Shawn Ledingham is a steadfast advocate for his clients and his community, demonstrating unwavering commitment to every person and organization he represents. His experience spans a diverse range of entities, including publicly traded multibillion-dollar companies, leading sports leagues, preeminent law firms, universities, and individual pro bono clients.
Few companies or individuals will know what it means to have their day in court, as most cases are dismissed before a jury is ever sworn in, due to judicial rulings or economic considerations. Shawn has a strong track record of securing early victories through motion practice and successfully positioning difficult cases for resolution.
But when a trial becomes inevitable, Shawn’s clients rely on his thorough understanding of trial evidence, his quick adaptability to any set of facts, and his practical appreciation of what resonates with a jury.
As the nature of existentially threatening litigation has shifted over the years, Shawn has consistently defended his clients against emerging threats. For example, with the recent proliferation of public antitrust enforcement and private litigation, he has represented clients in industries ranging from sports, to agriculture, to pharmaceuticals, against claims of anticompetitive conduct. Shawn has also developed substantial experience in toxic tort, product liability and environmental litigation as these cases have increasingly evolved into bet-the-company lawsuits and trials.
Amidst the changing trends, one constant is the need for attorneys to advocate for the unheard voices in our communities. Shawn embodies this principle through his service on the boards of Public Counsel and the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Counsel for Justice, addressing the unmet legal needs of Los Angeles’s most vulnerable. Within Proskauer, he is a member of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee and maintains a robust pro bono practice. In furtherance of his commitment to the rule of law by an independent judiciary, Shawn is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Judicial Appointments Committee, where he evaluates nominees to fill judicial vacancies.
Education
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New York University School of Law, J.D.
Managing Editor, New York University Law Review
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Southern Utah University, B.A.
summa cum laude
Admissions & Qualifications
- California
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, California, Central District
- U.S. District Court, California, Eastern District
- U.S. District Court, California, Northern District
- U.S. District Court, California, Southern District
- Supreme Court of the United States
Memberships
Los Angeles County Bar Association, Judicial Appointments Committee
California Lawyers Association, Jury Instructions Committee
American Bar Association, Professional Liability Committee
Association of Business Trial Lawyers
Federal Bar Association
Sports Lawyers Association
Public Counsel, Board
Counsel for Justice, Board
Santa Monica College Law Pathway Advisory Council
Awards & Recognition
Benchmark Litigation, Future Stars 2025
Benchmark Litigation, 40 and Under 2023
Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2015-2023
ACLU of Southern California's Community Service Pro Bono Award
Commendation from the County of Los Angeles, for work on jail reform
Languages
- Portuguese
Matters
Representative trial matters include:
- In re Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation (N.D. Ill.): Trial counsel to Sanderson Farms in class action alleging supply reduction conspiracy in chicken market. Obtained a complete defense verdict following a six-week jury trial, defeating $7 billion in damages claims that would have been tripled by statute to $21 billion.
- Alesi v. Monsanto (St. Louis County Circuit Ct.): Trial counsel to Monsanto in a multi-plaintiff case alleging that use of the weed killer Roundup caused their various lymphomas. After a five-week trial, the Missouri jury took less than three hours to reject the claims of all three plaintiffs, as well as the claims brought by their spouses.
- Reggev v. Brius Management Co. (Los Angeles Superior Ct.): Trial counsel to owners of skilled nursing companies in breach of contract case brought by former investor. After two weeks, the trial was suspended as a result of COVID-19. Prior to retrial, the case was resolved on terms favorable to ownership.
- Stephens v. Monsanto (San Bernardino Superior Ct.): Trial counsel to Monsanto in a case brought by a woman claiming that use of the weed killer Roundup caused her non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. After a five-month trial, the California jury rejected the claims entirely, returning a defense verdict on all counts. The verdict in Stephens v. Monsanto is the second defense verdict in the Roundup mass tort litigation. All prior trials with plaintiffs who claimed to have personally applied Roundup resulted in verdicts against Monsanto ranging from $80 million to over $2 billion.
