Jay-Allen Eisen
Outside Counsel
Jay-Allen Eisen is regarded as one of California's top appellate attorneys. He has been counsel in more than 300 appeals and appellate writs, over 120 of which have resulted in published, precedent decisions.
Jay-Allen was one of the first Appellate Law Specialists certified by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization. He has prosecuted and defended civil appeals, writs, and motions in a wide range of civic appeals including business litigation, professional licensing, probate, environmental law, constitutional law, administrative law, real property, and family law.
Jay-Allen is a Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers and a Past President of the California Academy of Appellate Attorneys. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America©, U.S. News Best Lawyers® and Northern California Super Lawyers every year since each publication began listing appellate attorneys. He has the highest rating, AV® Preeminent™, from Martindale-Hubbell. In 2010, he was awarded the Jim Pfeiffer Award for outstanding service to the legal profession from the Conference of California Bar Associations.
Professional, Community And Pro Bono Involvement
- American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, Fellow
- California Academy of Appellate Lawyers, President, 1998-1999
- American Bar Association, Judicial Division, Council of Appellate Lawyers, Executive Committee, 2001-2004
- California Lawyers Association, Standing Committee on Appellate Courts, 2001-2006; Chair, 2005-2006
- California Lawyers Association, Appellate Law Advisory Commission, Board of Legal Specialization, 1994-1998
- California Lawyers Association, Conference of Delegates, Chair, 1991; Executive Committee, 1987-1991; Resolutions Committee, 1984-1987
- Anthony M. Kennedy American Inn of Court, Master of the Bench Emeritus, 1992-present
- Sacramento County Bar Association, Appellate Law, Civil Litigation Law & Family Law Sections
- Capitol City Trial Lawyers Association
- Women Lawyers of Sacramento
- Asian Bar Association of Sacramento
- Leonard M. Friedman Bar Association
- California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District, Mediator
- Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento, Pro Tem Settlement Judge
- Central California Appellate Program, Board of Directors, 1995-present
- Legal Services Corporation of Northern California, President, 1985-1988; Board of Directors, 1982-1988
- Voluntary Legal Services Program of Sacramento, President, 1986-1988
- Sacramento County Bar Association Bar Council, Governing Board, 1986-1989
- University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, Advanced Appellate Advocacy and International Law Workshop, Leader, 2006-2007
- University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, Advanced Appellate Practice Practitioner Adviser, 1992-2005
- University of California at Davis School of Law, Appellate Practice, Visiting Instructor, 1999
Honors & Rankings
- Individual recognition for Litigation: Appellate – California, Chambers USA, 2019-2023
- AV Preeminent® Rating by Martindale-Hubbell®
- Best Lawyers® 2025 Appellate Practice “Lawyer of the Year” in Sacramento
- Best Lawyers® 2023 Appellate Practice “Lawyer of the Year” in Sacramento
- Best Lawyers® 2020 Bet-the-company Litigation “Lawyer of the Year” in Sacramento
- Best Lawyers in America©, Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, 2009-2025
- Super Lawyers, Northern California Super Lawyers, 1994-2018, 2023-2024
- Jim Pfeiffer Award for outstanding service to the legal profession, Conference of California Bar Associations, 2010
- Sacramento Magazine, Top Lawyer, Appellate, Mediation, 2018-2023
- Sacramento Business Journal, Best of the Bar, 2019
Selected Published Opinions
- S.Y. v. S.B. 201 Cal.App.4th 1023 (2011)
- Collins v. Sutter Memorial Hosp., 196 Cal.App.4th 1 (2011)
- Doe v. Roman Catholic Bishop of Sacramento, 189 Cal.App.4th 1423 (2010)
- Reid v. Google, Inc., 50 Cal.4th 512 (2010)
- McAdams v. Monier, Inc., 182 Cal.App.4th 174 (2010)
- Brown, Winfield & Canzoneri, Inc. v. Superior Court, 47 Cal.4th 1233 (2010)
- Silverbrand v. County of Los Angeles, 46 Cal.4th 106 (2009)
- LEG Investments v. Boxler, ___ Cal.App.4th ___ (2010).
- Bowen v. Ryan, 163 Cal.App.4th 916 (2008).
- 300 DeHaro Street Investors v. Department of Housing and Community Development, 161 Cal.App.4th 1240 (2008).
- Katiuzhinsky v. Perry, 152 Cal.App.4th 1288 (2007).
- Jones v. Catholic Healthcare West, 147 Cal.App.4th 300 (2007)
- Slayton v. Superior Court, 146 Cal.App.4th 55 (2006).
