Jennifer L. Keller
Partner
T: 949.476.8700
F: 949.476.0900
jkeller@kelleranderle.com
PRACTICE AREAS
Trials
Commercial Litigation
Intellectual Property
Securities
Insurance Recovery/Bad Faith
White Collar Criminal Defense
Legal Malpractice
Entertainment/Sports
EDUCATION
University of California, Hastings College of the Law, J.D.
University of California, Berkeley, A.B.
CLERKSHIP
Senior Research Attorney, California Court of Appeal, 4th District, Div. 3
“Keller is widely regarded as one of the best trial lawyers in California.”
“Keller has uncanny instincts, a wonderful courtroom demeanor and she’s an extremely clear and effective communicator.”
“Keller is absolutely unflappable in court and builds a strong rapport and credibility with judges and decision makers.”
“The consummate trial lawyer.”
“Revered for her versatility and ease in front of a jury … the go-to trial attorney for difficult cases.”
“Keller’s performance [in the MGA v. Mattel trial] added to her reputation as one of the most versatile and toughest trial lawyers in the nation.”
“Keller…is no stranger to high-stakes cases, whether criminal or civil.”
“How a Last-Minute Lawyer Victoriously Turned the Tide in the Bratz Doll Case”
“Costa Mesa Hires High Profile Attorney to Defend Against Sober-Living Lawsuits”
“We would like to give those cities some advice: hire Jennifer Keller. Keller is a hall of fame trial lawyer, widely regarded as the best in the county.”
“Ms. Keller is the most gifted litigator with whom I have ever worked. She is not only a leader and brilliant case manager, but also the most effective trial attorney I have seen. She is the best of the best.”
“I have seen many great trial lawyers in my life and Jennifer Keller stands right up there with the greatest. I highly recommend Ms. Keller as a lead trial lawyer for any complex litigation.”
“She’s phenomenal, effective, understated and her advocacy is impeccable. She asks the best questions and is really talented.”
“Jennifer’s ability to quickly grasp what’s going on is only matched by her ability to package everything up into incredible narratives.”
“Jennifer is one of the most talented and skilled trial lawyers in the country. She’s smart, very personable, and reads the room like nobody else I know. If I were in trouble, I would hire her.”
Jennifer Keller is one of America’s most successful trial attorneys. She represents both plaintiffs and defendants in a broad range of high-stakes commercial litigation and white collar cases. Chambers USA and Chambers Global rank her among the top commercial litigators in the nation, quoting sources who describe Jennifer as “widely regarded as one of the best trial lawyers in California.” “She has uncanny instincts, a wonderful courtroom demeanor and she’s an extremely clear and effective communicator,” and “is absolutely unflappable in court and builds a strong rapport and credibility with judges and decision makers.” She is a Fellow of the invitation-only American College of Trial Lawyers, considered to be among the highest honors a North American trial attorney can receive. The Legal 500, among the most prestigious international legal directories, recommends Jennifer as one of just 68 “leading trial lawyers” in the entire United States. Jennifer is also a 2018 inductee into the California Lawyers Association Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame, one of only 36 attorneys so honored throughout the years. Benchmark Litigation lists her as one of the “Top 100 Trial Attorneys in America” and among the “Top 20 Trial Lawyers in California,” calling her a “National Litigation Star.” In 2020 and in 2021, Super Lawyers ranked Jennifer #1 in Southern California. “Revered for her versatility and ease in front of a jury … the go-to trial attorney for difficult cases” is how Jennifer is described by The Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journals, ranking her as a “Top 100 Lawyer in California” for over 10 years in a row. In three separate years (2019, 2018 and 2012), in starkly different subjects, Jennifer’s trial victories have led to California Lawyer Magazine Attorneys of the Year (CLAY) awards for extraordinary achievements in litigation.
