Bentley P. Stansbury III

Partner

Long Beach, CA

562.366.1651

bstansbury@stradley.com

FOCUS

Appellate

Employment & Labor

Financial Services Litigation

Litigation

Real Estate Litigation

Securities Litigation & Enforcement

Trusts, Estates & Personal Planning

BAR ADMISSIONS

California

Washington

COURTS

U.S. Court of Appeals for the

Ninth Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Central District

of California

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District

of California

U.S. District Court for the Southern

District of California

U.S. District Court for the District

of Oregon

U.S. District Court for the Southern

District of New York

U.S. District Court for the Western

District of Washington

EDUCATION

J.D., University of Southern California

Gould School of Law

B.A., cum laude, University of California,

Berkeley

Focusing on financial services litigation, Bentley Stansbury regularly handles

proceedings in state court, federal court and in arbitration. Bentley represents

clients in securities, employment, commercial, real estate and probate disputes.

He has secured defense verdicts on behalf of broker-dealers, registered

investment advisers, clearing firms, investment banks and individual financial

advisers.

In connection with his representation of financial institutions, Bentley has

defended claims relating to regulatory/self-regulatory organization rule

violations, Ponzi schemes, alternative investments and clearing firm liability. He

also defends clients in employment disputes, and has handled claims related to

harassment, discrimination, misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of

contract, whistleblower, retaliation and wrongful termination.

More broadly, Bentley represents individual and institutional clients across a

range of sectors in single-plaintiff and complex commercial litigation. He has

brought suit related to and defended clients against claims arising from real

estate transactions, commercial contracts and business-to-business disputes.

Bentley also advises third parties in handling subpoenas and navigating discovery-

related issues. He has argued on behalf of clients in state and federal court —

including at the appellate level — and in arbitration before JAMS, the American

Arbitration Association (AAA) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority

(FINRA).

Bentley also provides representation to his financial services clients arising out of

probate and divorce proceedings.

RESULTS*

 Represented ﬁnancial services ﬁrms in more than 150 arbitraons ﬁled

before FINRA, AAA and/or JAMS.

 Obtained moon for directed verdict on behalf of a broker-dealer client

following the close of the claimant’s evidence in a seven-ﬁgure

arbitraon claim brought by a customer alleging that investments

recommended to her were unsuitable.

 Successfully defended an investment advisory ﬁrm against claims under

the Investment Advisers Act brought by high net-worth investors seeking

millions in damages as a result of allegedly inappropriate investment

recommendaons.

Bentley P. Stansbury III

Page 2

 Successfully defended a broker-dealer in arbitraon against a claim

brought by a former ﬁnancial adviser who alleged the ﬁrm failed to

provide adequate noce of trade restricons.

 Successfully defended a Fortune 500 ﬁnancial services company in a

compeve claim against a registered investment adviser arising out of

claims relang to violaon of a non-compeon agreement and the

Uniform Trade Secrets Act.

 Successfully defended an investment bank against claims by a former

employee relang to alleged entlement to bonus payments stemming

from closed private equity transacons.

 Successfully defended a ﬁntech company in claims brought by a former

customer in FINRA arbitraon relang to allegedly fraudulent banking

transacons.

 Successfully obtained summary judgment in the U.S. District Court for the

Central District of California based on an interpretaon of a California

statute relang to homeowners, then successfully argued to the U.S.

Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to sustain the dismissal of the

lawsuit.

 Successfully defended one of the world’s largest lenders in connecon

with claims arising out of mortgage transacons before a Superior Court

judge in California.

 Tried a $35 million claim to jury in California ﬁled on behalf of an oil

company against a plant operator relang to allegedly negligent work in

connecon with a reﬁnery ﬁre.

 Obtained dismissal of a $6 million arbitraon claim against a broker-

dealer as a sancon for repeated discovery violaon.

 Obtained pre-hearing dismissal of an arbitraon claim based on statutory

violaons by the claimant.

 Defended an investment bank in Los Angeles Superior Court against a

claim by a Belize-based company alleging negligent and intenonal

interference with a business relaonship.

 Defended a Fortune 500 ﬁnancial services company in a mass acon

pending arbitraon relang to alternave investments made by investors

across the United States.

*Includes representations prior to joining Stradley Ronon.

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

 Panelist, “Arbitrang in the FINRA Forum,” SIFMA C&L Annual Seminar

PUBLICATIONS

 Author, “Is Your Deposion Subpoena Enforceable Under California

Law?” Daily Journal

RECOGNITIONS

 The Lawdragon 500 Leading Ligators in America

 Southern California Super Lawyers

Bentley P. Stansbury III

Page 3

IN THE COMMUNITY

Bentley raises awareness of mental health issues on behalf of the National

Association of Mental Illness (NAMI).