Overview
Named to the Los Angeles Daily Journal's list of Top Women Lawyers in 13 out of the last 14 years, Robyn is a trial lawyer focusing on commercial disputes. She serves as regional managing partner for California.
Robyn represents individuals, multinational corporations, municipalities, and small businesses. She has experience in provisional and preliminary remedies, pleading attacks, and motions for summary adjudication and summary judgment. Clients rely on her strategic and trial skills across a variety of practice areas when their matters call for a first-chair trial lawyer who uses all of the litigation tools to pursue favorable resolutions.
Her matters have included professional negligence disputes, including the defense of an AmLaw 50 law firm in several different disputes. Robyn's client was granted summary judgment in three such cases and she defended those orders on appeal. Robyn has also represented plaintiffs asserting professional negligence claims against attorneys and accountants from time to time, and her well-rounded understanding of the landscape of such claims helps her develop creative and effective approaches to those cases.
Robyn also has particular experience in employee mobility and trade-secret matters, copyright enforcement and contractual disputes. Her cases have involved civil trials and arbitration before various tribunals, including JAMS, AAA, FINRA and various state and federal courts. In the financial services industry, Robyn regularly represents Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. in disputes with registered investment advisors about a variety of contractual and regulatory matters.
She has also successfully litigated intellectual property disputes. For example, in 2016, Robyn won summary judgment for the former owners of Nylon magazine against claims that they had wrongfully sold assets to a third party. Robyn also obtained preliminary injunctions on behalf of a boutique handbag manufacturer against knockoffs offered by a competitor. In 2013, she successfully defended Old Navy in a trademark infringement trial where the plaintiff sought over $1 billion in damages. She also represented Obey Clothing, an exclusive licensee of artist Shepard Fairey, in a copyright infringement case brought by the Associated Press relating to his "Hope" poster created for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential run.
Robyn clerked for the Hon. Gary L. Taylor in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
- California
- US District Court, Central District of California
- US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- Hon. Gary L. Taylor, US District Court, Central District of California, 1996-1997
- J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, magna cum laude; Order of the Coif
- B.A., University of California, Los Angeles, Political Science
Areas of Work
Representative Matters
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Obtained eight-figure arbitration award representing 100% of damages, interest, fees, and costs sought for multinational company against an international conglomerate after a three-week trial.
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Represented EVOX Productions LLC, a producer of high-quality automotive images, in copyright infringement action against KAYAK arising from the unauthorized use of EVOX's photographs on KAYAK's mobile application. A confidential settlement agreement was reached on the eve of trial.
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In two separate FINRA arbitrations, obtained awards of full rescissions of transactions plus more than 98 percent of attorneys' fees and costs requested against E*Trade Securities.
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Obtained a writ of supersedeas staying preliminary injunction on behalf of entrepreneurs challenging enforceability of noncompetition clauses.
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Obtained summary judgment for Academy Award-winning actor Robert De Niro in a fraud lawsuit filed against him by Fireman's Fund Insurance Company.
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Obtained judgment on the pleadings for a top international law firm in a legal malpractice lawsuit.
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Obtained summary judgment in an idea-theft case under California law arising out of the plaintiffs' claim that her client misappropriated their idea for a television show (which became a popular network television series).
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Obtained summary disposition (similar to summary judgment) of claims asserted in arbitration proceeding for breach of contract and interference with potential economic relations in a dispute involving rights to a well-known television series and character.
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Obtained voluntary dismissal of individual producer client, and summary judgment on behalf of another individual producer client, in action for breach of contract, trademark and copyright infringement, transfer of ownership of Internet domain names, and claims for intentional interference with existing and prospective contracts in a dispute over rights associated with a syndicated television series.
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Obtained summary judgment for a group of doctors who were former members of a partnership in an action by a financing company to enforce a note signed by the partnership. Defended the judgment before the California Court of Appeal and collected attorneys' fees from the opposing party.
Speaking Engagements
- "A Decade After A Call To Action: Where Are We Now," Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, May 2, 2019
News & Publications
Press Releases
Steptoe Recognized by ACLU Foundation of Southern California with Advocates for Justice Award
May 9, 2025
Press Releases
Los Angeles Business Journal Names Robyn Crowther to 'Top 100 Lawyers 2025' List
April 23, 2025
Press Releases
Steptoe Advises ARRAY Alliance, Inc. in Pioneering Financing Model for Ava DuVernay's 'Origin'
December 8, 2023
Press Releases
July 25, 2023
Press Releases
Daily Journal Names Robyn Crowther to ‘Top Women Lawyers’ List for 15th Time
June 21, 2023
Publications
Issuer Risks to Address in Private Securities Transactions
Law360
March 20, 2023
By: Robyn C. Crowther, Nathaniel Kritzer, Meghan L. Newcomer, Joseph M. Sanderson
Press Releases
Daily Journal Names Robyn Crowther to ‘Top Women Lawyers’ List for 14th Time
May 25, 2022
Events
Seminars & Events
Global Trade and Enforcement Symposium in Hong Kong
June 1, 2023
Speakers: Renato Antonini, Yongqing Bao, Brigida Benitez, Brian G. Burke, Ali Burney, Henry Cao, John Caracappa, Boyd Cloern, Robyn C. Crowther, Brian J. Fleming, Coy Garrison, Zoey Hong, Stanley C. Kuo, Amy J. Lentz, Michelle L. Levin, Patrick F. Linehan, Jamie Lucia, Alexandra Melia, Cáitrín McKiernan, Eva Monard, Darryl Nirenberg, Gwendolyn Prothro Renigar, Angus Rodger, Guy Soussan, David M. Stetson, Grace Wang, Philip R. West, Charles Whiddington, Wendy Wysong, Lin Yang, Bo Yue, Wilson Zhao
Webinars
Communicating in a Crisis: Best Practices for Privilege and Position Preservation
June 16, 2020
Speakers: Robyn C. Crowther, Charles A. Michael, Chris Paparella, Gwendolyn Prothro Renigar
Noteworthy
- Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation (2021-2022)
- Daily Journal, Top 100 Lawyers (2019-2022)
- The Recorder, California Trailblazers (2020)
- Los Angeles Business Journal, Leaders in Law (2019-2020)
- Los Angeles Business Journal, Top Litigators & Trial Lawyers (2019-2020)
- Los Angeles Business Journal, Women of Influence: Attorneys (2021)
- Legal 500 US, Dispute Resolution: General Commercial Disputes (2019-2020)
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Los Angeles Business Journal, Most Influential Women Attorneys (2018)
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Daily Journal, Top Women Lawyers (2008, 2010–2021)
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Daily Journal, Top 75 Women Litigators (2008)
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Los Angeles Business Journal, Most Influential Intellectual Property Attorneys (2017)
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Super Lawyers, Southern California, General Litigation (2010–2025)
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Super Lawyers, Southern California, "Rising Star" (2005-2009)
Professional Affiliations
- Board of Directors, Public Counsel (2020)
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Lawyer Representative, Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference (2020)
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Member of the Lawyers Committee hosting the 2019 meeting of the National Association of Women Judges
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Member, Women's Law Association of Los Angeles (WLALA); Joint Task Force on the Retention of Women in the Law; Board of Governors (2011–2015); Co-Chair, Litigation Committee (2011–2015)
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Member, Association of Business Trial Lawyers (ABTL); Board of Governors (2012–2016); Co-Chair, ABTL's Court's Committee (2014–2015); Co-Chair, ABTL Lunch Program (2015–2016)
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Member, American Bar Association
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Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association