Atty. Kay Anderle

Atty. Kay Anderle

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.

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About

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.

Education

J.D.
Southwestern University School of Law
- 1989
BA
Wake Forest University
- 1983

Awards

Best Lawyers in America — Bet-the-Company Litigation
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Commercial Litigation
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Additional Areas of Practice:
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Intellectual Property
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Awards:
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Chambers USA
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — -- Commercial Litigation (2022)
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — The Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — (2023)
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — The Law Dragon Leading 500 Lawyers in America
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — (2020-2023)
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Litigation Counsel of America, Mesereau Cup for Outstanding Criminal Defense Lawyer, 2015-2016
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Los Angeles Magazine
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — , “Southern California Superlawyers, Business Litigation; White Collar Criminal Defense” (2015-2022)
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — The Best Lawyers In America
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Life Member, Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — California Lawyer Magazine
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — , 2012 Lawyers of the Year, Honorable Mention (Litigation)
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — OC Metro Magazine
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — , Orange County’s Top Lawyers for 2013 (Criminal Defense)
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Martindale-Hubbell “AV” rated, Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers
- 2026
Lawyer of the Year — Bet-the-Company Litigation (Orange County)
- 2025
Lawyer of the Year — Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs (Orange County)
- 2024
Lawyer of the Year — Criminal Defense: General Practice (Orange County)
- 2015

Bar Admissions

California, State Bar of

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