Aaron H. Jacoby

Aaron Jacoby focuses exclusively on the automotive sector, serving as counsel to publicly traded and private retail dealers, technology companies seeking to enter the industry, and private equity firms pursuing automotive investments. His work spans litigation, federal and state regulatory matters, government investigations, franchise disputes, and dealership mergers and acquisitions.

Aaron advises C-suite leaders on regulatory issues affecting the industry, including autonomous vehicles, online sales, and direct manufacturer sales. Chambers USA has ranked him Band 1 nationally for 15 consecutive years. He has also been named to the Daily Journal’s “Top 100 Lawyers” in California and recognized by The Legal 500 in Transport: Rail and Road.

Aaron’s automotive industry counsel practice spans federal and state regulatory defense, consumer fraud and class action litigation, retail dealer M&A and private equity transactions, franchise disputes and expert testimony, and regulatory mapping for autonomous vehicles, online sales, and multi-state dealer operations. Representative matters include:

Federal & State Regulatory Defense

• Defending auto industry clients before federal and state agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission

Franchise Litigation & Expert Testimony

• Providing professional witness analysis and testimony in unfair business practice matters.
• Leading franchise litigation on behalf of dealers.

Class Action & Consumer Fraud Litigation

• Serving as special counsel in consumer fraud class actions.

Retail Dealer M&A and Private Equity Transactions

• Advising one of the largest public companies in the world on the automotive regulatory components of its multi-billion dollar acquisition of the nation’s then-largest privately-held retail automotive group.
• Working with a prominent private equity fund in the formation of a joint venture for the acquisition of its first retail automotive dealerships.
• Assisting one of the largest automotive retail groups in Mexico with the expansion of its U.S. footprint.

Regulatory Mapping for New Mobility & Online Retail

• Directing regulatory mapping for federal and multi-state licensing and business practices related to:
  • Autonomous vehicle technology.
  • Legal and regulatory implications for online automotive retailers.
  • Multi-state retail operations.
  • Technical drafting advisor for state regulations defining auto industry markets.

• University of San Francisco School of Law, JD, 1988
• University of California, Santa Cruz, BA, 1983

• California Bar

• US District Court, Northern District of California
• US Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
• US District Court, Central District of California

Aaron is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the National Association of Dealer Counsel. He also serves as counsel to a variety of industry associations.