Dimitri has a broad range of legal experience, spanning from litigation to business transactions, in both corporate and law firm settings. He began his career handling general civil litigation and administrative hearings for medical professionals, before moving to a firm focused on employment litigation defense, primarily for the City of Los Angeles, where he managed large collective actions for overtime pay. Dimitri then served as in-house counsel at Scripps Research, a renowned bioscience institute, and later as general counsel for companies in the biotechnology, apparel, software, and other technology sectors.
- Obtained a 3-0 victorious appeal of a Motion for Summary Judgment for a Plaintiff’s family in a drunk driving wrongful death lawsuit related to application of the Special Risk exception to the Going and Coming Rule in a vicarious liability case. The Appeals Court in San Diego agreed that if the risk arises in the workplace, then liability persists until it dissipates, even if the harm results in a location outside the workplace. Proximate cause and defenses thereto such as superseding causes must be submitted to the jury. The case proceeded to trial and a settlement. Purton v. Marriot International 218 Cal.App.4th 499.
- Won a favorable comparative negligence settlement on the eve of trial for a Plaintiff in a personal injury case where client made a left turn and ended up with multiple hip fractures. Insurance co said it was Plaintiff’s fault since she had the burden of ensuring she could make a safe turn. However, our client alleged Defendant driver of the taxi cab was speeding and trying to beat a yellow light. The cab contained a video recording device which Defendant claimed was corrupted and unreadable. We deposed the manufacturer of the recording device who asserted that a corrupted video device would have been making a loud beeping sound the entire time and our expert demonstrated that Defendant would not have hit Plaintiff if he was not speeding.
- Handled contracts and litigation for a high profile celebrity treading with a delicate consideration of press exposure and complex relations of the parties involved.
Admissions
- California
- U.S. District Court, Southern and Central District of California
Education
- J.D., University of Southern California, 2003
- B.A., History, cum laude, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), 1996