Jennifer made a last-minute entrance as lead counsel for MGA Entertainment in the 2011 retrial of Mattel v. MGA, the epic doll battle popularly known as “Barbie v. Bratz.” Coming into the four-month jury trial just twelve days before jury selection, Jennifer captained MGA to a win Reuters called “an astonishing loss” for Mattel and the LA Times deemed “a stunning reversal of fortune” for MGA. The jury found Mattel had no rights to the Bratz doll line and awarded MGA $85 million in damages for theft of its own trade secrets, to which the judge added $85 million in punitive damages. (While the damages judgment was reversed on appeal, MGA’s $139 million attorneys’ fee award stands.)
Just two years earlier Jennifer won California’s largest business jury verdict of 2009 with $350 million awarded to her venture capitalist client in Auerbach v. Daily. Recently she represented Standard & Poors in United States v. The McGraw-Hill Companies, the government’s civil suit claiming S&P inflated the value of certain mortgage-backed securities. Jennifer was selected as one of S&P’s three trial attorneys. The case settled in 2015 for over $1 billion, which was less than one-fifth of what the government had been demanding.
In 2022, Jennifer successfully defended Tony, Emmy and two-time Oscar winner Kevin Spacey against actor Anthony Rapp in a sexual battery civil jury trial in Southern District of New York. The jury deliberated only 30 minutes before reaching a unanimous verdict finding Mr. Spacey not liable and denying Mr. Rapp the $40 million he was seeking. The case was covered by the global media.
In 2018 Jennifer won two landmark jury verdicts in different areas, each of which was named a “Top Defense Verdict” by the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journals. For one of them, Yellowstone Women’s First Step House v. Costa Mesa, Jennifer won her third CLAY Award (California Lawyer Magazine Attorneys of the Year). In the other, Chavez et al. cv. MassMutual Life Insurance Co., she also won a CVN “Top Verdicts” award. In 2017 Jennifer as co-lead counsel got a not guilty verdict for her developer client Jeffrey Burum after nine months of jury trial in what the California Attorney General called “the largest corruption case in the history of San Bernardino, and possibly California.” The jury was out a little more than two hours before acquitting Mr. Burum of all charges.
Jennifer is listed annually in “The Best Lawyers in America®” and is among the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America. Jennifer is a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invitation-only organization limited to the top one-half of one percent of the nation’s attorneys.
Jennifer is also active in the community. She is the former President of the Orange County Bar Association and served for many years as a Trustee of Chapman University. She counts as present and former clients judges, public officials, law enforcement officers, CEOs, CFOs, lawyers, physicians, professional athletes, entertainment industry executives, actors, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. Jennifer’s past and present institutional clients have included Fortune 100 corporations, other publicly-traded corporations, and large privately-held companies.
Chambers USA and Chambers Global, recommended in General Commercial Litigation (California) and Trials (of all types, Nationwide)
Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
The Legal 500, USA Edition, Leading Trial Lawyers (2021-2022)
Benchmark Litigation “Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America” (2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018), “The Top 20 Trial Lawyers in California” (2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019)
Lawdragon Hall of Fame (2023)
The Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America (2012-2023)
Lawdragon Legend (2020)
The Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America (2023)
The Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journals, “The Top 100 Lawyers in California,” (2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2007, Editors’ Pick 2001)
California Lawyer Magazine Attorneys of the Year (CLAY Award), Municipal Law (2019), White Collar Criminal Defense (2018), Intellectual Property Litigation (2012)
The Irish Legal 100 (2021-2022)
Benchmark Litigation “Top 250 Women in Litigation” (2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017)
California Lawyers Association “Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame” (inducted 2018)
