Seth Kugler

Experience

Prior to joining Grellas Shah, Seth worked in the New York and San Francisco offices of an Am Law 100 firm. Seth is a Silicon Valley native, and a lifetime of exposure to the Valley has given him an enthusiasm for working with tech companies, startups, and their founders. Seth is a strategic thinker who specializes in outflanking the opposition and who brings a broad range of experience to his matters.

Although Seth’s work is often focused on issues pertaining to the governance of corporations and other business entities, these disputes usually extend well beyond the basic question of who is entitled to control a company or its assets. Seth has extensive experience dealing with issues stemming from mishandling and misappropriation of IP and trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duties, IP concerns relating to and stemming from the use of AI, false advertising, breach of contract, tortious interference, real estate issues, defamation, and civil extortion.

Seth is licensed to practice in California and New York and has appeared in both state and federal courts on both coasts. Seth began his career in New York working on SEC and FINRA investigations, internal investigations for corporations and government agencies, and litigation related to contracts for the development and implementation of new technology. Since returning to California in 2015, he has expanded his practice to the broad range of commercial disputes he now handles.

Representative Matters

• Obtained onerous temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, and contempt finding against individual and corporate defendants for violation of temporary restraining order in Capconvert, LLC v. Brown et al, N.D. CA Case No. 3:26-cv-02149. Among other restrictions, TRO and PI prevented defendants from further conducting business using AI bots and machine learning models trained on Capconvert’s confidential information during individual defendant’s employment at Capconvert. Matter was resolved with stipulated permanent injunction and other protections for Capconvert following successful contempt motion awarding attorneys’ fees to Capconvert.
• Lead counsel to company client in DTSA, CFAA and RICO litigation against defendants including two former C-Suite executives of company client, former CEO of company client’s Indian subsidiary, the new company these individual defendants planned to start, and existing established competitor company. Claims are in connection with conspiracy designed to take company client’s market share, using company client’s own resources, through embezzlement, trade secret theft (including both product source code and customer/deal lists), and employees of Indian subsidiary performing work for competitor companies.
• Obtained favorable early settlement of S.D.N.Y. trade secret lawsuit against CTO of client fintech company.
• Negotiated exit without litigation, settlement keeping all equity, and mutual release for CTO of established startup terminated with over $5 million in vested equity.
• Represented former CTO with claim for rescission of revesting agreement based on CEO’s use of previously executed signature pages to close priced round.
• Led successful effort for COO to take sole control of company where both CEO and COO had been members of a 2-person board and 50/50 shareholders.
• Coordinated regulatory response strategy regarding post-foreclosure consumer complaints against defunct late-stage startup rising from various courts and state agencies nationwide.

Best Lawyers, Ones to Watch – 2026