José R. Allen has extensive experience in complex litigation in federal and state courts and he has represented clients in a wide variety of cases. His litigation practice emphasizes environmental matters, toxic torts, securities issues, and unfair business practices under California Business and Professions Code § 17200.

Mr. Allen has represented numerous major public corporations in enforcement actions brought by federal and state agencies alleging violations of environmental laws. He has also defended major companies against suits under the Superfund law to recover cleanup costs and natural resource damages resulting from contaminated sites, and in lawsuits brought under California Proposition 65 and California Business and Professions Code § 17200. In addition, Mr. Allen has defended companies against a wide variety of consumer class actions.

Significant cases that Mr. Allen has handled include:

Skold v. Intel - Putative class action challenging the marketing of the Pentium 4® microprocessor.

Lebrilla v. Farmers - Defense of an insurance company in a multistate class action regarding the use of non-OEM parts to repair damaged cars and trucks.

United States v. Montrose Chemical Corporation, et al. - Representation of a company in $1 billion natural resource damages suit brought by the federal government and the state of California. This is the largest natural resource damages case ever filed by the United States.

United States v. Operating Industries, Inc. - Representation of companies in suit by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to recover the costs of cleaning up the Operating Industries Superfund Site in Southern California.

In re Worldcom, Inc. Securities Litigation - Defense of underwriters of more than $15 billion of WorldCom, Inc. debt securities in numerous lawsuits brought throughout the United States by purchasers of WorldCom bonds.

Mr. Allen also has considerable experience in international environmental matters. In 1999, he was nominated by the Secretary General of the United Nations to serve as a commissioner on the United Nations Compensation Commission. The commission was established by the United Nations Security Council to provide a mechanism for countries, businesses and individuals to obtain compensation from Iraq for damages suffered as a result of Iraq’s invasion and occupation of Kuwait in 1990. Mr. Allen served on a panel that has been responsible for hearing and resolving over $48 billion in claims by governments against Iraq for environmental and natural resource damages resulting from the war.

Mr. Allen has lectured frequently on environmental litigation and trial practice and has written course materials on the subject of environmental litigation. He also is active in a number of pro bono matters and serves as an advisor for the Skadden Fellowship Foundation.