Wendy McGuire Coats

Prior to founding McGuire Coats LLP, Wendy worked for the prominent international law firm Howrey LLP in downtown Los Angeles. Her experiences include significant work in the areas of Commercial Litigation and Trial; Securities Litigation; Government Enforcement and White Collar Defense; Consumer Litigation and Class Actions; Appellate; Bankruptcy; Immigration; and Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Wendy has represented clients before the Los Angeles Superior Court, United States Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review (Immigration Court & Board of Immigration Appeals), United States District Court for the Central and Northern Districts of California, United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Her diverse experience includes matters involving asylum, breach of contract, civil RICO, anti-competitive bidding, conspiracy, embezzlement, fee arbitration, fraud, negligence, Prop. 65, shareholder derivative suits, the WARN Act, and wiretapping. In both 2006 and 2008, Wendy was a key member of trial teams representing clients in federal criminal trials in the Central District of California. In 2009, Wendy was recognized as a Southern California Rising Star by Law & Politics magazine.

Wendy graduated magna cum laude with her Juris Doctorate from Pepperdine University School of Law in Malibu, California. There, Wendy served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Pepperdine Law Review. In addition to several academic honors and distinctions, including the Order of Barristers, Wendy experienced remarkable success as a member of Pepperdine's Interschool Moot Court Team. Her honors included: Team Finalist: Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, Austria; Best Oral Advocate: National Moot Court Los Angeles Regional Competition; National Champion Team & Best Oral Advocate Final Round: 28th Annual Robert F. Wagner Labor & Employment Law Moot Court Competition, New York, New York; Winner, Pepperdine Dalsimer Moot Court Competition; Winner, Pepperdine Armand Arabian Advocacy Tournament.

Following law school and prior to entering private practice, Wendy enriched her legal training as a federal law clerk in the chambers of the Honorable Ronald S.W. Lew, United States District Court for the Central District of California. This highly-competitive clerkship afforded Wendy the opportunity to work on a variety of matters including substantive claims of copyright, trademark, and patent infringement, excessive force, equal protection, Monell liability, qualified immunity and the litigation privilege, products liability, and the right of publicity. In July 2006, Wendy's clerkship included assisting and accompanying Judge Lew to Portland, Oregon when he sat by designation on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Prior to law school, Wendy graduated magna cum laude from the University of Missouri - Columbia where she received her B.S.Ed. Following graduation, Wendy taught high school English. She went on to be a founding faculty member and Chair of the Drama Department of Columbia Independent School. Supplementing her academic and professional success, Wendy honed her oral presentation skills with training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts conservatory program in Hollywood, California.

Wendy's academic performance, federal clerkship, and big firm experience position her to provide high-quality, zealous appellate representation that is sensitive to the budgetary needs of our clients. She has developed a reputation with clients, the courts, and other attorneys for being passionate, principled, remarkably prepared, and persuasively well-reasoned.

eMail Wendy at wendy@mcguirecoats.com