Kay Anderle

Kay Anderle


Keller/Anderle LLP

Recognized since 2011

Irvine, California

Practice Areas

Bet-the-Company Litigation

Commercial Litigation

Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2015 - Criminal Defense: General Practice
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PRACTICE AREAS
  • Trials
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Bet-the-Company Trials
  • Class Actions
  • White Collar Criminal Defense
EXPERIENCE

Kay is a seasoned trial attorney, having tried over 100 jury trials to verdict. She represents both plaintiffs and defendants in a broad range of high-stakes commercial litigation and white collar cases. Chambers USA ranks her among the top commercial litigators in California, quoting sources who describe Kay as “having great instincts and clients listen breathlessly when she speaks.” “She is exceptionally smart and hard-working.” Kay is a Senior Fellow of the invitation-only Litigation Counsel of America. She is also listed in the Law Dragon Leading Lawyers, among the most prestigious international legal directories.

Kay began her legal career over 32 years ago in the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, where she spent 12 years prosecuting criminal cases. In 2004, she entered private practice, focusing on white collar criminal cases. Her negotiation and trial skills made her one of the most effective defense lawyers in Southern California.

In 2005, she and Jennifer Keller formed Keller/Anderle and expanded their practice to include high-stakes business litigation and trials. In 2009, Kay worked with Jennifer on a business fraud trial in which the jury awarded $350 million, the largest jury verdict in California that year. In 2011, she joined Jennifer in the retrial of the epic doll battle Mattel v. MGA, in which MGA was defending against copyright infringement and trade secret misappropriation claims and prosecuting its own trade secret misappropriation action against Mattel. The jury rejected all of Mattel’s claims of copyright infringement and trade secret misappropriation and awarded $85 million in damages to MGA Entertainment; the judge added another $85 million in punitive damages and $139 million in attorneys’ fees. In 2013, Kay was co-lead plaintiff counsel on a business fraud trial which resulted in a multi-million-dollar jury award.

Since that time Kay has handled cases involving shareholder oppression (settled favorably to her client), allegations of human trafficking against a Saudi princess (all eventually dismissed), successful defense of a claim her client breached a $1 billion oral partnership for real estate investment, and a white collar criminal case alleging bribery of public officials by a developer that then-Attorney Jerry Brown called “the largest corruption case in the history of San Bernardino County, and possibly California.” After a nine-month jury trial the defendant was acquitted of all charges.

Kay is also managing partner of the firm.

Contact & Links
Location
  • 18300 Von Karman Avenue, Suite 930
    Irvine, CA 92612-1057
Education
  • Southwestern University School of Law, J.D., graduated 1989
  • Wake Forest University, BA, graduated 1983
Bar Admissions
  • California, State Bar of
Affiliations
  • Litigation Counsel of America - Fellow
  • Chapman University, Dale Fowler School of Law - Dean's Advisory Board
  • Orange County Bar Association - Administration of Justice Committee (2011-2016)
  • Orange County Bar Association - Judiciary Committee (2012-2016)
  • Orange County Asian American Bar Association - Member
  • OCBA Charitable Fund - Board of Directors (2011-2012)
  • National Trial Lawyers - Executive Committee
  • Robert Banyard Inn of Court - Master Bencher
  • OC Chapter of Federal Bar Association - Member
  • LA and OC Chapters of Business Trial Lawyers - Member
  • Orange County Bar Association - Member
  • National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - Member
Court Admissions
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
  • California Supreme Court

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2015 - Criminal Defense: General Practice
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Orange County (2024)
  • Criminal Defense: General Practice, Orange County (2015)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2024 for work in:
  • Bet-the-Company Litigation
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Criminal Defense: White-Collar
  • Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
Awards:
  • Chambers USA -- Commercial Litigation (2022)
  • The Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America (2023)
  • The Law Dragon Leading 500 Lawyers in America (2020-2023)
  • Senior Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America (by invitation only, limited to top 1/2 of 1 percent of lawyers nationally)
  • Litigation Counsel of America, Mesereau Cup for Outstanding Criminal Defense Lawyer, 2015-2016
  • Los Angeles Magazine, “Southern California Superlawyers, Business Litigation; White Collar Criminal Defense” (2015-2022)
  • The Best Lawyers In America®, S. Naifeh & G. Smith (2011-22), Commercial Litigation; Bet-the-Company Litigation; Legal Malpractice--Plaintiffs; White Collar Criminal Defense; Orange County Lawyer of the Year 2014 (Criminal Defense: Non-White Collar)
  • Life Member, Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
  • California Lawyer Magazine, 2012 Lawyers of the Year, Honorable Mention (Litigation)
  • OC Metro Magazine, Orange County’s Top Lawyers for 2013 (Criminal Defense)
  • Martindale-Hubbell “AV” rated, Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Litigation - Intellectual Property

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