- Marriage of Klug, 130 Cal.App.4th 1389 (2005).
- Stockett v. Association of California Water Agencies Joint Powers Ins. Authority, 34 Cal.4th 441 (2004)
- Tesco Controls, Inc. v. Monterey Mechanical Co., 124 Cal.App.4th 780 (2004)
- In re Estate of Goyette, 123 Cal.App.4th 67 (2004)
- Collins v. State of California, 121 Cal.App.4th 1112 (2004)
- Auburn Woods I Homeowners Ass’n v. Fair Employment & Housing Comm’n, 121 Cal.App.4th 1578 (2004)
- Banning v. Newdow, 119 Cal.App.4th 438 (2004)
- Thompson v. Sacramento City Unified School District, 107 Cal.App.4th 1352 (2003)
- Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Ass’n v. City of Roseville, 106 Cal.App.4th 1178 (2003)
- In re Marriage of Abrams, 105 Cal.App.4th 979 (2003)
- Teresa J. v. Superior Court, 102 Cal.App.4th 366 (2002)
- In re Marriage of Wolfe, 91 Cal.App.4th 962 (2001)
- Adams v. Aerojet-General Corp., 86 Cal.App.4th 1324 (2001)
- Lester v. Lennane, 84 Cal.App.4th 536 (2000)
- In re Conservatorship of Gregory, 80 Cal.App.4th 514 (2000)
- Vandenberg v. Superior Court, 21 Cal.4th 815 (1999)
- Carrillo v. ACF Industries, Inc., 20 Cal.4th 1158 (1999)
- Mathew Zaheri Corp. v. New Motor Vehicle Board, 55 Cal.App.4th 1305 (1997)
- In re Marriage of Dunmore, 45 Cal.App.4th 1372 (1996)
- Smith v. Fair Employment & Housing Comm’n, 12 Cal.4th 1143 (1996)
- Honey Baked Hams, Inc. v. Dickens, 37 Cal.App.4th 421 (1995)
- Graham v. State Board of Control, 33 Cal.App.4th 253 (1995)
- KOVR-TV, Inc. v. Superior Court, 31 Cal.App.4th 1023 (1995)
- Walton v. Walton, 31 Cal.App.4th 277 (1995)
- Ostling v. Loring, 27 Cal.App.4th 1731 (1994)
- Lee v. Placer Title Co., 28 Cal.App.4th 503 (1994)
- In re Marriage of Nichols, 27 Cal.App.4th 661 (1994)
- R.J. Kuhl Corp. v. Sullivan, 13 Cal.App.4th 1589 (1993)
- Mid-Century Ins. Co. v. Gardner, 9 Cal.App.4th 1205 (1992)
- Engelmann v. State Board of Education, 2 Cal.App.4th 47 (1991)
- Vukovich v. Radulovich, 235 Cal.App.3d 281 (1991)
- Nielsen v. Stumbos, 226 Cal.App.3d 301 (1990)
- In re Marriage of Colombo, 197 Cal.App.3d 572 (1987)
- Planned Parenthood Affiliates v. Swoap, 173 Cal.App.3d 1187 (1985)
- Association for Retarded Citizens v. Department of Developmental Services, 38 Cal.3d 384 (1985)
- California Welfare Rights Organization v. Brian, 11 Cal.3d 237 (1974)
- Mooney v. Pickett, 4 Cal.3d 669 (1971)
Announcements
19 related items-
August 15, 2024Best Lawyers® 2025 Recognizes 44 Downey Brand Lawyers with Four Receiving Prestigious “Lawyer of the Year” Honors
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June 26, 202441 Downey Brand Attorneys Named 2024 Northern California Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
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August 17, 2023Best Lawyers® 2024 Recognizes 46 Downey Brand Lawyers with Four Receiving Prestigious “Lawyer of the Year” Honors
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August 1, 202338 Downey Brand Attorneys Named Top Lawyers by Sacramento Magazine
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June 30, 202342 Downey Brand Attorneys Named 2023 Northern California Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
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June 8, 2023Chambers USA 2023 Recognizes Downey Brand Attorneys and its Energy and Environmental Practice Groups
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August 18, 202240 Downey Brand Attorneys Honored as The Best Lawyers in America® and Ones to Watch 2023
Three selected as 2023 Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” -
August 3, 202233 Downey Brand Attorneys Named Top Lawyers by Sacramento Magazine
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June 16, 2022Chambers USA 2022 Recognizes Downey Brand’s Environmental and Energy Practice Groups and Four of its Attorneys
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August 19, 202119 Downey Brand Attorneys picked to represent The Best Lawyers in America® 2022
Two selected as 2022 Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” -
June 17, 202138 Downey Brand Attorneys Honored as Top Lawyers by Sacramento Magazine
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August 20, 202024 Attorneys from Downey Brand selected as The Best Lawyers in America© 2021
Two selected as 2021 Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” -
