Leo P. Norton

LEO NORTON is a class action, commercial, and appellate litigator who represents technology, consumer products, life science, banking and finance, distribution, clothing and apparel, sports, and retail companies in crucial, complex disputes. Leo defends businesses, universities, and athletic companies against alleged consumer fraud and deception, product defect and warranty, contract, pricing and promotion, privacy, wage and hour, and discrimination class actions filed in California federal and state courts asserting nationwide and California statewide classes.

Leo is a trusted authority and strategist for class actions and complex commercial disputes. He has defended hundreds of consumer class actions under a wide variety of consumer protection statutes, including the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act (Civil Code § 1750 et seq.), California Unfair Competition Law (Business & Professions Code § 17200 et seq.), California False Advertising Law (Business & Professions Code § 17500 et seq.), California Song-Beverly Credit Card Act (Civil Code § 1747.08), California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) for alleged violations of 15 U.S.C. § 1681c(g) of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act, Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq.), and federal and state laws regarding hidden or junk fees. Leo also defends companies facing class actions, individual lawsuits, or pre-litigation demand letters under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California Unruh Act. A thought leader in his field, Leo has presented on emerging trends in consumer mass actions, with a focus on analyzing and contrasting the risks of class actions and mass arbitration. He also has extensive experience representing companies, universities, and athletic conferences in a wide variety of commercial and complex high-stakes disputes, including cases involving claims for breach of contract, breach of warranty, fraud, negligence, products liability, indemnity, and unjust enrichment. He also represents employers in workplace law matters, including California wage and hour, Private Attorneys General Act, and discrimination class and representative actions.

Leo has also represented clients in various types of civil writs and appeals in federal and California appellate courts as party and amicus counsel, resulting in several published decisions.

Consumer Protection, Advertising, and Product

• Nationwide class actions alleging false or deceptive advertising.
• Nationwide class actions involving product defects and claims for breach of express, implied, and statutory warranties.
• Nationwide class actions involving cosmetic, food, and beverage advertising, including efficacy of ingredients claims.
• Nationwide class actions challenging pricing practices, including hidden fees, across e-commerce platforms and brick-and-mortar retail stores.
• Nationwide and California class actions brought under the Consumers Legal Remedies Act, Unfair Competition Law, and False Advertising Law.
• Nationwide gift card class actions under the federal Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act (CARD) and state gift card statutes.

Privacy

• California class actions under the Song-Beverly Credit Card Act relating to the collection of personal information.
• California class actions asserting violations of the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA).
• State Attorneys General investigations and enforcement actions.

Employment

• Wage-and-hour class actions under California law alleging off-the-clock work, unpaid overtime, meal and rest period violations, wage statement violations, unreimbursed expenses, sick pay issues, rounding, and untimely payment of wages.
• Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) representative actions.
• Discrimination and harassment (age, race, sex, gender, disability) class and individual actions.

Accessibility and Higher Education

• Federal and state class actions brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California Unruh Act.
• Nationwide class actions representing higher education institutions in matters connected to representations relating to certifications or accreditation, late fees, and government-mandated periods of remote learning.

The above matters were handled prior to joining Sidley.

• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, San Diego County Bar Association