Joseph A. Sifferd
jsifferd@pdlawyers.com
Los Angeles Office

Joseph A. Sifferd received his Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University in 1999 where he majored in vocal performance and political science. He received his Juris Doctorate from Vanderbilt Law School in 2002. During law school, Mr. Sifferd was the lead publications editor for the Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment Law and Practice and published an article in the journal on peer-to-peer file sharing in the fall of 2002.

Mr. Sifferd’s has experience in a variety of practice areas, including, entertainment law, environmental law, probate, and other general business litigation and complex litigation matters.

In 2004-2005, Mr. Sifferd was an integral part of a legal team representing California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District in two lawsuits, seeking damages and penalties of almost $600 million, against the BP oil refinery in the City of Carson involving thousands of alleged air quality violations. Mr. Sifferd prepared a one hour thirty minute mediation presentation, involving video production, voiceovers, graphic design and animation that aired at a two-day mediation, which resulted in an unprecedented and historic settlement for air quality transgressions.

Beginning in 2003, Mr. Sifferd assisted a team of attorneys representing the hair icon Vidal Sassoon in his multi-million dollar claims against Procter & Gamble for breach of fiduciary duty and breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing based on Procter & Gamble’s systematic neglect, mismanagement, sabotage and destruction of the style icon’s brand and legendary name. Mr. Sifferd’s team defeated Procter & Gamble’s Motion to Dismiss and Motion for Summary Judgment before the parties reached a confidential settlement.

In 2006, Mr. Sifferd successfully represented a contributing writer on a screenplay against the director, producer and starring actor of a major motion picture production involving the alleged theft of the writer's contributions to the screenplay.