- 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.
Cuavas’s 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 for over-billing the government. 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 represents residents of Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, and Virginia in a putative class action against Peloton over allegations that the company overcharged monthly membership subscriptions under the guise of an unlawful sales tax in states where such digital goods are nontaxable. Cuevas has helped develop the case from inception, including identifying potential claims and theories of liability, and drafting the complaint.
Cuevas is also serving as counsel to plaintiffs in a putative consumer fraud class action against Nestle Waters North America in connection with its unlawful mislabeling of Poland Spring 100% Natural Spring Water. She primarily briefed Plaintiffs’ opposition to Nestle’s motion for partial summary judgment, which the Court overwhelmingly denied in 2022, permitting the proposed class to pursue claims and damages dating back to 2003.
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. The Summer Legal Institute is JTB’s cornerstone youth program, a one-week legal immersion program for high school students across the country, which was recently awarded with California LAW’s 2021 Education Pipeline Award. Cuevas is the Committee’s fundraising and mentoring co-chair.
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 and serves as a Board Member of Northwestern Law’s Alumni Club of Los Angeles.
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 in Nashville, Tennessee. She currently lives in Culver City 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. 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. 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*.
Skillern et. al. v. Peloton Interactive (S.D.N.Y) Represents residents of Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, and Virginia in a putative class action against Peloton over allegations that the company overcharged monthly membership subscriptions under the guise of an unlawful “sales tax” in states where such digital goods are nontaxable. Cuevas has helped develop the case from inception, including identifying potential claims and theories of liability, and drafting the complaint.
Mark J. Patane, et al. v. Nestle Waters North America, Inc. (D. Conn.). Represents plaintiffs in a putative consumer fraud class action against Nestle Waters North America in connection with its unlawful mislabeling of Poland Spring 100% Natural Spring Water. Cuevas runs the case on a day-to-day basis, helps manage expert work, and frequently appears before the Magistrate Judge overseeing discovery. She primarily briefed Plaintiffs’ opposition to Nestle’s motion for partial summary judgment, which the Court overwhelmingly denied in 2022, permitting the proposed class to pursue claims and damages dating back to 2003. The case remains ongoing.
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 helped 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.
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 before the motion was decided.
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 for patent infringement in Sony’s PlayStation Now, Remote Play, and SharePlay 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 currently on appeal to the 9th Circuit.
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.
Confidential Cryptocurrency Case. Litigated breach of contract-based case against a lead player in the cryptocurrency space. Secured confidential settlement.
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