John S. Cagan represents clients in complex commercial litigation matters. Prior to joining Hueston Hennigan, Mr. Cagan served as a law clerk to the Hon. Kim McLane Wardlaw of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and as a litigation associate with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP.
Upon graduation from UCLA School of Law, Mr. Cagan was elected to the Order of the Coif and earned Moot Court Honors. While in law school, he served as the editor in chief for the Chicanx-Latinx Law Review and externed for both the Hon. James V. Selna of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and for the Criminal & National Security Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. Mr. Cagan won the Hispanic National Bar Association Vision in Action Uvaldo Herrera National Moot Court Competition and earned Masin Family Excellence Gold and Silver awards for top academic performance.
Mr. Cagan also previously served as an assistant pastor, ministering to underserved communities in Los Angeles and leading humanitarian service trips to Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, the Dominican Republic, and India.
Experience
Representing a Western utility against numerous lawsuits in multiple jurisdictions across Oregon and California arising out of the 2020 Labor Day Fires. The fires burned over 500,000 acres across at least five counties in Oregon and California and allegedly destroyed over 2,000 structures. In five recent damages-only trials in which the utility faced nine-figure damages exposure, persuaded juries to award just a fraction of what the plaintiffs sought. Roles include cross-examining a witness at trial.
Secured a favorable settlement a month before trial for a Western utility in a suit brought by approximately 100 Oregon wineries related to alleged damage caused by the 2020 Labor Day Fires. The settlement was just a fraction of the plaintiffs’ demand.
Representing Amazon.com in a first-of-its-kind suit against Perplexity over its unauthorized use of an AI browser agent. The suit alleges violations of the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and its California analogue. Advising Amazon in district court preliminary injunction proceedings as well as in a Ninth Circuit appeal. (See “Amazon wins order blocking access for Perplexity’s AI shopping ‘agent,’” Reuters).
Representing the former CEO of a publicly traded company in a Government Claims Act dispute against a government agency.