Court of appeal upholds CW client's win over ex-business partner

May 2025

CW's advocacy brought an end to a contentious legal battle between our client, Nicole Clark, founder and CEO of Trellis, a litigation research and analytics startup, and the company's co-founder. When the co-founder was terminated in 2018, a dispute ensued over breached responsibilities and fiduciary duties. CW was retained to handle all post-trial motions and appeals after Ms. Clark prevailed at trial. In a ruling handed down by California's Second District Court of Appeal this week, the CW team—led by partner Alyssa Bell and associate Cris Santos—successfully preserved Ms. Clark's trial court victory, fending off a sizable attorneys' fees motion and allowing our client to retain control of her company.

"We are so grateful for this win," Alyssa said in a statement to the Daily Journal, which covered the decision. "Nicole Clark is a visionary entrepreneur who has always acted in her Company's best interests, as the Court of Appeal today affirmed. Trellis can now continue its vision of supporting litigators through its AI-powered database."

Read coverage from the Daily Journal and Courthouse News.