I have assisted clients in resolving numerous types of legal issues prior to litigation, in trial court and regulatory proceedings, and on appeal.  I have assisted clients in state and federal court, administrative proceedings, and arbitrations. I have appeared in state or federal courts in Utah, Idaho, California, Colorado, Texas, North Dakota, and Florida.  I have litigated and resolved numerous types of claims, including shareholder disputes, mortgage fraud claims, real property disputes, employment disputes, corporate governance disputes, financial fraud claims, bankruptcy recovery claims, fraudulent transfer claims, trade secret claims, state and federal securities law claims, contract claims, construction claims, water law claims, and many others.  Here are a few examples:

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• Defended and resolved on behalf of majority shareholders multiple lawsuits seeking to dissolve closely-held corporations on the grounds of shareholder oppression.

• Obtained $1.9 million settlement on behalf of plaintiffs in a securities fraud lawsuit.

• Obtained dismissal in a FINRA arbitration trial of multi-million dollar claims brought by a customer against a securities broker dealer based upon the alleged failure to execute trades.

• Obtained dismissal in an arbitration trial of large claims brought by a customer against a foreign currency dealer.

• After defeating a motion seeking the appointment of a receiver and to restrain a company from operating, successfully negotiated a settlement resulting in dismissal of all claims against the company with no payment required from the company.

• Obtained dismissal of claims against an insurance agency in state and federal courts in which plaintiffs sought to make the agency liable for an agent’s alleged financial fraud.

• Successfully defended an SEC investigation on behalf of client.

• Successfully resolved claims brought by the state department of securities.

• Obtained on summary judgment revocation of the conveyance of a luxury home in Cedar City to a trust.

• Obtained dismissal on summary judgment of claims brought against a water conversancy district based upon alleged failure to provide water service to a member of an irrigation company.

• Successfully tried claims for resulting and constructive trust against real property in bankruptcy court on behalf of a bankruptcy trustee.

• Represented bankruptcy trustees in numerous bankruptcy cases and adversary proceedings, including claims to avoid fraudulent or preferential transfers of property.

• Obtained dismissal of federal securities law claims against an accounting firm based upon the pleading requirements of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act.

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Reported Decisions

• First Security Bank v. Styler (In Re Peterson Distributing), 147 B.R. 248 (D. Utah 1992)

• Styler v. Landmark (In Re Peterson Distributing), 197 B.R. 919 (D. Utah 1996)

• Styler v. Conoco (In Re Peterson Distributing), 176 B.R. 384 (Bankr. D. Utah 1996)

• Styler v. Jean Bob, Inc. (In Re Concept Clubs), 154 B.R. 581 (D. Utah 1993)

• Slattery v. Covey & Co., 857 P.2d 743 (Utah Ct. App. 1993)

• Holm v. Smilowitz, 840 P.2d 157 (Utah Ct. App. 1992)

• Shar’s Cars, LLC v. Elder, 97 P.3d 724 (Utah Ct. App. 2004)

• Berrios-Bones v. Nexidis, LLC, 2007 U.S. Dist. Lexis 80283 (D. Utah Oct. 30, 2007)

• SEC v. Smart, 2011 U.S. Dist. Lexis 61134 (D. Utah June 6, 2011)

• Padilla v. Winger, 2012 U.S. Dist. Lexis 56688 (D. Utah Apr. 20, 2012)

• Western Utah Copper Co. v. Bridge Loan Capital Fund, LP, 2011 U.S. Dist. Lexis 1249 (D. Utah Jan. 6, 2011)

• Christy Sports, LLC v. Deer Valley Resort Co., Ltd, 555 F.3d 1188 (10th Cir. 2009)

• In re Atlas Mining Co. Securities Litigation, 670 F. Supp.2d 1128 (D. Idaho 2009)

• Free Motion Fitness, Inc. v. Wells Fargo Bank West, NA, 2009 UT App 120, 208 P.3d 1066