Elisha Barron, a Susman Godfrey partner and member of the firm’s Executive Committee, litigates high-stakes cases across the country. Elisha represents plaintiffs and defendants through every stage of litigation in complex commercial cases, including in intellectual property, antitrust, False Claims Act litigation, and general commercial litigation.
Below are a few of Elisha’s notable representations and successes:
- Won a $706.2 Million jury verdict for client HouseCanary after a 6+ week jury trial in state court in San Antonio, Texas. The case involved claims against Title Source, an affiliate of Quicken Loans, for misappropriation of trade secrets, fraud, and breach of contract.
- Lead trial counsel to Van Leeuwen Ice Cream LLC in a Lanham Act trade dress infringement lawsuit against Rebel Creamery pending in the Eastern District of New York.
- Represented Joel and Mary Rich, the parents of a murdered son, Seth Rich, in a groundbreaking lawsuit against Fox News and individual defendants for intentional infliction of emotional distress claims and related torts. After the Second Circuit reversed the district court’s dismissal of the Riches’ claims, Elisha defeated a motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction, and argued numerous discovery motions, paving the way for a confidential settlement.
- Delivered opening statements and cross-examining key witnesses to win a multi-million-dollar award (a complete victory) in a confidential technology and construction industry arbitration involving obligations under a written agreement.
- Secured a $450 million settlement—one of the largest ever in the United States by a single whistleblower—in a landmark FCA lawsuit against the Swiss drug manufacturer Novartis Pharmaceuticals.
- Secured nearly $170 million in settlements in the antitrust case In re Animation Workers Antitrust Litigation for a class of Hollywood animators and visual effects employees who accused several major movie studios of entering into an agreement not to “poach” each other’s employees.
- Represented wearable fitness pioneer Jawbone in patent litigation against Fitbit in numerous forums—two actions in the International Trade Commission and two actions in federal district court.
- Represented an individual in a confidential AAA arbitration against a former employer for discrimination and secured a favorable settlement after Susman Godfrey presented her case to a three-judge panel.
Elisha also devotes significant time to pro bono matters. She represented the City of Baltimore pro bono in a challenge to a new Health of Human Services Rule allowing health care providers to deny health care services for religious or “other” reasons. The rule was later vacated. She previously received an award for outstanding pro bono service from the Legal Aid Society.
Before joining Susman Godfrey, Elisha clerked for Judge Shira Scheindlin (SDNY) and Judge José Cabranes (Second Circuit). She graduated from Yale University with a degree in History of Science and Medicine, and received her J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where she was an editor on the Journal on Legislation.
Updated Sep 2023