Senior Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America (by invitation only, limited to top ½ of 1 percent of lawyers nationally)
Los Angeles Magazine, “Southern California Super Lawyers”: Ranked #1 Super Lawyers Southern California (2020-2021); Ranked either #1 or #2 Super Lawyers Southern California (2019-2023); Top 10 Southern California Super Lawyers (2018-2023), Top 100 Southern California Super Lawyers (2016-2023), “Top 50 Orange County Super Lawyers” (16 times), “Top 50 Southern California Women Super Lawyers” (14 times); “Super Lawyers in Business Litigation, Intellectual Property, Professional Liability, and White Collar Criminal Defense” (2006-2023)
The Best Lawyers In America®, S. Naifeh & G. Smith (2004-2023 eds.); Bet-The-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation, Securities Litigation, and White Collar Criminal Defense; Orange County Lawyer of the Year – Criminal Defense (2013); Orange County Lawyer of the Year – White Collar Criminal Defense (2017 and 2022)
The Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journals, “California’s Top Women Lawyers” (2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2007, 2002)
The San Francisco Recorder, Attorneys of the Year (2012)
The National Trial Lawyers, “The Top 100 Trial Lawyers in California” (2008-2014)
Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, Business Litigation Trial Lawyer of the Year (2010)
Orange County Business Journal, “OC 500 Directory of Influence” (2020, 2019)
The National Law Journal, Annual “Winning” Edition (2012)
Member, Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
Orange County Women Lawyers, Attorney of the Year (2003)
Anti-Defamation League of Orange County & Long Beach, Jurisprudence Award (2001)
Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer of the Year (2000)
Public Law Center of Orange County, Attorney of the Year (1996)
The Constitutional Rights Foundation of Orange County, Lawyer of the Year (1983)
State Bar of California, Wiley Manuel Award for Pro Bono Service (1998)
Martindale-Hubbell “AV” rated since 1983. Listed, Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers
In 2022, Jennifer tried and won a unanimous defense jury verdict for Kevin Spacey in the Southern District of New York. Mr. Spacey had been sued for sexual battery by actor Anthony Rapp.
In 2011, as lead counsel for MGA, Jennifer won the retrial of Mattel v. MGA (aka “Barbie v. Bratz”), a billion-dollar “bet the company” copyright infringement and trade secret misappropriation case. MGA had lost a previous trial, been ordered to pay Mattel $100 million in damages, and was forced to surrender the Bratz brand to Mattel. In the retrial, which Jennifer entered just 12 days before trial began, the jury found that MGA owned the entire Bratz brand and rejected all of Mattel’s claims. Additionally, Mattel was ordered to pay MGA $85 million for theft of MGA’s trade secrets, plus $85 million in punitive damages and over $139 million in attorneys’ fees. (Although the damages award to MGA was reversed on appeal, the judgment awarding $139 million in attorneys’ fees stands.) Mattel v. MGA Entertainment et al, USDC Central District of California.
In 2009, Jennifer was lead counsel for the plaintiff in a five-month business fraud jury trial in Los Angeles. The jury awarded $300 million in compensatory damages and $50 million in punitive damages. The case settled in bankruptcy court for $120 million. Auerbach Acquisition Associates v. Daily, LASC.
In 2021, Jennifer represented CashCall Inc. as plaintiff in a landmark legal malpractice suit against an AmLaw 100 law firm, Katten Muchin. This suit was one of the largest such cases ever seen in the country with over $850 million in damages. After years of hard-fought litigation, Jennifer and the K/A team achieved a landmark settlement on the eve of trial.
In 2019, Jennifer and the K/A team settled Broadwood Investments v. The United States, in which the client, Broadcom co-founder Henry Nicholas, sued for relief from an IRS denial of his attempted deduction for distressed Chinese debt. Shortly before trial, the Government settled and allowed a deduction of $40 million plus significant interest. It was a nationwide first for such a deduction to be allowed.
In 2018, Jennifer won a jury verdict for MassMutual Life Insurance Co. in a bellwether class action jury trial in Los Angeles. The class claimed it had been unfairly deprived of dividends. The jury found it had not, which led to the collapse of a nationwide class. The trial was covered live on CVN, which named it one of the Top Defense Verdicts of the year, as did the Daily Journal.
