Alton G. Burkhalter

profile
  • Founding Partner

Location:

Irvine, CA

Phone:

Fax:

949-975-7501

Email:

Mr. Burkhalter is the founding partner of BKCG. He is an AV Preeminent rated lawyer, the top ranking in ability and ethics by Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Burkhalter has been selected as a Southern California Super Lawyer for Business Litigation every year since 2006, has been selected as one of Orange County's Top 50 Super Lawyers every year since 2018, and has been selected as one of Southern California's Top 100 Super Lawyers every year since 2022. Mr. Burkhalter has also been recognized by Best Lawyers every year since 2021. In addition, Mr. Burkhalter has been recognized by America's Top 100 High Stakes Litigators every year since 2017. In 2023, Mr. Burkhalter was selected as California's Attorney of the Year by Top 100 Lawyers in its business litigation category. Mr. Burkhalter is also a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates.

Mr. Burkhalter is a seasoned business trial lawyer who has successfully prosecuted and defended a wide array of cases. He has received multiple “8 figure” jury trial awards, including a $70 million win against Universal in a Hollywood accounting case and a $30.4 million dollar verdict in a contentious eminent domain case in Nashville Tennessee. In addition to his litigation practice, Mr. Burkhalter advises and represents clients in a wide variety of business settings, such as purchases and sales of businesses, partner buy-in and buy-outs, restructuring business relationships, and terminating partners and business units.

Mr. Burkhalter obtained his Bachelor of Science in Accounting, cum laude, from Northwestern State University in his home state of Louisiana. After becoming a Certified Public Accountant with one of the big four international accounting firms, Mr. Burkhalter earned his law degree at Pepperdine University, graduating magna cum laude. He is admitted to practice law in California and Arizona.

Areas of Practice

  • Business Litigation
  • Real Estate Litigation
  • Corporate Disputes
  • Business and Real Estate Transactions
  • Auto Dealer Representation

Bar Admissions

  • California, 1985
  • Arizona, 1995
  • U.S. District Court Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court District of Arizona
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Tax Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals Federal Circuit

Education

  • Pepperdine University School of Law, Malibu, California
    • J.D.
    • Honors: magna cum laude
    • Honors: Ranked Fifth in his Law School Class
  • Northwestern State University, Natchitoche, Louisiana
    • B.S.
    • Honors: cum laude
    • Major: Accounting

Representative Cases

  • Foxcroft Productions, Inc., et al. v. Universal Studios, LLC, et al., ($70 million jury verdict- Hollywood accounting)
  • Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency v. Tower Music City ll, LLC, ($30.4 million jury verdict - eminent domain)
  • Flowers, et al. v. Hillyer, et al., ($12.8 million verdict - breach of fiduciary duty)
  • Las Palmas Associates v. Las Palmas Center Associates, ($11.2 million verdict - fraud)
  • Tower Action Holdings, LLC v. Los Angeles County Waterworks, ($10.1 million verdict - breach of contract)
  • Huntington Beach Chrysler Jeep, Inc. v. AM General, ($5.4 million verdict - breach of dealer agreement)
  • HWB Automotive Group, inc. v. Nissan Motor Corporation in U.S.A., ($3.1 million verdict - fraud)
  • Rancho Vista Development Company v. Richards, Watson & Gershon, ($2.5 million verdict - breach of fiduciary duty)
  • EFC v McAllister: Defense of $3 million claim for alleged breach of development contract for proposed reality television show
  • Fairchild Industries v Taylor: Defense of multi-million dollar malicious prosecutor claim for law school classmate
  • Thrifty Playless, Inc. v. Mariners Mile Gateway, LLC, 185 Cal.App4th 1050, 2010
  • Kumar v. Yu, 201 Cal.App.4th 1463, 2011
  • NCAA v. Tarkanian, 10 F.3d 633 (9th Cir 1993) and 795 F. Supp 1476 (D. Nev. 1992)

Honors and Awards

  • AV Rated Lawyer, the Top Ranking in Ability and Ethics by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Southern California Super Lawyer for Business Litigation
  • Top 50: 2020 Orange County Super Lawyers
  • "8 Figure" Jury Trial Awards
  • "7 Figure" Verdicts

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Member of ABOTA (the American Board of Trial Advocates)

Languages

  • English