James M. Burgess is a partner in the firm's Century City office and is the Team Leader of the Business Trial Group's Consumer Class Action Team. Mr. Burgess represents businesses in all phases of commercial litigation, including through trial and appeal.  He specializes in class actions and cases under the Unfair Competition Law (Business and Professions Code Section 17200), and he speaks and writes frequently on those issues.  Mr. Burgess also handles disputes concerning merger agreements and asset purchase agreements. His cases typically involve allegations of breach of contract and commercial torts such as fraud and interference with contract.  He has successfully handled a wide variety of cases, including cases under the Americans with Disabilities Act and California's Unruh Civil Rights Act, intellectual property disputes, including trade secret, copyright, trademark and idea submission cases, insurance bad faith, breach of warranty, product defect, leasing and real estate disputes.