July 24, 202045 Downey Brand Attorneys Earn Top Lawyers Distinction from Sacramento Magazine
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August 22, 201916 Downey Brand Attorneys Named Best of the Bar 2019
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August 15, 201919 Attorneys from Downey Brand named as The Best Lawyers in America© 2020
Two Named 2020 Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” -
May 1, 201949 Downey Brand Attorneys Distinguished as Top Lawyers by Sacramento Magazine
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June 29, 2018Sacramento Magazine Recognizes 54 Downey Brand Attorneys As Top Lawyers
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March 7, 2018Jay-Allen Eisen Receives the 2017 Anne K. Meline Award
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December 6, 2017Prominent Appellate Attorney Jay-Allen Eisen to Work With Downey Brand
In the News
2 related items-
August 10, 2018Becerra’s Lawyer Says Eligibility Challenge Is ‘Far-Fetched’
Metropolitan News-Enterprise -
December 5, 2017Eisen Joins Downey Brand as the Firm Looks to Build Out Appellate Practice
Sacramento Business Journal
When not at work (which is rarely), Jay and his wife, the artist Julia Couzens, enjoy traveling off-the-beaten-path, which has included treks in Bhutan, the Kackar Mountains in northeast Turkey, and the Inca Trail to Machu Piccchu; camping and hiking in the Amazon rainforest of Peru; and exploring sites of ancient cultures. Jay is an avid reader and movie fan and enjoys live performances. He loves music of all kinds, especially jazz of the 1930s-1950s, but his large collection of recordings include music of virtually all genres from the middle ages through today and from around the world. Jay also keeps bees and enjoys vegetable gardening.
Professional, Community And Pro Bono Involvement
- American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, Fellow
- California Academy of Appellate Lawyers, President, 1998-1999
- American Bar Association, Judicial Division, Council of Appellate Lawyers, Executive Committee, 2001-2004
- California Lawyers Association, Standing Committee on Appellate Courts, 2001-2006; Chair, 2005-2006
- California Lawyers Association, Appellate Law Advisory Commission, Board of Legal Specialization, 1994-1998
- California Lawyers Association, Conference of Delegates, Chair, 1991; Executive Committee, 1987-1991; Resolutions Committee, 1984-1987
- Anthony M. Kennedy American Inn of Court, Master of the Bench Emeritus, 1992-present
- Sacramento County Bar Association, Appellate Law, Civil Litigation Law & Family Law Sections
- Capitol City Trial Lawyers Association
- Women Lawyers of Sacramento
- Asian Bar Association of Sacramento
- Leonard M. Friedman Bar Association
- California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District, Mediator
- Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento, Pro Tem Settlement Judge
- Central California Appellate Program, Board of Directors, 1995-present
- Legal Services Corporation of Northern California, President, 1985-1988; Board of Directors, 1982-1988
- Voluntary Legal Services Program of Sacramento, President, 1986-1988
- Sacramento County Bar Association Bar Council, Governing Board, 1986-1989
- University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, Advanced Appellate Advocacy and International Law Workshop, Leader, 2006-2007
- University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, Advanced Appellate Practice Practitioner Adviser, 1992-2005
- University of California at Davis School of Law, Appellate Practice, Visiting Instructor, 1999
Honors & Rankings
- Individual recognition for Litigation: Appellate – California, Chambers USA, 2019-2023
- AV Preeminent® Rating by Martindale-Hubbell®
- Best Lawyers® 2025 Appellate Practice “Lawyer of the Year” in Sacramento
- Best Lawyers® 2023 Appellate Practice “Lawyer of the Year” in Sacramento
- Best Lawyers® 2020 Bet-the-company Litigation “Lawyer of the Year” in Sacramento
- Best Lawyers in America©, Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, 2009-2025
- Super Lawyers, Northern California Super Lawyers, 1994-2018, 2023-2024
- Jim Pfeiffer Award for outstanding service to the legal profession, Conference of California Bar Associations, 2010
- Sacramento Magazine, Top Lawyer, Appellate, Mediation, 2018-2023
- Sacramento Business Journal, Best of the Bar, 2019