Mr. Collanton represents clients in federal and state courts and in arbitration in cases involving consumer class actions, constitutional litigation, breach of contract, business torts, false advertising claims, unfair competition claims, insurance coverage and bad faith actions, as well as other complex litigation. Mr. Collanton is a member of the California bar and has appeared in state and federal courts throughout California and the United States. Mr. Collanton is a member of the American Bar Association, the Contra Costa County Bar Association, and is a member of the California State Bar Conference of Delegates.

Mr. Collanton received his B.S. in Business Administration, cum laude, from San Francisco State University in 1986. He became a Certified Public Accountant in 1987. Prior to law school, Mr. Collanton practiced as a CPA with Price Waterhouse and was a corporate controller for a privately held company. Mr. Collanton received his J.D. degree from the University of California, Boalt Hall School of Law in 1995, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif. He joined Morrison & Foerster as an associate in 1999 and became a partner in 2004.

Representative Matters

• FLO Corporation v. Verified Identity Pass, Inc. Represent Verified Identity Pass, Inc. in a trade secret dispute, successfully defeating successive attempts to obtain a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction in both state and federal court.
• National Association of Optometrists & Opticians, et al. v. Lockyer. Currently represents various optical companies in a constitutional challenge to various California statutes in suits that arise out of class action litigation for unfair competition and false advertising.  Recently obtained ruling that statutes are unconstitutional (2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 88427 (E.D. Cal. 2006).
• Moisan v. Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Inc. Consumer class action asserting unlawful business practices in violation of Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17200, false and misleading advertising in violation of § 17500, and violations of the Consumer Legal Remedies Act. (pending)
• In re Palm Treo 600 and 650 Litigation.  Currently represents Palm in multiple consumer class action cases alleging violations of the Consumer Legal Remedies Act, § 17200 and § 17500, and breach of warranty. (pending)
• Schaffell v. Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. Consumer class action asserting causes of action alleging violations of the Consumer Legal Remedies Act, violations of § 17200 and § 17500, and violations of express warranty. (pending)
• Nevada Power Co. v. El Paso Corporation, et. al.. Represented El Paso Corporation in breach of contract claims arising out of long term power purchase agreements. (settled)
• Consumer Advocates Rights Enforcement Society et al. v. eAcceleration Software International, Inc., DoubleClick Inc. et al. Defended DoubleClick in suit alleging false, misleading and deceptive internet advertising practices that include impersonating computer system warning alerts. The complaint alleged, among other things, invasion of privacy, unfair business practices, false and misleading advertising under Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 17200, 17500, and trespass to chattels. (settled, with no money paid)
• Steelman v. DoubleClick Inc. Representing DoubleClick in a suit alleging that defendant created and delivered millions of Internet advertising banners that impersonated computer system warnings. The complaint alleges, among other things, invasion of privacy, trespass to chattel, deceptive business practices, and fraud. (pending)
• Ross v. Sony, et al. Defended DoubleClick, Advertising.com, Home Depot, Priceline, Fastclick, Coremetrics, CNET, and Web Side Story in suit alleging invasion of privacy from defendants use of “cookies or java scripts”. (obtained dismissal for nominal amounts)
• Wave Exchange v. Fireman’s Fund. Represented insured in action insurance coverage and insurance bad faith action. (settled)
• PUD No. 1 of Grays Harbor County, Washington v. Idacorp, Inc.. Currently representing defendants in action for rescission or reformation of power contracts. The dismissal of Grays Harbor’s original complaint as preempted and barred by the filed rate doctrine was affirmed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals at 379 F.3d 641 (9th Cir. 2004).
• Sierra Pacific Industries v. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. Represented independent power producer in a breach of contract, unfair competition and antitrust claims brought against PG&E, securing the right, through injunction and summary judgment, of independent power producers to obtain access to the California energy markets independent of the investor-owned utilities. (settled)
• NP Cogen, Inc. v. Southern California Edison. Represented independent power producer in an action to recover amounts which Edison failed to pay for electricity and capacity under power contracts. (settled)
• Wah Chang v. Duke Energy Trading and Marketing; Wah Chang v. Avista Corp. Representing defendants in federal multidistrict litigation alleging violations of federal and state antitrust laws, and RICO claims. (dismissal obtained, appeal pending)
• City of Tacoma v. TransAlta Energy Marketing (US) Inc., et al. Defended against alleged Sherman Act violations arising out of the California energy crisis. (dismissal obtained, appeal pending)
• Port of Seattle v. TransAlta Corp., et al. Represent TransAlta defending against Sherman Act clams, RICO claims as well as Washington state antitrust and fraud claims. Successfully obtained district court dismissal based upon federal preemption and the filed rate doctrine. (dismissal obtained, affirmed on appeal in unpublished opinion)
• Uzal, LLC v. Southwest Gas. Represented Southwest Gas Corporation and Paiute Pipeline company in defending an action for the alleged breach of a lease agreement regarding a LNG plant and related gas pipeline. (settled)
• Idacorp Energy L.P. v. Overton Public Utilities Dist. No. 5. Represented the plaintiff on an action for declaratory relief and for breach of a long-term power contract. (settled)
• Lockyer v. Puget Sound Energy, Inc., Idaho Power, TransAlta Energy Marketing, Tucson Electric Power. Defended wholesale electricity producers and power marketers against claims brought by the California Attorney General asserting unfair business practices arising out of the sale and marketing of electricity into California. The case was dismissed as preempted and barred by the filed rate doctrine, which was affirmed by the Ninth Circuit. Lockyer v. TransCanada Power L.P., 110 Fed. Appx. 839, 2004 U.S. App. Lexis 21727 (9th Cir. 2004).
• Dean Foods Co. et al. v. Eastman Chemical Co. et al. Representing a foreign manufacturer of food preservatives in an action alleging Sherman Act violations resulting from an international antitrust price-fixing conspiracy. (settled)