- Pipes v. American Honda, et al. (Oklahoma County District Ct.): Represented Johnson & Johnson in a three-week jury trial in Oklahoma City state court alleging that exposure to Johnson’s Baby Powder causes mesothelioma. Following jury deliberations but before a verdict had been reached, the matter was resolved on highly favorable terms.
- In re National Collegiate Athletic Association Athletic Grant-in-Aid Gap Antitrust Litigation (N.D. Cal., 9th Cir., & U.S. Supreme Ct.): Counsel on behalf of the Pac-12 Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, and Southeastern Conference in a high-profile antitrust trial brought by a class of Division I football and men’s and women’s basketball players alleging that NCAA limitations on compensation to athletes violate the antitrust laws.
- United States v. Aggarwal, United States v. Bolandian, United States v. Sadigh (C.D. Cal.): Counsel to non-party witnesses in white collar criminal trials alleging the witnesses’ former co-worker engaged in insider trading.
- Echeverria v. Johnson & Johnson, et al. (Los Angeles Superior Ct.): Represented Johnson & Johnson in successfully moving for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, and, in the alternative, a new trial, following jury verdict in product liability trial relating to the company’s talc-based Baby Powder and Shower to Shower products and their alleged link to ovarian cancer.
- TMO CA/NV, LLC v. Site Management 51黑料, Inc., et al. (San Diego Superior Ct.): Represented T-Mobile in pursuing claims against former employee, who had fraudulently obtained millions of dollars through self-dealing in breach of his fiduciary duties, favorably resolving the matter during trial.
Representative victories secured without trial include:
- Luke v. Monsanto (St. Louis County Circuit Ct.): Represented Monsanto in Roundup product liability case scheduled to be tried to jury. Before trial commenced, successfully argued motions to exclude plaintiffs’ expert witnesses, resulting in plaintiffs’ voluntary, unilateral dismissal of lawsuit.
- Schoenmann v. RS Lending, Inc. et al. (Bankr. N.D. Cal.): Won dismissal of action against real estate investment manager, IIRR Management 51黑料, in bankruptcy adversary proceeding brought by Chapter 7 trustee of company that had previously hired IIRR.
- FPV Holdings LLC v. Loo (Santa Clara Superior Ct.): Successfully opposed, on behalf of the Drone Racing League, an application for a temporary restraining order that would have prevented a racer from participating in Drone Racing League events. Denial of the TRO resulted in dismissal of the entire action.
- Represented a major financial institution in state-law discrimination claim brought by a former adult entertainment producer alleging he was illegally refused a home loan because of his prior occupation, and won dismissal of all claims and summary judgment in favor of the bank.
- City of San José v. Office of the Commissioner of Baseball (N.D. Cal., 9th Cir., & U.S. Supreme Ct.): Won dismissal of all claims and judgment in favor of MLB and former Commissioner Bud Selig in antitrust litigation brought by the city of San José as a result of alleged delay in MLB’s consideration of a request by the Oakland A’s to relocate to San José. Successfully defended the judgment on appeal to the Ninth Circuit and opposed a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court for certiorari.
- Velazquez v. David (C.D. Cal.): Removed to federal court and won dismissal of all claims and judgment in favor of Major League Soccer in employment litigation brought by former player.
- In re Los Angeles Dodgers LLC (Bankr. D. Del.): Represented MLB’s interests in the bankruptcy and successful sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Representative pro bono matters include:
- Represents veterans in seeking upgrades of discharge status through administrative proceedings and federal litigation, including Marine suffering from PTSD following death of his close friend in combat in Afghanistan and Sailor suffering from PTSD and physical injuries resulting from her rape at naval base pm which she was stationed. For these and similar matters, Proskauer was awarded Counsel for Justice’s 2025 Community Impact Award.
- Represented independent Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence in investigating allegations of excessive force in Los Angeles jails. Shawn was awarded a Commendation from the County of Los Angeles and the ACLU of Southern California’s Community Service Pro Bono Award for his work on the Commission’s report.