Overview

Bonita (Bonnie) Moore is a talented litigator with substantial trial and arbitration experience gained at top-tier law firms.  Bonnie helps her clients understand the risks and benefits of litigation and evaluate strategies for achieving a favorable resolution of their disputes.  She has broad experience at the trial and appellate levels in complex business disputes, employment litigation, copyright, trademark and trade secret matters.  With substantial class action experience, Bonnie carries the distinction of being one of few attorneys to have successfully taken a wage and hour class action through trial to judgment, which was affirmed on appeal.


In employment disputes, since founding Moore Ruddell LLP, Bonnie solely represents employees, but her background representing employers gives her valuable insight and perspective in advocating for her clients.  Bonnie has litigated on behalf of and counseled clients in matters involving discrimination and harassment, retaliation, defamation, wrongful termination, and wage and hour claims such as unpaid overtime or meal and rest break violations.  Bonnie also represents clients who are negotiating employment contracts or severance agreements.


Bonnie has represented clients in a wide range of sensitive, complex and/or high stakes matters.  As examples, Bonnie successfully represented movie producers in an idea submission dispute; successfully represented the owners of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” trademark in intellectual property litigation including preliminary injunctions; successfully represented the co-founder of a clothing business including prevailing on a preliminary injunction; prevailed in a defamation jury trial in which the jury found malice for punitive damages; and, prevailed in the arbitration of a business contract dispute for a leading design and marketing studio.  Bonnie works tirelessly to understand and serve her clients’ needs and objectives.


After law school, Bonnie clerked for the Honorable David O. Carter of the United States District Court for the Central District of California, was an associate at the international firm Latham & Watkins LLP, and then joined a premier litigation firm Bird Marella, where she became a principal.  Bonnie was then asked to help open and build the Los Angeles office of the international law firm Faegre Baker Daniels LLP, where she was a partner prior to founding Moore Ruddell LLP.  Before law school, Bonnie enjoyed a successful career in public policy in Washington, D.C., and at the RAND Corporation, a think tank, in Santa Monica, California.


In addition to building a successful law practice, Bonnie has devoted countless hours and provided support for community service and pro bono initiatives.


Representative Trial and Arbitration Experience

• Trial counsel in a two-week defamation jury trial in which the firm obtained a judgment in excess of $1.5 million for our client.
• Trial counsel in a high-stakes, several-week jury trial successfully defending against plaintiff’s claim that he had a multiyear contract as a personal manager with international pop superstar Britney Spears.
• Trial counsel in a wage hour class action lawsuit alleging vacation pay violations. Obtained judgment of $7.8 million and injunctive relief for the class. Highly contentious litigation spanning more than five years.
• Trial counsel in a jury trial defending against claim of negligence for failure to obtain a job-based green card for an employee.
• Prevailed in arbitration of a contract dispute on behalf of a leading design and marketing studio.
• Settled during arbitration on favorable terms on behalf of a leading real estate developer.
• Settled on the eve of arbitration on favorable terms on behalf of an employee claiming wrongful termination
• Successfully defended on behalf of a former CFO an appeal of a grant of arbitration and dismissal of claims against him.
• Successfully defended against an attorney’s appeal of a grant of a three-year restraining order against him.