Also in 2018, Jennifer successfully defended the City of Costa Mesa on Yellowstone Women’s First Step House et al v. Costa Mesa, in which a network of sober living home operators contended the City had violated the FHA and ADA by passing an ordinance regulating them. A unanimous federal court jury disagreed. For this verdict Jennifer won her third CLAY Award (California Lawyer Magazine Attorneys of the Year) in Municipal Law. It was also featured as one of the Daily Journal’s Top Defense Verdicts of the year.
Jennifer defended Standard & Poors in United States v. McGraw-Hill Companies, in the government’s lawsuit alleging that S&P inflated the ratings of certain mortgage-backed securities. After years of hard-fought litigation, the case settled for $1 billion — less than one-fifth of what the government had initially demanded.
In a 2013 Los Angeles County Superior Court trial, Jennifer along with Kay Anderle as co-counsel for the plaintiff in a breach of contract, fraud and conversion jury trial won nearly $5 million for their client, including $1.4 million in punitive damages. Larian v. Talassazan, LASC-Santa Monica.
Jennifer won a defense jury verdict for a law firm accused of wrongfully terminating the plaintiff, the head of its billing department, due to her alleged “whistleblowing” on billing fraud.
Jennfier has also defended the county CAO in the groundbreaking Orange County bankruptcy litigation, civil and criminal, and before the Securities and Exchange Commission; he was never indicted or fined.
Jennifer achieved a defense verdict for an university in a multi-million-dollar, six-month fraud and misrepresentation jury trial; plaintiffs were students in its inaugural law school class. The jury awarded them zero damages.
Jennifer has represented on civil or administrative matters, several judges, the Orange County District Attorney and the Sheriff.
Jennifer L. Keller
Partner
T: 949.476.8700
F: 949.476.0900
jkeller@kelleranderle.com
EDUCATION
University of California, Hastings College of the Law, J.D.
University of California, Berkeley, A.B.
CLERKSHIP
Senior Research Attorney, California Court of Appeal, 4th District, Div. 3
EXPERIENCE
Jennifer Keller is one of America’s most successful trial attorneys. She represents both plaintiffs and defendants in a broad range of high-stakes commercial litigation and white collar cases. Chambers USA and Chambers Global rank her among the top commercial litigators in the nation, quoting sources who describe Jennifer as “widely regarded as one of the best trial lawyers in California.” “She has uncanny instincts, a wonderful courtroom demeanor and she’s an extremely clear and effective communicator,” and “is absolutely unflappable in court and builds a strong rapport and credibility with judges and decision makers.” She is a Fellow of the invitation-only American College of Trial Lawyers, considered to be among the highest honors a North American trial attorney can receive. The Legal 500, among the most prestigious international legal directories, recommends Jennifer as one of just 68 “leading trial lawyers” in the entire United States. Jennifer is also a 2018 inductee into the California Lawyers Association Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame, one of only 36 attorneys so honored throughout the years. Benchmark Litigation lists her as one of the “Top 100 Trial Attorneys in America” and among the “Top 20 Trial Lawyers in California,” calling her a “National Litigation Star.” In 2020 and in 2021, Super Lawyers ranked Jennifer #1 in Southern California. “Revered for her versatility and ease in front of a jury … the go-to trial attorney for difficult cases” is how Jennifer is described by The Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journals, ranking her as a “Top 100 Lawyer in California” for over 10 years in a row. In three separate years (2019, 2018 and 2012), in starkly different subjects, Jennifer’s trial victories have led to California Lawyer Magazine Attorneys of the Year (CLAY) awards for extraordinary achievements in litigation.
Jennifer made a last-minute entrance as lead counsel for MGA Entertainment in the 2011 retrial of Mattel v. MGA, the epic doll battle popularly known as “Barbie v. Bratz.” Coming into the four-month jury trial just twelve days before jury selection, Jennifer captained MGA to a win Reuters called “an astonishing loss” for Mattel and the LA Times deemed “a stunning reversal of fortune” for MGA. The jury found Mattel had no rights to the Bratz doll line and awarded MGA $85 million in damages for theft of its own trade secrets, to which the judge added $85 million in punitive damages. (While the damages judgment was reversed on appeal, MGA’s $139 million attorneys’ fee award stands.)
