Eric Olson

Full Profile

Eric D. Olson is a seasoned commercial litigator with a broad international dispute resolution, strategic counseling, and investigations practice. Dual-qualified as a California attorney and Solicitor of England and Wales, Eric represents overseas and domestic clients from a variety of industries in commercial disputes before state and federal courts, in international litigation and arbitration matters, and in sensitive investigations and government inquiries.

Eric regularly advises overseas clients and has substantial experience in numerous fields, including shipping and shipbuilding, banking and lending, trade finance and export insurance, foreign judgment enforcement, regulatory compliance and investigations, cross-border insolvency, and real estate, among others. Eric assists clients in responding to government investigations and subpoenas and provides training and advice regarding US shipping regulations and anti-corruption, sanctions, and competition laws. 

An experienced courtroom advocate, Eric has successfully conducted trials, mediations, arbitrations, and appeals in US litigation matters. He also has represented clients in international arbitrations conducted in a variety of prominent international arbitration forums. Eric is conversant in the Korean language and has worked with many Korea-based clients and their US affiliates over the years.

Admissions

• California
• Roll of Solicitors of England and Wales
• US District Courts for the Central, Southern, Northern, and Eastern Districts of California
• US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Education

• J.D., University of California, Los Angeles, 1998
• B.A., with Highest Honors, University of California, Berkeley, 1995

Memberships

• Orange County Bar Association
• Los Angeles County Bar Association
• Law Society of England & Wales
• American Bar Association, International Law and Litigation Sections
• International Bar Association
• American Society of International Law (ASIL)
• LDS International Society
• J. Reuben Clerk Law Society

Experience

Representative Matters: Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution

• Successfully applied to the US District Court for the Northern District of California in 2024 for an order under 28 U.S.C. § 1782 authorizing discovery in the US in aid of certain Korean legal proceedings.
• Successfully defended retail industry clients at trial in California state court in 2023 in a commercial real estate lease dispute, defeating breach of contract claims and obtaining judgment on a contract-based counterclaim, resulting in a complete victory for clients.
• Obtained summary judgment in late 2023 for plaintiff in a vigorously contested Uniform Foreign Money-Judgments Recognition Act case in US District Court for the Central District of California that sought recognition and enforcement in California of a civil money judgment issued by the courts of Jordan on behalf of a Middle East-based banking client.
• Obtained a judgment of over USD 161 million in California state court in favor of a Korea-based export insurance provider, against various individuals and affiliated businesses in a cross-border fraud case arising from a complex trade and export finance scheme.

Representative Matters: International Arbitration

• Lead counsel in ICC Arbitration matter filed in Paris, France, by an overseas shipbuilding client pursuing claims against a North African energy company. The matter was successfully resolved by settlement.
• Defended overseas shipbuilding client in multiple London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA) arbitrations in cooperation with London-based co-counsel. One such case resulted in the defeat of claims seeking over USD 300 million in general damages by a Europe-based counterparty.

Representative Matters: Strategic Counseling and Investigations

• Regularly advises overseas maritime industry client and affiliates regarding US shipping regulations and related compliance issues.
• Represents overseas entertainment industry client in responding to an Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) investigation concerning a sanctions-related inquiry (ongoing).
• Represented a US subsidiary of an overseas company in a recent Department of Justice (DOJ) antitrust investigation. The investigation was closed in 2024 with no adverse action taken against the client.
• Represented overseas company and its US affiliates in a multi-year DOJ antitrust investigation, which was closed in 2019 with no adverse action taken against the clients.

Presentations

• Speaker, “The FMC and OSRA 2022: 2023 Year in Review,” Private Maritime Industry Client, multi-office, intra-company compliance training (live webinar), December 2023
• Speaker, “OSRA 2022 and Beyond: Legal Changes for the Shipping Industry,” Private Maritime Industry Client, multi-office, intra-company compliance training (live webinar), December 2022 
• Speaker, “Practical Tips for International Arbitration: A Global Perspective,” Orange County Bar Association, Section of International Law, Newport Beach, CA (live webinar), March 15, 2021
• Speaker, Dispute Resolution Session: “Artificial Intelligence in Dispute Resolution,” International Association of Korean Lawyers Annual Conference, Seoul National University School of Law, Seoul, South Korea, September 20, 2019
• Speaker, “Recent Trends and Cross-Border Issues in Commercial Real Estate Lending,” Orange County Bar Association, Section of Banking & Lending, Newport Beach, CA, April 16, 2019
• Speaker, “Anti-Corruption in the Maritime Industry: Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and International Anti-Corruption Laws, Private Maritime Industry Client, multi-office, intra-company compliance training seminar, November 2018
• Speaker, “Interim Relief in U.S. and English Courts in Aid of International Arbitration (part of session When Money is Not Enough: Ensuring Equitable Relief is an Option in Arbitrating Technology Agreements), ABA Section of International Law 2018 Fall Conference, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea, October 19, 2018