Glenn Bridgman
Partner
Los Angeles Office Phone: (310) 789-3104 Email Download vCard Print Bio to PDF
Education
  • Dartmouth College (B.A., Physics & Philosophy, minor in Mathematics, magna cum laude, 2008)
  • Yale Law School (J.D., 2013)
Judicial Clerkship

Law Clerk to Chief Judge Robert A. Katzmann, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (2014-15)

Law Clerk to Judge Christina A. Snyder, United States District Court for the Central District of California (2013-2014)

Glenn Bridgman
Partner

Glenn Bridgman is a trusted resource, valued trial lawyer, and relied upon legal counsel to his clients and colleagues. Glenn represents both plaintiffs and defendants in high stakes commercial litigation, trying cases successfully across practice areas and industries such as insurance, antitrust, intellectual property, securities, and breach of contract. In 2023 Mr. Bridgman was recognized as a California Lawyer Attorney of the Year by The Daily Journal.  In 2019, Mr. Bridgman was named a California Trailblazer by The Recorder (ALM) and a Rising Star in Insurance Litigation by Law360. In 2020 he was named a Rising Star in General Commercial Litigation by The Legal 500.

In 37 Besen Parkway, LLC v. John Hancock Life Insurance Company, Glenn was a critical part of a legal team that secured a $91.25 million settlement (before fees and expenses) for insurance policy owners against John Hancock Life Insurance Company.  The Honorable Paul Gardephe described the settlement as a “quite extraordinary . . . result achieved on behalf of the class.” Glenn started on this case at inception and quickly assumed the role of running the case on a day–to-day basis – from filing of the complaint, combing through over 340,000 pages of documents, taking and defending more than 15 highly technical depositions involving highly complex subjects, and filing a motion for class certification and supporting expert report – all of which resulted in the successful settlement that was struck two and a half years later.  Glenn was quoted about the case and the enormous result for the Class in an article by Law360.

In TVPX ARS, Inc.,  v. Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Company, Glenn represented life settlement fund, TVPX, in its breach of contract action against Genworth Insurance Company. After Genworth secured an injunction based on a 2004 settlement of a prior case, Glenn took over the appellate argument before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and persuaded the Eleventh Circuit to vacate the district court’s injunction. The opinion can be read here and you can listen to Glenn’s argument before the court here (start at 3:15).

However, Glenn’s litigation savvy is not limited to insurance matters. Glenn is well-versed in all types of high stakes litigation. He has:

  • Represented Australian solar energy company, Jasmin Solar Pty Ltd., in its breach of contract action against a Chinese equipment supplier. After the solar company suffered defeats with prior counsel before both an arbitrator and the district court, Glenn and a team from Susman Godfrey took over the appeal at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Glenn’s briefing persuaded the Second Circuit to not only overturn the district court’s previous order confirming the arbitration award, but also to vacate entire judgment against Jasmin.
  • Defeated a trademark-infringement preliminary injunction sought against one of the world’s largest technology companies;
  • Litigated the LIBOR OTC class action currently pending in the Southern District of New York, which has already produced $590 million in settlements (fees and expenses not yet determined) and a certified class against additional defendants; and
  • Secured favorable settlements on behalf of, among other clients, a large telecommunications company, lease-financing companies, and defrauded individual entrepreneurs in both federal and state court.

Glenn also maintains an active pro bono practice. He currently represents a tenant advocacy group helping defend the constitutionality of eviction protections for renters enacted by the City of Oakland and Alameda County in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Daily Journal and Law360 profiled Glenn and his colleagues for their work in this area.

Glenn attended Yale Law School where he was the Notes Editor for the Yale Law Journal and served the Jerome N. Frank Legal Services Organization as both a Board Member and the Clinic Director.  Glenn also received the William K.S. Wang Prize for Excellence in Corporate Law, the Thomas I. Emerson Prize for Best Paper on Legislation, and the C. LaRue Munson Prize for Excellence in the Presentation of a Clinical Case.   Glenn also directed the Yale Landlord Tenant Clinic.

Before attending law school, Glenn was a Peace Corps Volunteer in rural Bulgaria. Before starting his practice at Susman Godfrey, Glenn clerked for Chief Judge Robert A. Katzmann of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and Judge Christina A. Snyder of the Central District of California.

