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Emily Birdwhistell

Emily graduated from Vassar College in 2002 with B.A. in English Literature. After taking a year off to ride horses, she attended the Georgetown University Law Center. While at Georgetown, she participated in two clinical programs. She taught a year-long Street Law class at a public high school in Washington, D.C. over the course of her second year. And during her third year, Emily participated in the Family Advocacy Clinic representing parents in special education proceedings against the District of Columbia Public Schools. Emily was also an active member of the Georgetown Gilbert and Sullivan Society and a volunteer for the Thurgood Marshall Academy Law Days.

She graduated in 2006 on the Dean’s List and received the Dean’s Certificate for Outstanding Contribution to the school.

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Spillane Shaeffer Aronoff Bandlow LLP is a business litigation law firm. We try cases in federal, state, administrative and private tribunals nationwide.

Our practice is driven by success. Trials are what distinguish our lawyers. Whether the dispute involves issues of antitrust, entertainment, intellectual property, products liability, complex corporate transactions or environmental disputes, Spillane Shaeffer Aronoff Bandlow LLP’s trial experience transcends law firms ten times our size. We are also experienced in arguing and winning cases on appeal.

We leverage our in-house litigation technology to manage and present data more nimbly than our largest competitors. Having mastered the case, we persuade the judge or jury with the most powerful points rather than exhaust them with excessive detail. Our ability to think beyond convention — outside the box — empowers our creative solutions.

who we are

Spillane Shaeffer Aronoff Bandlow LLP is a business litigation law firm. We try cases in federal, state, administrative and private tribunals nationwide.

Amber Henry

Amber Henry joined SSAB in 2007. She graduated with Highest Distinction from the University of Kansas in 2003 with a B.A. in Political Science. After graduating from college, Amber moved to California to attend Pepperdine University School of Law. While at Pepperdine, Amber was a Teaching Assistant for a First Year Legal Research and Writing class and worked for the Honorable Susan Bryant-Deason of the Los Angeles Superior Court. Amber was an active member of Law Review and during her third year of law school was selected as a Lead Articles Editor. Amber graduated from Pepperdine cum laude in 2006.

J.D., cum laude, Pepperdine University School of Law, 2006.

Jeff Grant

Jeff Grant litigates all varieties of civil matters, including complex business, technology and entertainment disputes.

Before joining Spillane Shaeffer Aronoff Bandlow LLP, Jeff was an associate at O’Donnell Shaeffer Mortimer LLP. While at O’Donnell Shaeffer, Jeff managed high-profile matters including product liability, contract and intellectual property lawsuits. Jeff played a significant role in representing Pfizer Inc in product liability lawsuits brought by users of the type-two diabetes drug Rezulin®, as well as defending ConocoPhillips in a lawsuit brought by another oil company concerning the sale of a refinery.

Jeff later worked as an associate at Brown, Raysman, Millstein, Felder & Steiner. While at Brown Raysman, Jeff litigated technology related matters including patent infringement lawsuits, claims for Internet advertising fraud and trademark violation claims. Jeff worked on a number of issues concerning immerging technology and co-authored “Click Fraud: Impending Judgments Could End Scams, Reform Online Ad Industry, Electronic Commerce & Law Report, (Vol. 11, No. 12, 3/22/06), p.336.

Jeff attended the University of Iowa College of Law, where he was on the Moot Court Board and active with the Journal of Corporation Law. Jeff received his J.D. with high honors in 2001. Jeff received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Northern Iowa in 1998.

J.D., High Honors, University of Iowa College of Law, 2001

John Shaeffer

John Shaeffer joined Spillane Shaeffer Aronoff Bandlow LLP in 2006 as managing partner. Previously John co-founded the firm of O’Donnell Shaeffer Mortimer LLP with noted trial attorney Pierce O’Donnell, and as managing partner grew their highly-successful firm from six to 26 attorneys, growing revenues and profits exponentially.

John’s career has been unusually varied but punctuated by significant trial experience. Having litigated some of this nation’s largest and most challenging antitrust, product liability, intellectual property and environmental cases in both state and federal court, John brings a unique perspective to any litigation.

