Brent O. Hatch

Founder

Hatch is believed to handle more large and significant litigation than any other litigator in the State of Utah. 

Brent O. Hatch has won major jury verdicts for both defendants and plaintiffs in complex civil litigation. He is regularly sought out to represent major clients, celebrities, and other lawyers in the largest cases in Utah.

Representative Cases

  • His representation of a Fortune 30 company, in litigation ending in 2012, was reportedly the largest case in the United States at the time with claims of $194 Billion. After winning several summary judgement motions and a sanctions award against plaintiff’s counsel, the case was resolved for a small fraction of the claims. 

  • Successful defense of three companion antitrust cases seeking $1.5 billion for large waste contractor. Claims settled for small fraction at the summary judgment stage.

  • Obtained no cause verdict in $115 million breach of fiduciary duty case after two-week jury trial.

  • He has handled major litigation for 21 Century Fox, Apple, Dish Network, and several companies in the massive Opioid litigation. 

  • Obtained injunction for several major motion picture studios enjoining the wrongful re-broadcast of copyrighted movies.

  • Won the largest FELA jury verdict in the history of Utah.

  • In 1996, the National Law Journal featured him in its listing of the largest and most significant defense verdicts in the United States for his no-cause jury verdict in defense of a national accounting firm in a securities fraud class action lawsuit seeking almost $100 million in damages. 

Hatch is also highly sought after for general corporate counseling. 

Serving as the outside General Counsel for one of the largest Coca-Cola distributors, he handled the legal aspects of $1 billion in acquisitions.

Hatch is listed in Martindale-Hubbell as an AV-rated lawyer, their highest rating.

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Education

JD, Columbia University School of Law

  • Notes and Comments Editor of Columbia Law Review

BA, Brigham Young University

Clerkship

Law Clerk to Judge Robert H. Bork, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. 

Associations and Activities

Outside General Counsel for Swire Coca-Cola USA, one of the largest Coca-Cola distributors in the United States

Master of the Bench with the American Inns of Court

Past President of the Aldon J. Anderson Inn of Court (three years). 

Director and Treasurer of the Federalist Society located in Washington, D.C. 

Past Experience

Associate Counsel to the President of the United States in the White House

Deputy Assistant Attorney General, United States Department of Justice (Torts Branch and Federal Programs Branch, supervising approximately 200 lawyers)

General Counsel, National Endowment for the Humanities

Founder and Managing Partner, Hatch James and Dodge

Selected Reported Cases

Gene S. Jacobsen v. Deseret Book Company and Dean Hughes, 287 F.3d 936 (10th Cir. 2002) [Copyright infringement – Successfully reversed district court] 

Bear Hollow Restoration, LLC v. Public Service Commission of Utah, et al., 2012 UT 18, 274 P.3d 956 (Utah Sup. Ct., March 23, 2012) [Jurisdiction of PSC—Successfully upheld PSC decision dismissing action against client for lack of jurisdiction]

Deephaven Private Placement Trading, Ltd., et al. v. Grant Thornton & Company, et al., 454 F.3d 1168 (10th Cir. 2006) [Section 18(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 – Successfully upheld dismissal of case]

OLP, LLC and Richard Wilson v. Wayne Burningham et al., 2009 UT 75, 225 P.3d 177, (Utah Sup. Ct., December 4, 2009) [Contract Repudiation, LLC Act – Successfully upheld Court of Appeals decision and jury verdict)

Evans et al. v. B&E Pace Investment, et al., 2018 UT App 37, 424 P.3d 963 (Utah Ct. App. 2018) [Overturned dismissal of case]

North Salt Lake v. Salt Lake City, No. 20051143 (Utah Sup. Ct. 2006) [Statutory Disconnection Action – Successfully opposed petition for extraordinary writ]

Bonneville International Corporation v. Utah State Tax Commission, 858 P.2d 1045 (Utah Ct. App. 1993) [Sale Tax on Manufacturing Equipment – Successfully obtained tax exemption for client]

Kenneth W. Larsen v. Allstate Insurance Co., 857 P.2d 263 (Utah Ct. App. 1993) [Statutory Insurance Coverage – Successfully overturned district court and obtained full statutory benefits for client]