Jeffrey M. Lenkov
Jeffrey M. Lenkov is the leader of the Entertainment Law, Professional Sports Law, and Retail, Restaurant, and Hospitality Litigation teams. He also chairs the Trucking and Transportation, Catastrophic Liability Defense, Product Liability, Employment Law, and Class Action and Mass Torts Defense teams. Mr. Lenkov has significant employment law experience having defended countless significant EPL matters.
Mr. Lenkov is nationally recognized by many as the lawyer to hire when faced with high-stakes litigation. Fortune 500 companies regularly seek out Mr. Lenkov as their choice of counsel for “bet the house” litigation. He is a certified players' agent with the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA). He represents athletes and sports announcers. Mr. Lenkov is sought by various news media as their goto on-air legal analyst. He often serves as a legal advisor to numerous television productions.
Mr. Lenkov has spent more than two decades litigating on behalf of prominent domestic and international companies including major airlines, as well as business owners, professional sports franchises, world-class athletes, celebrities, and international sports agencies. He regularly defends claims in state and federal court involving aviation law, labor and employment, copyright, trademark, contracts, food-borne illness, and significant injury tort claims involving wrongful death. Mr. Lenkov is also an authority on the common carrier doctrine, having defended many transportation carriers including amusement parks, busing companies, railroads, taxies, airlines, and cruise lines. Mr. Lenkov has overseen product recalls. He has also successfully served as lead counsel in several class action lawsuits arising under FACTA, CLRA, and wage and hour claims. Mr. Lenkov's food- borne illness work includes the management of national food recalls.
As panel counsel to a number of retail and entertainment clients, he has defended a myriad of high-profile cases, ranging from employment, wrongful death, catastrophic loss, and injury, as well as major class actions. Mr. Lenkov has successfully defended executives, CEOs, and other professionals in major professional liability cases as well as errors and omissions matters.
Mr. Lenkov serves as a consultant on a range of risk management issues, including concussion protocol and loss prevention. Mr. Lenkov is recognized as an expert on TBI issues. Mr. Lenkov’s significant appellate experience includes a recent win at the California Supreme Court in Nalwa v. Cedar Fair. This is a seminal case in determining the scope of liability and the assumption of risk for injuries resulting from recreational activities.
Mr. Lenkov has also been involved in numerous transactions in connection with production, distribution, and employment service agreements for entertainment clients. He has negotiated directly with guilds and unions on clients' behalf and drafted comprehensive collective bargaining agreements. Mr. Lenkov has also licensed, assigned, and obtained rights to computer software and interactive media.
Mr. Lenkov has defended airline carriers and airports in matters involving security, assault and battery, general liability, employment, and catastrophic injury. He has handled significant exposure matters and defended a prominent case wherein a professional baseball player was accused of sexual assault of a minor during a cross-country flight on a major carrier.
In addition to his work as a practicing attorney, Mr. Lenkov serves as a volunteer arbitrator/mediator in the Los Angeles Superior Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Program (ADR). He also previously served as a Judge Pro Tem in the Los Angeles Superior Court. His efforts earned him the distinction of receiving the Wiley M. Manuel Award for pro bono legal services.
Mr. Lenkov regularly contributes to the legal field by authoring publications in various media including Verdict Magazine and Los Angeles Lawyer, as well as many newspapers. He provides seminars for clients on various issues, including risk management and strategies for avoiding workplace harassment. Mr. Lenkov is also a sought-after speaker on subjects including developments in class action lawsuits, sexual harassment, social media, California tort law, and how to successfully use ADR. He also serves as an adjunct professor at a prominent Los Angeles law school.
Mr. Lenkov is committed to a variety of civil and charitable endeavors. He advises the L.A. Unified School District on programs to mentor students. He founded a landmark program with the Southern California Big Brothers and Big Sisters, called “Littles in Law,” which introduces disadvantaged teenagers to the practice of law. The goal is to inspire at-risk youth to pursue a career in law or some other highly regarded profession. This popular program received recognition from governors and the California attorney general. Mr. Lenkov also serves on the benefit committee for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation and is on the advisory board to the prestigious Los Angeles Film School. In May 2013, Mr. Lenkov, along with hockey superstar Jaromir Jagr, hosted an event in Boston to honor the Fire and Police first responders to the Boston bombing.
Mr. Lenkov has received the distinction of being named both a Rising Star and Super Lawyer. He has been honored as Lawyer of the Year by his law school. He is a member of the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel, the Sports Lawyer Association, the Los Angeles Bar Association, DRI, the National Retail and Restaurant Defense Association, and the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance.
In 2016, Mr. Lenkov co-created "Hustle & Hurt," a Fox television show starring baseball legends Frank Thomas and Pete Rose. Mr. Lenkov also helped create "Pigskin Preview" on Fox, starring pro football Hall of Famer Jackie Slater and the first Rams quarterback ever to lead the team into the Super Bowl, Vince Ferragamo.
Mr. Lenkov earned his Juris Doctor from the Northern Illinois University College of Law and a Bachelor's degree from McGill University. Mr. Lenkov is a member of the State Bar of California.
Outside of the practice of law, Mr. Lenkov has run with the bulls, jumped out of planes, raced cars, and even appeared on Broadway