About Brandon Orewyler
Brandon co-founded Astraea Counsel with Chanté Eliaszadeh to create a firm where regulatory expertise and litigation muscle work hand in hand.
Before launching Astraea, Brandon spent nearly a decade building the kind of litigation experience that most attorneys never get. He clerked for three years in one of California's busiest complex courts, writing the rulings that decide cases. He then moved through Big Law and litigation boutiques, trying cases and building a book of business through direct client relationships—not hand-me-downs.
The result: a litigator who knows what judges actually care about and knows how to get results.
Practice Areas
Professional Journey
Brandon built his practice on a simple premise: know what judges want, then deliver it. His clerkship gave him the insider view. His trial experience proved he could use it.
The Complex Division
Most litigators spend their careers guessing what judges want. Brandon spent three years writing the answers.
As Law Clerk to the Honorable Daniel J. Buckley in the Los Angeles Superior Court’s Complex Division—the busiest complex litigation department in California and one of the busiest in the nation—he drafted tentative rulings and orders on dispositive motions, class certifications, and discovery disputes across the full spectrum of complex civil litigation: mass torts, class actions, shareholder derivative suits, and multi-party commercial disputes.
The experience was formative in a way that briefing alone never could be. He saw how judges actually evaluate arguments, what makes a motion succeed or fail, and where even experienced attorneys routinely miss the mark. That perspective now informs every brief, motion, and argument he makes.
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
From the clerk’s chambers, Brandon moved to Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, where he litigated complex white collar, securities, and corporate matters at the highest stakes. He managed discovery and investigative projects involving dozens of attorneys and millions of documents, drafted dispositive motions in state and federal court, and supported corporate clients navigating compliance and regulatory exposure.
At Simpson Thacher, he gained the training that only a top-tier global firm provides: rigorous analytical frameworks, meticulous attention to procedural detail, and the ability to manage massive, multi-party litigation without losing sight of strategy.
From Associate to Lead Counsel
After Simpson Thacher, Brandon moved to litigation boutiques where he could take the lead. He first-chaired a bench trial in the Delaware Court of Chancery, took and defended depositions in high-stakes commercial disputes, and developed a client base through direct relationships and referrals—not institutional hand-me-downs.
The transition from Big Law to boutique practice was deliberate. Brandon wanted to own his cases from intake through resolution, maintain direct client relationships, and try cases—not just brief them. That independence and client-first approach is what he brings to Astraea Counsel.
Astraea Counsel
Brandon co-founded Astraea Counsel with Chanté Eliaszadeh because he saw the same gap she did: founders building in crypto and emerging tech needed litigation counsel who understood their industry—not generalists learning on the job. By pairing Chanté’s regulatory and transactional expertise with his litigation experience, Astraea offers clients something rare: a firm that can structure the deal and fight the dispute.
He represents blockchain companies, technology founders, and corporate clients in disputes ranging from shareholder derivative actions to novel questions of personal jurisdiction over foreign cryptocurrency defendants. His clients get a litigator who has written the rulings, tried the cases, and argued the appeals.
Areas of Deep Expertise
Brandon doesn't just understand digital asset law—he understands the technology. That fluency lets him translate complex regulatory requirements into practical business strategies.
Cryptocurrency & Digital Asset Disputes
Litigation involving blockchain projects, token disputes, and novel questions of personal jurisdiction over foreign defendants in the crypto space. Currently handling matters that test how traditional jurisdictional frameworks apply to virtual contacts and internet-native commerce.
Shareholder & Governance Litigation
Books-and-records demands, derivative suits, and corporate governance disputes. First-chaired bench trial in the Delaware Court of Chancery; currently prosecuting derivative action in California state court following successful opposition to demurrer.
Securities Litigation
Defense and plaintiff-side securities matters in federal court, including class actions and individual fraud claims. Experience managing large-scale discovery and taking depositions in high-stakes, multi-party disputes.
Internal Investigations
Represented boards and special committees of public companies in sensitive investigations involving executive misconduct. Handled document review, witness interviews, and preparation of investigation reports.
Complex Commercial Disputes
Breach of contract, fraud, and fiduciary duty claims across state and federal courts. Served as lead counsel on parallel matters involving both prosecution and defense of related claims.
Appellate Advocacy
Briefing and oral argument in state and federal appellate courts. Avid moot courter in law school turned effective real-world appellate advocate.
Education & Bar Admission
Brandon earned his J.D. from UC Berkeley School of Law, where he competed as a McBaine Moot Court finalist, placed fourth regionally in the Jessup International Moot Court, and served as articles editor on both the Berkeley Technology Law Journal and the Berkeley Journal of International Law. His undergraduate work at UC Irvine centered on game theory and strategic decision-making—the mathematics of risk, incentive, and competitive behavior—an analytical foundation that carries directly into how he approaches litigation.
J.D., 2018
University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
McBaine Moot Court Finalist | Jessup Int'l Moot Court, 4th Place Regional Oralist | Berkeley Technology Law Journal, Articles Editor | Berkeley Journal of International Law, Articles Editor | Blockchain at Berkeley Law, Senior Advisor | California Constitution Center, Senior Research Fellow
B.A., magna cum laude, 2015
University of California, Irvine
Political Science (emphasis in Game Theory & Methods)
Bar Admission: California (Bar No. 324391)
Why Founders Choose Astraea Counsel
Judicial Insider Perspective
Three years in the Complex Division taught Brandon how judges actually decide cases—not how law school says they should. He has evaluated the briefs from the other side of the bench and seen what works and what doesn't. That perspective shapes every motion and argument he files.
Trial-Tested
Brandon has first-chaired a bench trial in the Delaware Court of Chancery, taken and defended depositions in multi-party disputes, and argued before the Ninth Circuit. He doesn't just write briefs—he tries cases and argues appeals.
Big Law Rigor, Direct Access
Simpson Thacher trained him to manage litigation at scale—millions of documents, teams of dozens. But at Astraea Counsel, there's no associate buffer. You work directly with the attorney handling your case, at every stage.
Built on Relationships
Brandon built his practice through direct client relationships, not institutional hand-me-downs. His clients come back because of results—and because they always know who's handling their case.
"I've written the rulings and tried the cases. When a dispute lands in court, you need a litigator who knows how judges think—and isn't afraid to go to trial."
– Brandon Orewyler
Let's Discuss Your Legal Needs
Whether you're launching a token, navigating regulatory compliance, or structuring a digital asset business, Astraea Counsel can guide you forward with practical, strategic counsel grounded in real-world execution.
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