that resulted in the dismissal of class actions without liability or any settlement payments. For healthcare organizations involved in challenging arbitrations, litigation, or anticipating regulatory inquiries, their team serves as a steadfast advocate, safeguarding their interests and preserving their focus on delivering care.

Bartko Pavia’s team of practitioners are industry recognized having been featured in the Daily Journal’s California Attorneys of the Year and listed among the Top 100 California Lawyers. Most recently, Patrick Ryan was ranked in the Daily Journal’s 2025 list of Top IP Lawyers in California, and Ben Riley has been ranked by Chambers since 2019 as one of the top 20 California lawyers in Trademark, Copyright, and Trade Secret litigation.

Whether you are listening to the recommendations of a trusted in-house colleague or exploring new representation, Bartko Pavia offers a rare blend of world-class expertise, personalized attention, and deep relationships that move the needle for clients. With decades of combined experience, they are a trial-ready boutique powerhouse committed to delivering exceptional results for their clients.