Just two years earlier Jennifer won California’s largest business jury verdict of 2009 with $350 million awarded to her venture capitalist client in Auerbach v. Daily. Recently she represented Standard & Poors in United States v. The McGraw-Hill Companies, the government’s civil suit claiming S&P inflated the value of certain mortgage-backed securities. Jennifer was selected as one of S&P’s three trial attorneys. The case settled in 2015 for over $1 billion, which was less than one-fifth of what the government had been demanding.
In 2022, Jennifer successfully defended Tony, Emmy and two-time Oscar winner Kevin Spacey against actor Anthony Rapp in a sexual battery civil jury trial in Southern District of New York. The jury deliberated only 30 minutes before reaching a unanimous verdict finding Mr. Spacey not liable and denying Mr. Rapp the $40 million he was seeking. The case was covered by the global media.
In 2018 Jennifer won two landmark jury verdicts in different areas, each of which was named a “Top Defense Verdict” by the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journals. For one of them, Yellowstone Women’s First Step House v. Costa Mesa, Jennifer won her third CLAY Award (California Lawyer Magazine Attorneys of the Year). In the other, Chavez et al. cv. MassMutual Life Insurance Co., she also won a CVN “Top Verdicts” award. In 2017 Jennifer as co-lead counsel got a not guilty verdict for her developer client Jeffrey Burum after nine months of jury trial in what the California Attorney General called “the largest corruption case in the history of San Bernardino, and possibly California.” The jury was out a little more than two hours before acquitting Mr. Burum of all charges.
Jennifer is listed annually in “The Best Lawyers in America®” and is among the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America. Jennifer is a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invitation-only organization limited to the top one-half of one percent of the nation’s attorneys.
Jennifer is also active in the community. She is the former President of the Orange County Bar Association and served for many years as a Trustee of Chapman University. She counts as present and former clients judges, public officials, law enforcement officers, CEOs, CFOs, lawyers, physicians, professional athletes, entertainment industry executives, actors, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. Jennifer’s past and present institutional clients have included Fortune 100 corporations, other publicly-traded corporations, and large privately-held companies.
“Keller is widely regarded as one of the best trial lawyers in California.”
“Keller has uncanny instincts, a wonderful courtroom demeanor and she’s an extremely clear and effective communicator.”
“Keller is absolutely unflappable in court and builds a strong rapport and credibility with judges and decision makers.”
“The consummate trial lawyer.”
“Revered for her versatility and ease in front of a jury … the go-to trial attorney for difficult cases.”
“Keller’s performance [in the MGA v. Mattel trial] added to her reputation as one of the most versatile and toughest trial lawyers in the nation.”
“Keller…is no stranger to high-stakes cases, whether criminal or civil.”
“How a Last-Minute Lawyer Victoriously Turned the Tide in the Bratz Doll Case”
“Costa Mesa Hires High Profile Attorney to Defend Against Sober-Living Lawsuits”
“We would like to give those cities some advice: hire Jennifer Keller. Keller is a hall of fame trial lawyer, widely regarded as the best in the county.”
“Ms. Keller is the most gifted litigator with whom I have ever worked. She is not only a leader and brilliant case manager, but also the most effective trial attorney I have seen. She is the best of the best.”
“I have seen many great trial lawyers in my life and Jennifer Keller stands right up there with the greatest. I highly recommend Ms. Keller as a lead trial lawyer for any complex litigation.”
“She’s phenomenal, effective, understated and her advocacy is impeccable. She asks the best questions and is really talented.”
“Jennifer’s ability to quickly grasp what’s going on is only matched by her ability to package everything up into incredible narratives.”
“Jennifer is one of the most talented and skilled trial lawyers in the country. She’s smart, very personable, and reads the room like nobody else I know. If I were in trouble, I would hire her.”
