Partner
Trial attorney representing design professionals and businesses in professional liability, construction, and commercial litigation.
Devin Murtaugh guides design professional firms and other businesses through complex lawsuits, from initial dispute through trial and appeal. He has tried numerous cases to verdict in courts across Southern California, handling matters that range from multi-party construction defect actions and professional liability claims to inheritance battles, partnership breakups, and commercial real estate disputes.
The second-generation Murtaugh, Devin grew up around A/E litigation and is driven by the firm’s core principles: “Care for the Client” and case evaluation. His evaluative approach is focused on realistically assessing the strengths, risks, and options in each case. His goal is always to find the most efficient path to the client’s best-case outcome.
Devin is active in the design professional community. He regularly lectures on contract negotiation and risk management for AIA Orange County and participates in the ACEC California Attorney’s Roundtable, where he engages with industry leaders on evolving legal and business issues affecting engineers and design firms. He is a member of the Orange County Bar Association and the Association of Business Trial Lawyers.
Successfully defended a $1.7 million claim alleging that the addition of new mechanical units to the roof of a 1950s structure damaged the roof supports. The jury returned a finding of no professional negligence by the engineering team.
Defended against a $20 million claim alleging that partners in an automotive brokerage wrongfully excluded one partner from the purchase of a used vehicle auction platform. The defense proved that the allegedly excluded partner chose not to invest in the opportunity, and also focused on business valuation and demonstrated that certain evidence was fabricated by the plaintiff.
Obtained a defense verdict against a claim for $2.8 million in damages plus 50 percent of a multi-family property, brought by a former partner who for years had failed to communicate with the other co-owners and failed to contribute to the property’s expenses.
A family home in Newport Beach was held in the family trust and split 50/50 between the surviving father and his children. The father also owned a separate condominium. After trial, the court awarded both properties 100 percent to the children. Devin obtained a reversal from the Court of Appeal, and restored 50 percent of the home and condo to the father.
A $770,000 Oklahoma judgment was entered against a client in California. The judgment was based on alleged online defamation of the plaintiff’s Oklahoma business. Devin successfully argued that the fact online statements may have reached some of the plaintiff’s Oklahoma customers was insufficient to enforce the judgment in California.
Devin regularly lectures on contract negotiation and risk management for the AIA Orange County.
2013 Juris Doctorate – Gould School of Law (USC)
2009 Bachelor of Arts, history Historymajor – Vassar College
When he’s not in court, Devin plays and occasionally coaches flag football and is one of the longest-serving captains in Orange County’s Beach City Sports League. He also has two dogs, one cat, and one child; but has not yet figured out which he prefers.
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