John has excelled in creating rapid response teams who have successfully prepared for trial in foreign jurisdictions and seamlessly presented a case to a jury. While the presentation to the judge and jury is what garners the attention, John understands that it is in the marshalling of the evidence into a compelling story that determines whether a case is won or lost.

Litigation must fit within the strategic plan of a company. John never loses sight that someone is paying for his time. He takes pride in ensuring that his clients understand not only the range of potential outcomes of their litigation, but also the transaction expense associated with each strategic approach. John has pioneered a variety of budgeting and alternative billing arrangements to effectively meet client needs and expectations.

John has written and published extensively in a variety of areas. John teaches New Media Law at Santa Clara School of Law and frequently lectures on a variety of topics.

J.D., magna cum laude, University of Santa Clara School of Law 1988.

Lincoln Bandlow

Lincoln D. Bandlow practices sophisticated business litigation and specializes in litigating Media, First Amendment, Intellectual Property and other entertainment-related matters. Prior to joining Spillane Shaeffer Aronoff Bandlow LLP, Lincoln was a partner in the law firm of Leopold, Petrich & Smith, P.C., where he represented clients in the motion picture, television, publishing, broadcasting and advertising fields. In addition, Lincoln has represented several of the principal underwriters for the entertainment industry.

Prior to joining LP&S, he was in the Legal Affairs Department for The Carsey-Werner Company, a television production company and before that was with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Los Angeles, practicing First Amendment and Entertainment litigation. Lincoln has litigated and tried cases in both state and federal court in matters involving claims for copyright infringement, defamation, right of publicity, right of privacy, trademark infringement and related claims, including claims involving such motion pictures as “The Negotiator”, “Crossroads”, “Hardball” and “The Kid Stays In The Picture.”

Lincoln is a frequent speaker on media and intellectual property issues and has written numerous articles for legal publications regarding media law and intellectual property. Lincoln was the President of the Los Angeles Copyright Society during its 2005-2006 term, has three times been named a “Rising Star Attorney” by Los Angeles Magazine and is AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbel.

In addition to practicing law, Lincoln has been a Visiting Professor at the Annenberg School of Journalism at the University of Southern California since the Spring of 1995, teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in Media and Entertainment Law. He also teaches a course on Entertainment Litigation for the U.C.L.A. paralegal training program and serves as a Judge each year for the Pepperdine Law School Entertainment Law Moot Court competition.

Lincoln received a B.A. in Political Science at UCLA and a Juris Doctor degree, magna cum laude, from Boston University School of Law. He is married and has two children.

David Aronoff

David Aronoff has 20 years experience litigating sophisticated intellectual property, entertainment, media and business cases. Prior to joining Spillane Shaeffer Aronoff Bandlow LLP, Mr. Aronoff was a partner in the Century City law firm of Leopold, Petrich & Smith ("LP&S"), where he practiced for 14 years.

Mr. Aronoff has represented and advised numerous media companies—including motion picture studios, production companies, broadcasters, publishers and advertising agencies—as well as various other business entities, in connection with a wide variety of copyright, trademark, and related matters. He has defended claims arising from the production and distribution of numerous popular entertainment works, including such well-known motion pictures as “Along Came Polly,” “There’s Something About Mary,” “Antz,” and “The Mask of Zorro.”

Mr. Aronoff was the 2004-05 Chairman of the Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Section of the L.A. County Bar Association ("IPELS"), and in 2006 served as the Symposium Chairman for the 30th Annual IPELS Symposium “The War of the Deal: Litigation Hollywood Style.” In addition, Mr. Aronoff also has served as Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, and Secretary of IPELS. He has been a lecturer, panelist and moderator at numerous CLE seminars, and is in-coming Trustee of the Los Angeles Copyright Society.

Mr. Aronoff has been recognized as a Southern California “Super Lawyer” in 2007, 2006 and 2005 by the publisher of Los Angeles Magazine and is AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. Before joining LP&S in 1993, Mr. Aronoff practiced at Loeb & Loeb.

He graduated cum laude from Hastings College of the Law in 1986, where he was a member of the Thurston Honor Society and an editor of the Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly.