Charles E. Weir

“Winning on paper is not enough. My job is to align litigation strategy with business goals—so every decision advances the result that actually matters to the client.” —Charles E. Weir

When health care organizations, publicly traded and private companies, and executives face high-stakes litigation or government scrutiny, they turn to attorney Charles Weir.

He brings more than two decades of experience handling complex business disputes, enforcement actions, and internal investigations for clients across a broad range of industries, with particular depth in the health care sector. That background gives clients a litigator who understands both the legal landscape and the business consequences of every decision.

In health care, Charles has represented major health care providers—including hospital systems, Medicare Advantage plans, drug manufacturers, and dialysis companies—in matters ranging from qui tam suits under the federal and California False Claims Acts and Section 1871 of the California Insurance Code to class actions, commercial contract disputes, and administrative challenges to federal agency rulemaking.

Beyond health care litigation, Charles is an experienced trademark and unfair business practices litigator with a substantial practice across multiple industries—including entertainment, financial services, energy, and consumer products—in matters involving trademark infringement, copyright, trade secret misappropriation, and unfair competition. He has also served as defense counsel in two of the largest shareholder derivative lawsuits in California history and has defended clients in class action matters relating to breaches of fiduciary duty, false advertising, violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), and violations of both federal and state securities laws.

Charles serves as the Co-Chair of the firm’s National Litigation Steering Committee.  Before joining Epstein Becker Green, Charles was a partner at a national law firm and the business unit leader for its Litigation Resources Team. He also served as head of the Los Angeles litigation group and co-chair of the class action team at an international law firm.

What Charles Delivers for Clients

• Health Care Litigation Depth: Charles has represented health care clients across all levels of the federal and state court systems, including before the U.S. Supreme Court in a landmark False Claims Act case. Clients facing government enforcement actions, qui tam suits, or complex regulatory litigation get a litigator who speaks the language of health care operations as fluently as he speaks the language of the courtroom.
• Class Action Defense: From securities fraud and ERISA claims to consumer protection and shareholder derivative suits, Charles has defended clients against class-wide exposure at the highest levels of complexity. This record sharpens his judgment on when to fight, when to settle, and how to protect a client’s interests throughout a matter.
• Trademark and Brand Protection: Charles has litigated trademark infringement, copyright, and trade secret matters for clients whose brands and intellectual property are central to their business. That experience translates into practical advantages for clients—including a track record of securing preliminary injunctions and stopping serial infringers before the damage compounds.
• Internal Investigations and Government Response: Charles guides organizations through internal investigations and responses to government subpoenas and information demands. Clients benefit from counsel who can assess risk, manage disclosures, and position the organization strategically before matters escalate.
• Executive and Director Representation: Charles has represented individual officers, directors, and founders in high-stakes litigation where personal liability is on the line, providing counsel focused on protecting their interests and reputations while minimizing their exposure.

The following lists include a sampling of Charles’s matters.

False Claims Act and Qui Tam Litigation

• Represented and currently represents a national hospital system in multiple qui tam suits alleging violations of the federal and California False Claims Acts, including in a landmark False Claims Act case before the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Represents a hospital system in a class action alleging improper billing of third-party liability carriers.
• Defended a hospital system in a False Claims Act qui tam suit related to radiation oncology.
• Defended a major drug manufacturer in a consumer class action regarding the alleged off-label marketing of prescription drugs.

Health Care Regulatory and Commercial Matters

• Represented and currently represents a California health network in a breach of contract litigation.
• Represents a not-for-profit health care organization as amicus curiae in a challenge to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ hospital price disclosure rule.
• Represents a device manufacturer in connection with breach of contract and fraud litigation.
• Defended multiple Medicare Advantage plans in an administrative challenge to changes to the Star Ratings system.
• Defended a hospital and its parent Fortune 500 health services company in a class action alleging violations of the TCPA.
• Provided representation for a medical center in a commercial dispute with an independent physician association.
• Defended a major dialysis company in a class action dismissed by the U.S. District Court, Central District of California.

Trademark, Copyright, and Unfair Competition

• Represents the corporate entities holding the intellectual property rights of a legendary guitarist in numerous matters involving serial infringers of copyrights and trademarks.
• Represents a legendary singer and musician in trademark and copyright infringement litigation.
• Represents a national primary care provider in a dispute with a competitor involving allegations of misappropriation of trade secrets and violation of noncompetition and nonsolicitation arrangements.
• Obtained a preliminary injunction on behalf of the parent company of a film production and distribution company in a trademark infringement lawsuit.
• Provided representation for a cosmetics company in breach of contract and trademark infringement arbitration.
• Defended a dialysis provider in connection with competition disputes involving allegations of misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of contract, and unfair competition.
• Provided representation for a hospital system in connection with claims of trade secret theft and breach of contract.
• Defended an artisanal coffee company in trademark litigation.

Shareholder Derivative and Securities Litigation

• Served as defense counsel for officers and directors of a gas corporation in a shareholder derivative action arising from an accident in California and the company’s natural gas pipeline operations.
• Defended a co-founder of a major semiconductor company in a high-profile securities class action and shareholder derivative suit regarding the company’s stock option accounting practices.
• Defended members of the board of directors of a publicly traded bank holding company in a securities class action and an Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) class action.
• Represented a subprime lender in a securities class action.

Consumer Class Actions and Commercial Litigation

• Defended a manufacturer of packaged food products in multiple consumer class actions regarding product labeling and supply chain disclosures.
• Defended an American sportswear company in a consumer class action.

• The Best Lawyers in America^©, Health Care Law (2021 to 2026)
• The Legal 500 United States (2019)
• Benchmark Litigation, Future Star (2012 to 2018)
• Los Angeles Magazine, Law & Politics Rising Star (2006 to 2015)

Education

• Harvard Law School (J.D., 2000)
• University of California, Riverside (B.A., magna cum laude, 1996)