STEFAN PEROVICH


Stefan Perovich

Stefan Perovich is a shareholder with Keesal, Young & Logan in its Long Beach office.  Stefan graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2003 with a B.A. in history and a minor in political science.  He earned his J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2006.  That same year, he joined Keesal, Young & Logan and was admitted to the California Bar.  Stefan’s practice focuses on the following areas:

Health Care Litigation

Stefan represents health care industry clients in various complex civil and criminal matters (including government investigations), involving RICO, False Claims Act, whistleblower, Stark, anti-kickback, and federal health care program fraud issues.  For example, Stefan defended the seller of a hospital group in a significant multimillion dollar contract dispute brought by the purchaser, ultimately prevailing on summary judgment.  He represented a network of clinics, asserting breach of contract and related claims against a national insurer arising from the improper termination of the controlling capitation agreement.  Stefan has defended providers against claims brought by government and quasi-governmental payers relating to alleged improper billing practices.  He has handled Medicare reimbursement and appeals on behalf of providers to favorable conclusion and has assisted providers with internal reviews and investigations. 

Securities Defense

Stefan defends financial services firms and individual securities brokers in matters involving claims for suitability, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, negligence, breach of contract, failure to execute, churning, unauthorized trading, failure to supervise, and violation of federal and state securities laws before securities arbitration forums, such as FINRA (formerly NASD and NYSE), as well as in state and federal court.

Bankruptcy

Stefan represents corporate clients in connection with the defense of preference, turnover, avoidance and fraudulent transfer claims, as well as all other adversary bankruptcy proceedings.  He also represents secured and mezzanine lenders in bankruptcy and workout cases involving resort, hotel, retail, and mixed-use properties.

Maritime

Stefan defends personal injury (Jones Act), wrongful death, cargo damage, oil pollution and criminal environmental claims in state and federal court.  He also conducts vessel/incident casualty investigations and responds to pollution events.  Stefan seconded with Thomas Miller (the UK Club) at its New Jersey office and has experience assisting with various claims handling issues from the P&I club perspective.

Mortgage Banking Litigation

Stefan defends mortgage banking clients in connection with various mortgagor claims, including claims for fraud, wrongful foreclosure and violations of RESPA, TILA and the FDCPA.


Appellate

Stefan has prepared numerous appellate briefs and has argued before the Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel and before the Ninth Circuit.

Published opinion:  Hoskins v. Citigroup, Inc. (In re Viola), 469 B.R. 1 (B.A.P. 9th Cir. 2012), aff’d, 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 13575 (9th Cir. 2014) (upholding dismissal of trustee’s claims seeking more than $20 million stemming from Ponzi scheme).

Other relevant opinions:

  • Rivera v. Deutsche Bank Nat’l Trust Co. (In re Rivera), 2014 Bankr. LEXIS 4842 (B.A.P. 9th Cir. Nov. 24, 2014) (reversing dismissal of debtors’ second amended complaint).
  • State Comp. Ins. Fund v. Drobot, 2015 WL 12712321 (C.D. Cal. Dec. 18, 2015) (granting summary judgment on claims asserted by buyer of hospital entities).
  • Rivera v. Deutsche Bank Nat’l Trust Co. (In re Rivera), 2016 Bankr. LEXIS 3019 (B.A.P. 9th Cir. Aug. 16, 2016) (upholding bankruptcy court order following trial/evidentiary hearing on proof of claim).
  • Ellison v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (In re Ellison), 2017 Bankr. LEXIS 2561 (B.A.P. 9th Cir. Sept. 8, 2017), aff’d, 758 F. App’x (9th Cir. Mar. 15, 2019) (affirming bankruptcy court’s order denying discharge).
  • Rivera v. Deutsche Bank Nat’l Trust Co., 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 150388 (N.D. Cal. Sept. 15, 2017) (affirming bankruptcy court’s dismissal of debtors’ Chapter 13 case).
  • McZeal v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 2018 U.S. App. LEXIS 14249 (9th Cir. May 30, 2018) (affirming dismissal of purported class action claims against lender).

Stefan’s Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel oral argument from Rivera v. Deutsche Bank Nat’l Trust Co. (In re Rivera), 2016 Bankr. LEXIS 3019 (B.A.P. 9th Cir. Aug. 16, 2016), can be viewed here – linked here, starting at minute 12.

Stefan’s Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals oral argument from Ellison v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (In re Ellison), 758 F. App’x 615 (9th Cir. Mar. 15, 2019), can be viewed here – linked here, starting at 10:45.

Stefan manages Keesal, Young & Logan’s continuing education program for its Long Beach office.  In 2014, 2015 and 2016 Stefan was recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyers Magazine “Rising Star.”  Stefan is proud of his continuing involvement with UCLA and of his service on the Board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach.  Stefan is admitted to practice before all California state and federal courts, before the District of Colorado and before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Education

  • J.D., University of California, Los Angeles (2006)
  • B.A. (history, minor in political science), University of California, Los Angeles (2003)

Bar Memberships/Admissions

  • California (2006)
  • All California state and federal courts
  • District of Colorado
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • Supreme Court of the United States

Reported Decisions

  • Hoskins v. Citigroup, Inc. (In re Viola), 469 B.R. 1 (B.A.P. 9th Cir. 2012), aff’d, 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 13575 (9th Cir. 2014) (upholding dismissal of trustee’s claims seeking more than $20 million stemming from Ponzi scheme)
  • Rivera v. Deutsche Bank Nat’l Trust Co. (In re Rivera), 2014 Bankr. LEXIS 4842 (B.A.P. 9th Cir. Nov. 24, 2014) (reversing dismissal of debtors’ second amended complaint)
  • McZeal v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 2018 U.S. App. LEXIS 14249 (9th Cir. May 30, 2018) (affirming dismissal of purported class action claims against lender)
  • State Comp. Ins. Fund v. Drobot, 2015 WL 12712321 (C.D. Cal. Dec. 18, 2015) (granting summary judgment on claims asserted by buyer of hospital entities)
  • Rivera v. Deutsche Bank Nat’l Trust Co. (In re Rivera), 2016 Bankr. LEXIS 3019 (B.A.P. 9th Cir. Aug. 16, 2016) (upholding bankruptcy court order following trial/evidentiary hearing on proof of claim)
  • Ellison v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (In re Ellison), 2017 WL 3976304 (B.A.P. 9th Cir. Sept. 8, 2017) (affirming bankruptcy court’s order denying discharge)
  • Rivera v. Deutsche Bank Nat’l Trust Co., 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 150388 (N.D. Cal. Sept. 15, 2017) (affirming bankruptcy court’s dismissal of debtors’ Chapter 13 case)

Stefan’s Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel oral argument from Rivera v. Deutsche Bank Nat’l Trust Co. (In re Rivera), 2016 Bankr. LEXIS 3019 (B.A.P. 9th Cir. Aug. 16, 2016) (can be viewed here – linked here, starting at minute 12).

  • Selected to Southern California Rising Star List (Thomson Reuters) (2014–2016) (a designation limited to 2.5% of attorneys in a geographic region)
  • Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers List (Thomson Reuters) (2021) (a designation limited to 5% of attorneys in a geographic region)
  • UCLA
  • Board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach