Larry Russ is a founding partner and co-head of the litigation department of Russ August & Kabat. As an active trial attorney, Larry has focused on trademark, copyright, patent, business torts, trade regulation, advertising law and complex litigation. Larry has also worked extensively on antitrust and unfair competition matters.
Directly after being admitted to the California Bar in 1978, Larry launched his career by successfully challenging Levi-Strauss & Co’s resale price maintenance program related to men’s jeanswear in Levi Strauss & Co. v. Federated Pants, et al., 1979-2 Trade Cases #62,727 (C.D. Cal. 1979).
In 1981, as co-lead trial counsel, Larry achieved a multi-million dollar jury verdict in one of the first private Section 7 Clayton Act cases that directed Pillsbury Flour Co. to divest itself of Wilton, Inc., a dominant cake decorating equipment specialty firm.
Throughout his career, Larry has successfully represented clients in the direct marketing industry and the apparel industry. Larry also has extensive experience representing clients in the home entertainment, technology and communications sectors, including video game hardware manufacturers, computer software developers, electronic toy makers and wireless communications companies.
In 1985, Larry obtained the highest Superior Court sanctions award in California history in connection with his representation of plaintiffs in a complex Malibu real estate fraud matter in which the trial judge delivered a seven-figure verdict and awarded punitive damages.
In 2002, Larry negotiated a highly publicized settlement on behalf of Yodeler Wylie Gustafson against Yahoo. Gustafson, who had recorded a single yodel for a Yahoo radio commercial, filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Yahoo after the company began using Gustafson’s distinctive and unique yodel as the company’s audible signature on a myriad of company products and releases.
Larry represented the prevailing parties in several major apparel cases. In 2010, Larry successfully defended Forever 21 in a copyright and trade dress infringement action filed by Express. Larry obtained Summary Judgment in Forever 21’s favor, as well as an award of attorney fees.
In 2016, Larry was lead Class counsel in Perkins, et al, v LinkedIn, a privacy class action challenging LinkedIn’s ubiquitous ad- connection emails. The Class was approved and LinkedIn agreed to modify its practices and pay the Class $13,000,000+.
More recently, Larry has been re-focusing his attention on consulting with established and emerging companies in connection with e-commerce, financing, expansion, mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, strategic alliances and intellectual property issues. Along with the new chair of the Mergers & Acquisition Department, Christine Shin, Larry is tasked with the mission of building a pre-eminent M&A team rivaling the talent and depth of knowledge of big law M&A departments.
In addition to his law practice, Larry is the past President and a member of the Board of Directors of the Jewish National Fund Los Angeles zone. Larry is also involved as a principal of several well-known Los Angeles apparel companies including world renowned retailer, American Rag Cie. In 2014, Larry/ American Rag Cie was selected as a finalist by the Los Angeles Business Journal at the prestigious Southern California Apparel Awards, and WeAr Magazine, a world-renowned international magazine focusing on the apparel industry, announced that American Rag Cie was voted as the best retail denim store in the world.
Larry is also active in helping emerging and troubled companies raise funds. For a number of years, Larry served as an associate editor of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers quarterly publication. He is an active member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, Litigation, Antitrust and Intellectual Property Law Sections as well as an active member of the American Bar Association Antitrust and Intellectual Property Law Sections.
Larry was recognized as a Super Lawyer by the Publishers of Los Angeles Magazine from 2008-2026. From 2013-2026, Larry was recognized as a Southern California Top 100 Super Lawyer. Larry was also recognized among The Best Lawyers In America list for Patent Litigation from 2012-2026. From 2024-2026 he was named a “Legal Visionary” in the LA Times B2B’s Business of Law: Updates, Trends, & Visionaries Magazine. Larry was selected to The American Lawyer’s Top Rated IP Lawyers list in 2015.