D. JAY RITT
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
After practicing at one of downtown Los Angeles’ preeminent litigation law firms, D. Jay Ritt founded the firm in 1995. Mr. Ritt has achieved the highest possible rating of AV Preeminent in litigation by the peer-reviewed Martindale Hubbell agency, as well as being designated a 2014 Southern California “Super Lawyer” by Los Angeles Magazine and a Top Lawyer by Pasadena Magazine five years running. He aggressively and cost-effectively represents business and individual clients, both defendants and plaintiffs, in the area of civil, business and criminal litigation. Mr. Ritt has more than twenty five years’ litigation experience in the areas of employment, unfair business practices, intellectual property, partnership and corporate dissolution, professional negligence, real estate, breach of contract, fraud and trade secret disputes, as well as criminal defense.
EXPERIENCE
Since graduating from Berkeley School of Law in 1988, Mr. Ritt has handled all phases of civil and criminal litigation. Prior to undertaking his legal career, Mr. Ritt obtained his Bachelors of Arts Degree in English Literature in 1985, graduating cum laude from the University of California, Berkeley.
Mr. Ritt currently represents numerous individual and corporate clients in matters ranging from employment discrimination and ordinary business disputes to capital murder. He has extensive and unique trial, mediation and arbitration experience in both state and federal court. He has appeared before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, before which court he obtained a landmark published opinion on behalf of his client in favor of public employee rights in the First Amendment context, and has appeared before the Second District Court of Appeals for the State of California on many occasions where he has a spotless record of success. He has also successfully petitioned for review to the California Supreme Court and successfully defended matters before the Unites States Supreme Court.
A former Adjunct Professor of Law in Constitutional Law and Criminal Procedure, Mr. Ritt is AV Rated Preeminent, and a Southern California Super Lawyer as well as a consistently recognized leading top lawyer in Pasadena, as ranked by his peers. Additionally, Mr. Ritt is active in the representation of death row inmates and others seeking federal habeas corpus relief.
EDUCATION
Boalt Hall School of Law (J.D., 1988) Letter of Commendation for Brief and Oral Argument, Moot Court; California Law Review, 1986-88.
University of California (B.A. English, 1985) Graduated Cum Laude.
PUBLICATIONS and ACTIVITIES
Adjunct Professor of Constitutional Law at Glendale University College of Law, Constitutional Law (2006-2012) and Criminal Procedure (2011)
BAR ADMISSIONS
California Supreme Court
Federal District Court for the Central, Northern, Southern and Eastern Districts of California
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
BAR ASSOCIATIONS
California State Bar Association
Los Angeles County Bar Association
Pasadena Bar Association