Jesse Franklin-Murdock
Counsel
Superlawyers Rising Stars: 2023 – 2024
Jesse Franklin-Murdock joined Dhillon Law Group as an associate attorney in 2021 and was promoted to counsel in 2024. Since joining DLG, Jesse has drawn on his training as a federal law clerk and commercial litigator to protect the rights and freedoms of Americans in courts across the country. Jesse’s practice focuses on First Amendment and defamation law, political law, employment law, white collar criminal defense, and commercial litigation. Jesse has significant oral advocacy experience, including a first-chair trial victory along with multiple evidentiary hearings, arbitrations, and depositions. Jesse combines his oral advocacy skills and passion for legal writing to obtain successful results for DLG’s clients, whether the case requires a single letter or a full-blown trial.
Contact Information
- 415-433-1700
- [email protected]
- 415-520-6593
- 177 Post Street, Suite 700 San Francisco, CA 94108
- Avvo
- Download vCard
History
- Law Clerk to United States District Judge Jill A. Otake, United States District Court for the District of Hawaii (2020–2021)
- Owner, Jesse D. Franklin-Murdock, LLLC (Honolulu, Hawaii, 2020)
- Associate Attorney, Kobayashi Sugita & Goda, LLP (Honolulu, Hawaii, 2017–2020)
- Extern to Chief United States District Judge J. Michael Seabright, United States District Court for the District of Hawaii (2016)
- Summer Associate, Kobayashi Sugita & Goda, LLP (Honolulu, Hawaii, 2016)
- Extern to now-Senior United States Circuit Judge Richard R. Clifton, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (2015–2016)
Education
- J.D., summa cum laude, William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Outside Articles Editor, University of Hawaii Law Review
- CALI Excellence for the Future Awards (highest grade in class):
- Business Associations
- Legal Practice I (legal writing)
- Real Property I
- Real Property II
- State and Local Government and Finance
- Academic Success Teaching Assistant (Real Property I, Professor David L. Callies)
- Starn O’Toole Marcus & Fisher Scholarship
- McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon Scholarship
Representative Experience
- Vindman v. Trump, et al. (D.D.C. 2022) (helped secure complete dismissal of civil rights claims brought by Alexander Vindman related to the 2020 presidential impeachment trial)
- Greenburg v. Wray, et al. (Ariz. Super. Ct. 2023) (successful anti-SLAPP motion following full day evidentiary hearing resulting in complete dismissal, leading to favorable settlement involving a payment to the defendant-clients)
- In re California Attorney (helped secure victory based on First Amendment defense in State Bar disciplinary trial)
- Wray, et al. v. Greenburg, et al. (D. Ariz. 2022) (helped defeat father of school board president’s motion to dismiss First Amendment retaliation and defamation claims brought on behalf of parents, later leading to $200,000 settlement)
- Employee v. Technology Company (JAMS Arbitration 2024) (obtained complete arbitration award in favor of client in contractual dispute following cross-motions for summary judgment)
- Siegemund v. Le Lycée Francais de Los Angeles (Cal. Super. Ct. 2023) (successful anti-SLAPP motion after school filed cross-complaint against teacher suing for political discrimination followed by award of attorneys’ fees)
- Principal v. Teacher (Cal. Super. Ct. 2024) (successful anti-SLAPP motion dismissing the entirety of a principal’s case against a teacher followed by award of attorneys’ fees)
- Consultant v. Financial Services Company (Cal. Super Ct. 2024) (favorable judgment following bench trial in favor of consultant who sued a financial services company after the company failed to pay for services rendered)
- Begley v. County of Kauai, et al. (D. Haw. 2019) (helped obtain judgment on the pleadings and summary judgment on all claims asserted against assistant chief of police in employment discrimination case)
- Obtained corrections from major newspapers on behalf of public figures
Court Admissions
- Supreme Court of the United States
- Supreme Court of California
- Supreme Court of Hawaii
- Federal District Courts:
- Central District of California
- Eastern District of California
- Northern District of California
- Southern District of California
- District of Columbia
- District of Hawaii
- United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- Pro Hac Vice Admissions:
- District of Arizona
- Arizona Superior Court, Maricopa County
- Middle District of Florida
- Southern District of Florida
- District of New Jersey
- New Jersey Superior Court, Bergen County
- Southern District of New York
- Delaware Superior Court
- Idaho District Court, County of Kootenai
- Nebraska District Court, Douglas County
- District of Nebraska
Publications
Memberships and Affiliations
- Delegate, 2024 Republican National Convention
- Delegate, California Republican Party
- Member, Federalist Society
- Member, Lincoln Club of Northern California
Reviews
★★★★★
I would like to express sincere and heartfelt gratitude for the work of Jesse Franklin-Murdock and the Center for American Liberty’s extraordinary support in my case. From the outset, when I had that initial call with Eric Sell, and with Josh Dixon – they immediately pulled in strong resources and subsequently Mr. Franklin-Murdock. All these actions and the associated conversations demonstrated dedication, professionalism, superior competency, knowledge, and application of relevant case law by everyone who touched my case but most of all you, Jesse, so thank you! You yourself Jesse, went well above expectation by fielding calls and executing on some key action items, even while on international vacation.
Jesse, to you and the entire Center for American Liberty and the entire Dhillon Law Group – THANK YOU for defending my rights with vigor, professionalism, superior application of law, a successful outcome, and for the intangibles like diligence, listening, empathy and that unique feeling that I, as a client, actually matter. Ten thousand kudos to you!
– Christopher Bout