Noel J. Meza III

Junior Partner | Litigation

About

Noel is an accomplished litigator with a record of success in high-stakes disputes spanning commercial, employment, insurance, real estate, class action, and complex business litigation. He has litigated cases on both sides of the “v,” securing multimillion-dollar recoveries for businesses and complete defense victories for corporate and public-entity clients. His results include a $3 million recovery in securities litigation, a $1.7 million insurance settlement, full defense verdicts in trial and arbitration, and complete dismissals of claims ranging from fraudulent conveyance to discrimination under the Fair Employment and Housing Act.

  • As a former boxer for 14 years, Noel brings the same discipline and tenacity to the courtroom, fighting aggressively for his clients and delivering consistent wins in state and federal courts across California. He also counsels clients in corporate compliance and litigation prevention, with a focus on practical strategies that protect their interests and minimize risk.

Practices

  • Appellate

  • Arbitration and Mediation

  • Class Action Defense

  • Commercial Litigation

  • Employment and Labor

  • Insurance

  • Litigation and Risk Management

  • Real Estate

Admissions

  • California

  • Admitted to practice before all California state courts, including the California Supreme Court

  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California

  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California

  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

  • Intertribal Court of Southern California

Education

  • University of San Diego School of Law, J.D.

    • Senior Associate Editor, San Diego Law Review

    • Recipient of multiple scholarships, including:

      • San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association Law Student Scholarship and Bar Stipend Award

      • Jerry G. Gonick and Susan S. Gonick Student Scholarship in Honor of Dean Stephen C. Ferruolo

      • Mary & Alan Schulman Scholarship

      • Warren Family Endowment Scholarship

      • University of San Diego School of Law Merit Scholarship

    • Pro Bono Service Certificate Recipient

  • University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), B.A.

    • President, Association of Professional Latinos for America (ALPFA)

  • University of Pennsylvania

    • Certificate in Regulatory Compliance, Privacy Law, and Data Protection (Dec. 2024)

  • Columbia University

    • Certificate in Construction Project Management (Feb. 2023)

Memberships, Awards, and Recognitions

  • 2024 Super Lawyers Rising Stars list (reserved for just 2.5% of attorneys in California).

  • University of San Diego School of Law Alumni Association, Board Member

  • University of San Diego Latino Alumni Network, President

  • San Diego La Raza Lawyers’ Association, Member (and former Director at Large)

  • American Jurisprudence Academic Excellence Award (highest grade in class) for Property I, 2017

Law Firm Experience

Prior to joining Pierson Ferdinand LLP, Noel was a litigation attorney at a prominent Los Angeles law firm with more than 200 attorneys and over 600 legal professionals. There, he handled multiple high-stakes class actions and complex litigation, including under the California Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) and drafted and argued more than 40 substantive motions involving arbitration, demurrers, removal and remand, jurisdiction, and appeals. Noel regularly collaborated with attorneys across the firm to develop litigation strategy across hundreds of active cases.

Before that, Noel practiced at two boutique full-service law firms in San Diego, where he represented clients in employment, business, real estate, and insurance matters. His work included advising and representing businesses in industries ranging from construction and real estate to hospitality and healthcare, as well as counseling clients on corporate structuring, contracts, and compliance.

Judicial and Government Experience

  • Judicial Extern to the Honorable William V. Gallo, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California

  • Law Clerk, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California

  • Law Clerk, Financial Fraud and Special Prosecutions Unit, California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General

  • Law Clerk, eCrime Unit, California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General

Corporate Experience

Prior to his legal career, Noel worked with his family’s real estate investment companies, which manage properties in Southern California and develop high-rise projects in South America.

Representative Matters

Noel has achieved favorable results for businesses of all sizes. Some of his representative matters and notable achievements include:

  • Defended a Fortune 200 global manufacturer in multi-plaintiff wage and hour class action litigation. Successfully obtained dismissal of claims by eight plaintiffs seeking attorneys’ fees, declaratory relief, prejudgment interest, waiting time penalties, and compensatory and general damages.

  • Defended one of San Diego’s largest healthcare systems (3,000+ employees) in multiple wage and hour class actions. Successfully moved to deny class certification and helped to secured a favorable settlement for the client.

  • Defended a casino/resort and well-known hospitality group in a premises liability case. Obtained a full defense verdict as lead trial counsel.

  • Obtained $3 million recovery in complex securities litigation against a major Wall Street brokerage firm.

  • Represented a defense contractor performing Navy ship work. Secured $1.7 million settlement and complete coverage for client from national insurance carrier after coverage was denied.

  • Represented a general contractor/builder in construction defect and insurance bad faith dispute arising out of luxury property improvements. Obtained $220,000 recovery for client. The case involved a complex, multi-party mediation with subcontractors, soil engineers, architects, and vendors, as well as multiple insurers disputing coverage.

  • Represented Catholic Diocese in litigation in federal court and obtained complete dismissal of tort, negligence, and fraud claims and won monetary sanctions against opposing counsel and parties.

  • Defended a regional California hospital in arbitration and obtained full defense verdict in a wrongful termination and retaliation case.

  • Represented a public healthcare district and hospital in commercial litigation against a software provider; obtained a TRO and preliminary injunction in federal court, defeating the opposing party’s demand for a $2.5 million bond.

  • Represented a California county in high-profile litigation involving a taxpayer group’s challenge to public contracts for fire and police services supporting the development of a major tribal casino. The case raised complex issues of taxpayer standing, municipal authority, and public-private agreements.

  • Noel’s other representative clients have included national and regional healthcare providers, a national retail chain, California public entities, and hotel and hospitality groups.

  • Noel has also faced off against major national brands, including Walmart, Wingstop, Jack in the Box franchise groups, and one of the nation’s largest Jiffy Lube operators, obtaining favorable results for his clients.

Publications

  • Co-Editor, Age Discrimination in Employment Law (Bloomberg Law, 3d ed. 2021)

  • Noel J. Meza, Six Tips for Navigating Virtual Hearings with Non-English-Speaking Clients, For the Record (San Diego County Bar Association April 12, 2021)

  • Co-Author, Pandemic of Coverage Litigation for Business Income Losses Due to Coronavirus Plagues Insurance Industry, 41 California Tort Reporter 127 (Thomson Reuters July 2020)

  • Co-Author, Business Interruption Coverage for the COVID-19 Pandemic: Insurance Industry Fights Biggest Battle Ever Against Difficult Odds, 42 Insurance Litigation Reporter 10 (Thomson Reuters June 2020)

    • Cited in SWB Yankees, LLC v. CNA Financial Corp., No. 20CV2155, 2021 WL 3468995, at *18 (Pa. Com. Pl. Aug. 04, 2021)

    • Cited in Brown's Gym, Inc. v. The Cincinnati Ins. Co., No. 20CV3113, 2021 WL 3036545, at *17 (Pa. Com. Pl. July 13, 2021)

    • Cited in The Scranton Club v. Tuscarora Wayne Mut. Group, Inc., No. 20CV2469, 2021 WL 454498, at *9 (Pa. Com. Pl. Jan. 25, 2021)

  • Co-Author, Pandemic of Coverage Litigation for Business Income Losses Due to Coronavirus Plagues Insurance Industry, 32 California Insurance Law & Regulation Reporter 81 (Thomson Reuters May 2020)