- Northwestern University School of Law (J.D.)
- New York University, Gallatin School of Individualized Study (B.A.)
Jesse-Justin Cuevas represents both plaintiffs and defendants in high stakes, complex commercial litigation across the country. Cuevas has secured landmark wins and settlements for her diverse portfolio of clients, who range from Fortune 100 companies to small businesses and individuals. Her skillset is versatile as well – she has successfully litigated cases related to insurance, product liability, False Claims Act, cryptocurrency, and intellectual property law. The common thread among each of Cuevas’s cases is the confidence she instills in her clients and her instinctive and nimble talent for understanding complex subject matters and intelligibly translating them into facts and arguments to judges, juries, and arbitration panels.
Named a Rising Star of the Plaintiffs Bar by National Law Journal’s Elite Trial Lawyers (2021, ALM), Cuevas served as counsel to the largest political subdivisions in the largest state in the nation—including the University of California system, the California State University system, and the County of Los Angeles—in a landmark suit against the “Big 4” wireless carriers, Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile for over-billing the government. Cuevas led the defensive side of the case, working closely with clients and preparing them for and defending them in many important depositions. On the offensive side, Cuevas elicited critical admissions that led to a major plaintiffs’ ruling. In 2020, a deal worth $175 million was struck to settle the matter (award net of fees and expenses to be determined) – this is California’s second largest False Claims Act settlement in state history outside of the healthcare industry. Read more about the case on Law Street Media and Law360* (*Subscription required).
Cuevas is also part of a team that represents a large international retailer in product liability litigation regarding its sale of plastic gasoline containers manufactured by now-bankrupt Blitz USA. She has handled many key aspects of these cases, including the deposition of a plaintiff, and helped achieve extremely favorable outcomes.
A leader at the firm, Cuevas is currently spearheading two COVID-19-related business interruption insurance litigation putative class actions, Protégé Restaurant Partners LLC v. Sentinel Insurance Co, Ltd. (N.D. Cal.) and Troy Stacy Enterprises Inc., et al v. The Cincinnati Insurance Company, et al. (S.D. Ohio). Both actions concern the respective insurer’s unlawful denial of coverage to business interruption insurance policyholders nationwide who filed insurance claims in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. In the Troy Stacy matter, Cuevas played an integral role in securing case consolidation and Susman Godfrey’s appointment as interim co-lead counsel. In both cases, Cuevas is chiefly responsible for developing trial strategy and overseeing the approximately 1,500 (and growing) cases filed nationwide against various insurers for similar misconduct in these complex and timely lawsuits.
Cuevas is a member of the Steering Committee for Just the Beginning Foundation’s Los Angeles Summer Legal Institute. Just the Beginning’s (JTB) mission is to encourage students of color and from other historically underrepresented groups to pursue career and leadership opportunities in the law. Summer Legal Institute is JTB’s cornerstone youth program, a one-week legal immersion program for high school students across the country. The LA Summer Legal Institute was recently awarded with California LAW’s 2021 Education Pipeline Award.
Cuevas is also Susman Godfrey’s representative in the Association of Business Trial Lawyers’ Young Lawyers Division and the founder and co-chair of the firm’s Mentoring Committee. She is also an active member of the Federal Bar Association.
In her spare time, Cuevas volunteers with Los Angeles Animal Services.
Prior to joining Susman Godfrey, Cuevas served as a federal Law Clerk to Judge Albert Diaz of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and Judge Dolly M. Gee of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
Cuevas received her law degree, magna cum laude, from Northwestern University School of Law, where she served as an Executive Editor of the Northwestern University Law Review and was inducted into the Order of the Coif.
A Los Angeles native, Cuevas grew up primarily in Nashville, Tennessee. She currently lives in Santa Monica with her husband and two dogs.
State of California ex rel. OnTheGo Wireless, LLC et al. v. Cellco P’ship DBA Verizon Wireless et al. (California Superior Court, Sacramento County). Represented the whistleblower and over 30 local government entities in the state of California, (including the CSU system, UC system, and Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange, and San Bernardino Counties) against the nation’s largest cellphone providers (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile) for overcharging. The case settlement for a combined deal valued at $175 million, which is California’s second largest CFCA settlement in state history outside of the healthcare industry. Read more about the case on Law Street Media and Law360*.
Mark J. Patane, et al. v. Nestle Waters North America, Inc. (D. Conn.). Representing a putative consumer fraud class action against Nestle Waters North America in connection with its unlawful mislabeling of Poland Spring Water. The team secured a significant summary judgment ruling in 2020. The case remains ongoing.
PMS Systems Corp. v. Honeywell International Inc. et al. (C.D. Cal.). Defended KBRwyle Technology Solutions, LLC in a complex trade secrets action. Cuevas briefed the team’s motion to dismiss and argued the motion before Judge Kronstadt in federal court. The case was resolved on confidential terms.
Intellectual Pixels Limited v. Sony Interactive Entertainment, LLC (C.D. Cal.). Representing the inventor of five foundational patents in the cloud-gaming and streaming graphics applications space in two lawsuits against Sony Interactive Entertainment for its infringement of the patents in Sony’s PlayStation Now, Remote Play, and Share Play products. The cases are currently stayed for inter-partes review.
Protégé Restaurant Partners LLC v. Sentinel Insurance Co, Ltd. (N.D. Cal.). Leading efforts in representing Protégé Restaurant Partners LLC in a breach of insurance contract class-action suit against Sentinel Insurance Company on behalf of a proposed class of businesses led by Protégé Restaurant Partners, a Michelin-starred restaurant located in Palo Alto, California. The proposed class seeks damages and injunctive relief arising from Sentinel’s refusal to pay COVID-19-related business interruption claims as required by the insurance policies it sold to the plaintiff and other policyholders. The case is in early stages.
Troy Stacy Enterprises Inc., et al v. The Cincinnati Insurance Company, et al. (S.D. Ohio). Representing Troy Stacy Enterprises in an insurance dispute against The Cincinnati Insurance Company over allegations of unlawful denial of coverage to business interruption insurance policyholders nationwide who filed insurance claims in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. Cuevas and her team won a motion to consolidate several cases pending against the insurer in the Southern District of Ohio and were appointed Interim Co-Lead Class Counsel. As Interim Co-Lead, Cuevas penned an amicus brief in opposition to certification of a state question of law to the Ohio Supreme Court in connection with a related case pending against the insurer in the Northern District of Ohio. Click here to learn more.
Shellie Lynne West Hodges et al. v. Walmart, Inc. et al. (D.S.C.). Cuevas helped defend Walmart in a product liability action alleging that a plastic gasoline container manufactured by now-bankrupt Blitz USA was defective and caused plaintiffs’ injuries. Cuevas handled several key depositions, including one of the plaintiffs who brought suit.
Grubbs v. Walmart Stores, Inc. (D.S.C.). Cuevas helps defend Walmart in a product liability action alleging that a plastic gasoline container manufactured by now-bankrupt Blitz USA was defective and caused plaintiff’s injuries.
Confidential Cryptocurrency Case. Litigated breach of contract-based case against a lead player in the cryptocurrency space. Secured confidential settlement.