Professional Experience
Ms. Wanner is a trial lawyer whose practice focuses on complex business litigation matters. Her clients include household names in a number of industries, including motion picture studios, major gaming companies, independent production companies, advertising agencies, food and beverage companies, consumer product companies, banking institutions, real estate investment and management firms, and insurance companies. She has expertise in the areas of false advertising, trade secret misappropriation, real estate, employment, creditor's rights and bankruptcy and insurance litigation, including bad faith and ERISA cases. In the advertising area, Ms. Wanner has handled Lanham Act false advertising cases and matters before the National Advertising Division.
Within the past two years, Ms. Wanner successfully tried two cases in federal court. She represents her clients in both federal and state court in California and New York.
Ms. Wanner has served as Director of Administration for the Firm's Litigation Division since 2007 and has been actively involved in the Firm's recruiting, training and retention of lawyers and paralegals. Her pro bono work has focused on giving back to the community by working with such organizations as Habitat for Humanity and Inner City Law Center.
Before she began her career at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley and McCloy in New York, Ms. Wanner earned her J.D. at Columbia Law School. Ms. Wanner and her life partner are raising their two young daughters.
Recent Published Decisions
CKE Restaurant v. Jack in the Box, Inc., 494 F. Supp. 2d 1139 (CD Ca. 2007) (successfully defeating motion for preliminary injunction in Lanham Act false advertising case).
Representative Matters
· Counsel in Yamagiwa v. City of Half Moon Bay. Won judgment for $36.8 million in favor of plaintiff landowner in inverse condemnation action against City. (Yamagiwa v. City of Half Moon Bay, 523 F. Supp. 2d 1036 [N.D. Cal. 2007]).
· Lead Counsel in Palm Desert National Bank v. Money Marketing, Inc., representing Palm Desert National Bank in federal district court for the Central District of California, successfully prosecuting multi-million dollar breach of contract and indemnification claims against an ATM manufacturer and service provider.
Memberships & Activities
Director of Administration, Litigation Division, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP.
Member, Board of Directors of KIDSAVE INTERNATIONAL, a not-for-profit organization with a mission to find permanent homes for older children without families both domestically and internationally.
Admitted to practice in California and New York.
Member, American Bar Association.
Member, State Bar of California.
Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association.