In a high-profile case tried in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, a federal jury handed former bank executive Patrick Byrne a sweeping victory against Ameris Bank. The case arose from Ameris’s acquisition of Balboa Capital, where Byrne served as CEO pursuant to an earn-out and long-term incentive compensation arrangement tied to the company’s post-acquisition performance. Byrne alleged that Ameris manipulated the metrics used to calculate incentive compensation, failed to pay amounts owed under the agreement, and ultimately terminated him after he challenged those calculations. After a two-week trial, the jury found Ameris Bank liable on Byrne’s claims, including wrongful termination, whistleblower retaliation, unpaid wages, and breach of contract, awarding approximately $16.5 million in compensatory damages and statutory penalties, as well as approximately $62.9 million in punitive damages. The verdict represents a significant outcome in a closely watched contract and employment dispute and reflects the jury’s decisive findings on Byrne’s claims.
DOAR was retained by the trial team at Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP to provide jury research, graphics consulting and design, and evidence presentation support throughout the matter. Our team conducted a one-day focus group and a two-day mock trial to evaluate case themes, damages arguments, and juror perceptions of Byrne as a witness. We also developed trial graphics and provided courtroom evidence presentation services throughout the trial.
