Overview
Recognized as one of the best litigators in the country, Julia Strickland leads a broad national practice that focuses on the defense of class actions and other complex actions. Julia is regularly called by world-renowned financial services companies and others when they are confronted with issues that put them at substantial economic and reputational risk.
In addition to her vast experience successfully representing clients through dispositive motion practice, trial and/or appeal, Julia has a deserved reputation for negotiating and structuring settlements of complex and class actions. She is versatile and creative in addressing settlement considerations, both legal and business, and in developing settlement structure options tailored to the client’s unique needs. She also routinely represents companies in compliance counseling, regulatory proceedings, and responding to claims by federal and state regulators and enforcement authorities. Julia’s client list is a “Who’s Who” of financial services companies, including American Express, JPMorgan Chase, Early Warning Services/Zelle, Discover, Citigroup, and Synchrony Bank, among others.
Julia repeatedly has been recognized as a leader in the field. Julia once again received top honors in Chambers USA 2023 with a Band 1 ranking in the Financial Services Regulation: Consumer Finance Litigation–Nationwide category. According to Chambers, “She is one of the pioneers in this space.” She is one of only three attorneys across the country to receive this recognition. A source reported to Chambers, "Julia Strickland is a skilled litigator and is very responsive. She's also very practical-minded when it comes to litigation, which is a huge value to have."
In addition, for more than 16 years running, the Los Angeles Daily Journal has continuously named Julia one of California’s “Top Women Lawyers.” She also was selected by Law360 as a Banking MVP, joining an elite slate of only six lawyers nationally who have distinguished themselves from their peers. The Los Angeles Business Journal has honored Julia for many years as one of its “Leaders of Influence: Top Litigators & Trial Lawyers,” named her one of the “Top Women Attorneys in Los Angeles” from 2018-2022, named her as one of the “Most Influential People” in 2020, 2021 and 2022, recognized her as one of the “Women of Influence” in 2021 and 2022, featured her in its “Leaders in Law,” where she was awarded the publication’s “Lawyers of the Year” honors in 2016 and 2017, and named her to the “LA500” four times. Julia was recognized by leading corporate counsel as a member of the BTI Consulting Group’s “Client Services All-Stars” for her “uncanny ability to anticipate opposing counsel,” as well as being “very customer focused and practical.” She additionally has been repeatedly recognized by Super Lawyers, Benchmark Litigation, the Los Angeles Times, and The Best Lawyers in America.
In addition to her professional achievements, Julia is actively involved in arts organizations, notably serving as a board member of Center Dance Arts, Abraham.in.Motion, Body Traffic, and USC Kaufman School of Dance.
- California
- Supreme Court of California
- Supreme Court of the United States
- US District Court, Central District of California
- US District Court, Northern District of California
- US District Court, Southern District of California
- US District Court, Eastern District of California
- US District Court, Northern District of Illinois
- US Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
- J.D., University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, 1978
- B.A., University of California, San Diego, 1975
Areas of Work
Representative Matters
- Serving as defense counsel for Early Warning Services, LLC (EWS) in multiple putative class actions and individual actions pending in federal district courts across the country with plaintiffs alleging scams and/or fraud and that funds were transferred from their deposit accounts held at third-party banks using Zelle. Specifically, plaintiffs assert various combinations of claims against their banks and/or EWS, including claims under (1) the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1693, et seq.; (2) multiple state statutes prohibiting unfair and deceptive acts and practices, including California’s Unfair Competition Law, Business & Professions Code § 17200, et. seq., California’s False Advertising Law, Business & Professions Code § 17500, et. seq. and under parallel Arizona, New Jersey and Florida law; and (3) various common law theories, including negligence and unjust enrichment. Recently prevailed on a motion to dismiss claims against EWS under multiple theories, including the EFTA.
- Achieved a significant victory on behalf of Chase Bank before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Milgram v. Chase Bank USA, N.A, in a matter alleging Fair Credit Reporting Act violations brought by a plaintiff who claimed identity theft.
