Courtney Elgart

Courtney Elgart represents companies and individuals in disputes where the stakes are high and the public is watching. She runs cases from first strategy through trial or final award, in state and federal court and in domestic and international arbitration.

Clients work with Courtney directly. She listens closely, gets to the heart of the problem quickly, and builds the strategy around what the client actually wants. Sometimes that means trying the case, and she has a track record of winning cases at trial. But sometimes it means resolving the case or prelitigation dispute on the right terms. Her trial record is what makes both paths work.

Her practice centers on high-profile contract disputes, entertainment and media litigation, and arbitration. She represents talent and profit participants against major studios and networks. She led the team that won a $120 million settlement from AMC for the producers of The Walking Dead after a nine-year profits battle. That result earned Courtney, Jean Ralph Fleurmont, and Stephanie Command runner-up honors for Law.com Litigation Daily’s Litigator of the Week. She also has experience litigating arbitrability under California law and has prevailed in numerous arbitral proceedings, in domestic and in international forums.

Her trial work goes well beyond commercial cases, often in matters drawing national attention. She litigated more than two dozen cases related to the 2020 election. That included serving on the trial and appellate team that defended the Nevada result against an election contest alleging widespread fraud. She also deposed three members of Congress and drew out an admission the federal court relied on to grant summary judgment against them. She also defended a client through a five-week federal jury trial on campaign finance charges.

Courtney has experience at the appellate level as well. She clerked for Judge Guido Calabresi on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. And she has represented appellants, appellees, and amici in four federal circuits, the U.S. Supreme Court, and appellate courts in five states.

Before co-founding EFC, Courtney practiced at a large international firm and was a partner at Sullivan & Triggs, LLP. She also clerked for Judge Richard Andrews on the District of Delaware, one of the busiest commercial dockets in the country. Before law school, she was Chief of Staff in the Massachusetts Legislature.

Outside the office, Courtney travels extensively, competes in amateur powerlifting, and spends time with her husband and their cats.

Experience

Courtney’s experience includes:

• $120 million settlement for the producers of The Walking Dead in a profit participation dispute with AMC
• Multi-million-dollar arbitration award for a hotelier
• Multi-million-dollar award for profit participants in private arbitration
• Multi-million-dollar award for a claimant in private international arbitration
• Successful defense, at trial and on appeal, of the 2020 Nevada presidential result against an election contest alleging widespread fraud
• Depositions of three members of Congress, producing an admission the federal court relied on to grant summary judgment against them
• Defense of a client in a five-week federal jury trial on campaign finance charges

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each matter depends on its own facts and law.