Andrew Walsh represents clients in many of Hueston Hennigan’s most complex civil business disputes, as well as high-stakes environmental and white collar criminal actions in state and federal court. He has represented Fortune 500 companies, governments and individuals in a variety of industries, including energy, environmental services, and media and entertainment.
Mr. Walsh works with clients to develop comprehensive strategies that will set them up for the best resolution at every stage of litigation. Clients praise his “brilliant solutions,” as well as his “client service,” “level of sophistication and commercial awareness and vision.”
Among recent high-profile matters, Mr. Walsh was co-lead counsel for the Navajo Nation in federal multi-district litigation against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, its contractors and mining companies for damages involving a disastrous acid mine wastewater spill from the Gold King Mine near Silverton, Colorado. Mr. Walsh helped the Nation secure more than $40 million in settlements from the USEPA and private parties.
Additionally, Mr. Walsh is co-leading the team representing Southern California Edison and Edison International in the face of billions of dollars in claims stemming from a series of historic fires and mudslides across Southern California from 2017 to 2022. More than 900 cases have been filed on behalf of more than 15,000 plaintiffs against SCE and Edison International relating to the disasters. Mr. Walsh assisted in developing an innovative resolution protocol that helped minimize exposure for the client and has led to the orderly out-of-court settlement of more than 80 percent of the claims against SCE arising from the “Thomas” and “Woolsey” fires and the Montecito mudslides. Mr. Walsh secured another big win for SCE when he persuaded the California Department of Justice not to criminally charge the utility in connection with the Woolsey fire.
Mr. Walsh also scored a complete arbitration trial win on all claims and counterclaims for prominent Napa winery Amulet Estate and its majority owner against the winery’s founder, former CEO, and minority owner in litigation alleging fraud and breach of fiduciary duty, among other things. The award included more than $5 million in damages, fees and costs, in addition to an extraordinary order dissociating the defendant from his role as a member of the company.
Mr. Walsh has been honored among the Los Angeles Business Journal’s “Leaders of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys” and “Thriving in their 40s,” and the Los Angeles Times’ “Legal Visionaries.” He’s also been named to the Southern California Super Lawyers list and has been recognized as a key lawyer for general commercial disputes by the Legal 500, among other accolades.
Updated Sep 2024