- Obtained a precedential ruling in Bortz v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., an action involving an alleged wire fraud scam perpetrated by unknown third-party fraudsters who convinced the plaintiffs to wire funds from their account at Chase to bank accounts in China. Plaintiffs asserted claims against Chase for financial elder abuse under California Welfare & Institutions Code section 15610.30 and for negligence. Plaintiffs appealed the decision and Chase prevailed on the appeal.
- Successfully represented Verizon in obtaining a groundbreaking Ninth Circuit decision relating to appellate review of arbitration orders. Plaintiff asserted various putative class action claims against Verizon relating to warranty coverage that plaintiff purchased when he upgraded his cellular phone. In response, Verizon moved to compel arbitration and to stay proceedings under the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §§ 1-16. The district court granted Verizon’s motion to compel arbitration and stayed the case. Plaintiff thereafter attempted to circumvent the process dictated by the FAA by dismissing the action and noticing an appeal from what plaintiff maintained was a final judgment. Verizon moved to dismiss the appeal, contending that any Ninth Circuit precedent allowing such a procedure was no longer good law given recent Supreme Court jurisprudence. Verizon prevailed and the appeal was dismissed.
- Representing Discover in defending a putative class raising cutting-edge discrimination issues. Plaintiffs assert that Discover violated California and federal law by improperly considering immigration status during its underwriting process.
- Represented a universal bank in three related cases alleging violations of California’s call recording statute, codified under the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), with potentially millions of dollars at stake. Plaintiffs claimed that client improperly recorded telephone conversations with their relatives, all of whom were client’s call center employees at the time. Plaintiffs sought statutory damages of $5,000 for each and every call recording at issue. After client prevailed on summary judgment, two of the cases settled. In the third case, client prevailed following a one-month trial. The trial court’s opinion construing CIPA favorably to the industry was appealed and the California Court of Appeal affirmed.
- Counseled multiple clients on pandemic-related matters, including development and implementation of both voluntary and legally mandated programs to assist customers facing financial hardship; interpretation and application of federal, state and local public health orders; and defense of litigation against a major financial services company arising from Payment Protection Program loans.
- Represented as lead defense counsel, American Express, Citibank, JPMorgan Chase, Discover, and Synchrony among others, in multiple class and individual actions alleging violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), as well as actions challenging various collections practices.
- Successfully represented two major banks in multiple putative class actions and individual cases, all pending in Hawaii state and district courts and arising out of mortgage foreclosures between 2008 and 2011 as a result of the financial crisis. Successfully negotiated confidential settlements for all individual cases, as well as all the putative class claims, in a hostile jurisdiction.
- In important rulings under California law, successfully compelled arbitration in multiple putative consumer class actions, including against JPMorgan Chase and Citibank, challenging the banks’ practices with respect to disclosures in connection with deposit accounts, defeating claims that the relief sought was “public injunctive relief.”
- On an issue of first impression and of importance to retail banks, prevailed on appeal following partial summary judgment on a claim under California’s Identity Theft Act. The Ninth Circuit held that the Identity Theft Act does not apply to claims involving a deposit account because the defendant bank was not a “claimant” under the Act.
- Prevailed at trial on behalf of a major real estate investment fund in a complex real estate dispute regarding ownership of a major hotel. The court earlier granted summary judgment defeating plaintiff’s fraud and negligent misrepresentation claims. The judgment was affirmed on appeal.
- Prevailed on a motion to dismiss in class action brought against PayPal and eBay and thereafter successfully negotiated a nationwide settlement involving over 100 million PayPal account holders in the US. The settlement received final approval, after more than four years of contentious litigation with numerous objectors over the settlement terms.
- Defeated class certification on behalf of JPMorgan Chase in action for violations of various California consumer protection laws in connection with the purchase of Retail Installment Sales Contracts from California automobile dealers.
- Successfully negotiated a settlement with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, resolving an investigation pending for more than four years into a mortgage servicer’s practices concerning pre-foreclosure property preservation and inspection services, title and valuation services, and services related to lender-placed insurance.
