Esther Cho is the partner-in-charge of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young’s office in Long Beach, which she helped launch with her team in 2024.
The financial services litigator now serves on the board of directors for the firm and co-chairs its financial services litigation and enforcement practice. She frequently handles matters involving securities law and other regulatory issues.
In an interview, Cho recalled her beginnings in Los Angeles and seizing the opportunity to help a larger firm break into an important market.
Why Los Angeles for your career?
I was born in South Korea, and my parents moved us to Los Angeles when I was seven years old. So, I guess in a sense, I chose Los Angeles from a very young age, or it was chosen for me. I’m an L.A. person through and through. I went to college and law school here, and when it came time to think about where to practice, it was a logical choice. And besides, L.A. is the second-largest legal market, and I thought it would offer me many opportunities. And I was right!
How has your current firm enhanced your career trajectory?
Immensely. For most of my career, I have practiced at a litigation boutique primarily based on the West Coast, with our headquarters in Southern California. When I joined Stradley Ronon, I was immediately connected to a national full-service and now AmLaw 200 law firm with deep ties to the financial services industry, an area that has been a primary focus of my practice. I am now the partner in charge of the Southern California office of Stradley Ronon, and in the fall of 2024, became the co-chair of our financial services litigation and enforcement practice group, one of the core practice groups in our litigation department. I also currently serve on the board of directors of Stradley Ronon. I wear many hats at my current firm, and I wouldn’t have passed up any of those opportunities.
Tell me about your first trial win.
It was when I was a very junior attorney. We defended a case in arbitration against a pro se claimant, and the partner I was working with was a great mentor who gave me the opportunity to cross-examine the claimant. It was my first cross-examination, and it involved an important witness, which is why it remains particularly memorable and special to me.
Which trial victory are you most proud of and why?
I was involved in a case that spanned seven years and culminated in a 35-day arbitration a few years ago. As an attorney who primarily handles cases on the defense side, the fact that my client was awarded damages on our counterclaim was extremely satisfying. was proud that, after years of putting on the best defense possible and at times thinking the best defense is an offense, I had the opportunity to literally put on an offense and do so successfully. It was rewarding to get out of my comfort zone, be nimble and achieve a positive result for my client.
How have you and your team incorporated artificial intelligence into your practices and work?
Artificial Intelligence is great for tasks that require synthesizing a large volume of information in a short amount of time. Of course, AI plays a part in document review, legal research, and e-discovery. We’ve started to use it in drafting as well (with client permission, of course).Â
Does the growth of so-called “nuclear verdicts” and their damage awards concern you?
The impact on our clients is certainly of concern, whether it’s financial or reputational. Also, the more of these we see and the more widely they are publicized, the more likely they are to become the new norm, and the public becomes desensitized to these astronomical, disproportionate numbers.
