Overview
Andrew Ayala is a highly skilled litigator with extensive experience representing clients in state and federal courts in California and New York. His practice encompasses class actions, data privacy disputes, complex commercial litigation and consumer protection cases. Andrew frequently handles matters involving statutes such as the Children’s Internet Protection Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Telephone Consumer Protection Act and Video Privacy Protection Act, among others.
Andrew’s experience spans all stages of litigation, including legal research, drafting and arguing motions, taking and defending depositions, appearing in court, and negotiating favorable settlements on behalf of his clients.
Representative Experience
- Achieved a dismissal with prejudice through a motion to dismiss based on federal preemption under the Fair Credit Reporting Act for a financial services client in AAA Arbitration.
- Successfully obtained an order on behalf of a financial services client inundated by multiple arbitration lawsuits brought by non-attorney representatives in AAA Arbitration. The order held that such representatives were engaging in the unauthorized practice of law, effectively curbing similar future lawsuits.
- Represented financial services clients in mediations and settlement negotiations, resulting in multiple favorable outcomes.
- Played a key role in a team that negotiated the favorable resolution of 38 lawsuits alleging violations of the Children’s Internet Protection Act for a technology based client in JAMS Arbitration.
- Conducted the deposition of the plaintiff in a Fair Credit Reporting Act case, leveraging key admissions to settle the case for a significantly lower amount than the initial demand. The case was litigated on behalf of a financial services client in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
Prior Experience
As a former assistant district attorney, he litigated more than 20 post-conviction cases in New York’s Appellate Division and the New York State Supreme Court. Andrew has filed briefs and motions and argued their merits in a myriad of issues including Fourth Amendment search and seizure, evidentiary claims of hearsay, and legal sufficiency of evidence.
Prior to law school, he was a staff assistant for the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Personal Interests
Outside the office, Andrew enjoys chess, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, politics and watching pro football.
Credentials
Bar Admissions
California
New York
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Languages
Spanish
Education
Columbia Law School
J.D. Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, Journal of Law and Social Problems (2018)
University of California, Berkeley
B.A. in Political Science (2013)
Insights & Events
Leadership & Community
Pro Bono
Andrew enjoys taking on pro bono cases and has successfully helped clients obtain guardianship of children in need, to ensure that the children are placed in loving and safe homes.
Honors
- Faegre Drinker — Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2022
- Columbia Law School Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, 2018