Speaking Engagements
- Co-Chair, Practising Law Institute’s Annual Consumer Financial Services Institute, 27 years, most recently in 2023
- Speaker, "Consumer Financial Services: Post-Election Update 2021," Practising Law Institute, March 23, 2021
- Speaker, "2021 Annual Overview of California’s Unfair Competition Law and Consumers Legal Remedies Act," March 4, 2021
- Speaker, “California - Year in Review and a Look Ahead,” December 16, 2020
- Speaker, "Driving Successful Outcomes From Class Action Litigation," ALM's General Counsel Conference, September 16, 2020
- Speaker, "Understanding the Changes to California’s Unfair Competition Law," June 17, 2020
- Moderator, "Public Protection in the Wake of COVID-19: States’ Attorneys General Address Their Initiatives," May 15, 2020
- Speaker, "The CARES Act: Emerging Litigation Risks for the Financial Services Industry," May 6, 2020
- Moderator, "COVID-19's Impact on Consumer Financial Services Litigation," April 29, 2020
- Moderator, "Charging Into the New Decade - A Look at California's Expansive Regulatory Moves," January 23, 2020
- Moderator, "Tales from the Frontline: Sharing Stories on Success, Failures and What Keeps Them Up at Night," Women Leaders in Financial Services Law and Compliance, September 18, 2019
- CSUN Professor for a Day; Business Law, 2017-2019
News & Publications
Client Alerts
California's Unfair Competition Law and Consumers Legal Remedies Act - 2023 Overview
March 25, 2024
By: Julia B. Strickland, Stephen J. Newman, Christopher R. Fredrich, Andrew Owens
Publications
California’s Unfair Competition Law and Consumers Legal Remedies Act 2022 Annual Overview
September 19, 2023
By: Julia B. Strickland, Stephen J. Newman, Christopher R. Fredrich, Andrew Owens
Media Mentions
Julia Strickland Discusses Move to Steptoe with the Los Angeles Business Journal
August 22, 2023
Media Mentions
Media Coverage of Steptoe's Expansion of Financial Services, and Insurance and Reinsurance Teams
July 28, 2023
Events
Seminars & Events
Advertising and Consumer Protection Legal Forum
May 9, 2024
Speakers: Joan Baughan, Eric Berman, Daniel Blynn, Ruxandra Cana, Tod Cohen, Christopher R. Fredrich, Surya Kundu, Joseph McClure, Stephen J. Newman, Jeff Potts, Jennifer Quinn-Barabanov, Daniel C. Rubenstein, Julia B. Strickland, Emily Tifft
Noteworthy
- Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Financial Services Regulation: Consumer Finance (Litigation) Band 1 (2020-2023)
- Best Lawyers in America, Attorney of the Year, Litigation - Banking and Finance (2023)
- Best Lawyers in America, Litigation – Banking & Finance (2010-2023)
- Law360, 2017 Banking MVP
- Benchmark Litigation, Litigation Star, California (2015-2019)
- Benchmark Litigation, Litigation Star, National
- Benchmark Litigation, Top California Litigator
- Benchmark Litigation, Top 250 Women in Litigation, National
- The Los Angeles Business Journal, Top 100 Lawyers (2022-2023)
- The Los Angeles Business Journal, LA500 (2020-2023)
- The Los Angeles Business Journal Women of Influence (2021-2022)
- The Los Angeles Business Journal, The Most Influential People in L.A. (2020-2022)
- The Los Angeles Business Journal, Top Litigators and Trial Lawyers (2019-2022)
- The Los Angeles Business Journal, Most Influential Women Attorneys (2018-2022)
- The Los Angeles Daily Journal, California's "Top Women Lawyers" 16 times, most recently in 2023
- The Los Angeles Business Journal, Lawyers of the Year (2016-2017)
Professional Affiliations
- Board of Councilors, USC Kaufman School of Dance
- Board Member, Abraham.In.Motion
- Board of Directors, Center Dance Arts of the Los Angeles Music Center
- Board of Directors, Body Traffic