Notable Representations

INSURANCE LITIGATION

37 Besen Parkway LLC v. John Hancock Life Insurance Co., Glenn helped secure a $91.25 million all-cash, non-reversionary settlement for insurance policy owners (amount after fees and expenses to be determined) in this certified class action against John Hancock Life Insurance Co.  Glenn’s efforts over the course of two and a half years led to a successful settlement at mediation before Judge Theodore H. Katz (Ret.).  Bridgman was quoted about the case and the enormous result for the Class in this article by Law360.

TVPX ARS, Inc.,  v. Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Company, Glenn represented life settlement fund, TVPX, in their breach of contract action against Genworth Insurance Company. After Genworth secured an injunction based on a 2004 settlement of a prior case, Glenn took over the appellate argument before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and persuaded the Eleventh Circuit to vacate the district court’s injunction. The opinion can be read here and you can listen to Glenn’s argument before the court here (start at 3:15).

In Re:  James V. Cotter, Living Trust, Ellen Marie Cotter, Margaret Cotter, Petitioners, vs. James J. Cotter, Jr., Respondent, Glenn was instrumental in achieving a successful verdict invalidating a will on grounds of both undue influence and incapacity in this trust and estates case in Los Angeles Superior Court.  At trial, Glenn examined witnesses and delivered closing argument on the successful undue influence claim.

Brach Family Foundation, et al. v. AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, Glenn is an integral part of a team of lawyers who represent a putative class of plaintiffs in an insurance action pending in the Southern District of New York.  The putative class is challenging AXA’s 2016 hike of cost on insurance rates on hundreds of elderly insureds, claiming AXA has unfairly increased the cost of insurance for certain flexible-premium universal life insurance policies.

Helen Hanks on behalf of herself and all others similarly situated, vs. The Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York; Voya Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company, Glenn is litigating an insurance matter against Voya Life Insurance Company.  He has taken the lead on the depositions in this matter, which was recently certified by the court, and is currently preparing for trial. More information on the Voya class action, a certified class with over 45,000 members, is available here.

ANTITRUST

In Re: LIBOR-Based Financial Instruments Antitrust Litigation, Glenn, together with a legal team of senior partners from Susman Godfrey, served as co-lead counsel to a certified class of 16 plaintiffs, including cities, pension funds and others known as the “OTC” investors, who sued a number of investment banks for conspiring with rivals to rig LIBOR. The team has helped secure $590 million in settlements for the class against defendant banks, Barclays, Citigroup, HSBC and Deutsche Bank.  The class was certified in 2018 by the court, the only class in the coordinated LIBOR litigation to receive class certification.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Confidential Patent Infringement Matter on Behalf of Bitdefender, Glenn defended cybersecurity company, Bitdefender, in patent action filed by a well-known non-practicing entity. Bridgman took the lead on the damages portion of the case and handled Daubert briefing seeking to exclude plaintiffs’ entire damages case, briefing which shortly preceded a favorable settlement of the entire matter.

Confidential Trademark Dispute on behalf of Amazon, Glenn defended online retail giant, Amazon, in a complex trademark dispute. After defeating plaintiff’s request for a preliminary injunction, the case settled confidentially on favorable terms.

BUSINESS DISPUTES

Jasmin Solar Pty Ltd. V. Chinese Equipment Supplier, Glenn represented Australian solar energy company, Jasmin Solar Pty Ltd., in their breach of contract action against a Chinese equipment supplier. After suffering defeats with prior counsel before both an arbitrator and the district court, Bridgman and a team from Susman Godfrey took over the case at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.  A briefing written by Bridgman persuaded Second Circuit to not only  overturn the district court’s previous order confirming arbitration award, but also to vacate entire judgment against Jasmin.

Winthrop Resources v. Ventura County, Glenn represented longtime Susman Godfrey client, Winthrop Resources, in a breach of contract dispute with Ventura County.  The matter successfully resolved after multiple mediations led by Glenn.

Honors and Distinctions
Professional Associations and Memberships

State Bar of California

Los Angeles County Bar Association

Association of Business Trial Lawyers Los Angeles