Atty. Reuben Camper Cahn

Atty. Reuben Camper Cahn

PRACTICE AREAS Commercial Litigation White Collar Criminal Defense Appellate Litigation EXPERIENCE Reuben Cahn is a courtroom advocate of rare experience and ability. A Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, he has tried over 100 cases to jury verdict and has argued twice before the Supreme Court (in 2011 and 2018) in addition to numerous arguments before both the 9th and 11th Circuits.

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Profile Summary

About Reuben Camper Cahn at a glance

Reuben Camper Cahn is a criminal defense, business, white collar, and litigation attorney based in San Clemente, California, practicing at Bienert Katzman Littrell Williams Llp. Admitted to practice in California, State Bar of, New York, State Bar of, Florida, State Bar of, and District of Columbia, Bar. Educated at Yale University (J.D., 1984) and Stanford University (—, 1981). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Commercial Litigation (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs (2026). Serands clients in San Clemente, CA and the surrounding metropolitan area.

Verified attorney profile · Updated June 2026

About

PRACTICE AREAS

  • Commercial Litigation
  • White Collar Criminal Defense
  • Appellate Litigation

EXPERIENCE

Reuben Cahn is a courtroom advocate of rare experience and ability. A Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, he has tried over 100 cases to jury verdict and has argued twice before the Supreme Court (in 2011 and 2018) in addition to numerous arguments before both the 9th and 11th Circuits. This combination of skill and experience at the highest levels establish Mr. Cahn as one of the most exceptional lawyers of his generation.

Mr. Cahn is a graduate of Stanford University’s English Honors Program and of Yale Law School, where he was an editor of the Yale Law Journal. Following graduation he clerked for the Honorable Lawrence W. Pierce of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Mr. Cahn began his career in New York at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, and then at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, where he worked in securities litigation and international arbitration for a combined four years. Spurred by his desire to be a trial lawyer and to serve the public, Mr. Cahn left corporate litigation to become a public defender, first in the state of Florida and then in the federal courts. There, Mr. Cahn distinguished himself in representing clients charged in matters presenting extraordinary factual and legal challenges ranging from capital murder to securities fraud, and quickly rose to become the Chief Assistant Federal Public Defender for the Southern District of Florida. Recruited to become the Executive Director of Federal Defenders of San Diego, Mr. Cahn continued to try cases and argue appeals while running an office of 140 employees and managing a budget of $26 million. He argued twice before the Supreme Court, served as “learned counsel” in the high profile case of United States v. Loughner, and led a team that obtained the release of two clients held at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base and charged as enemy combatants.

Mr. Cahn also established himself as a leader in the Federal Defender community, serving for ten years as one of its two representatives to the Judicial Conference of the United States. In recognition of this leadership, the Chief Justice of the United States appointed Mr. Cahn to the Conference’s special committee to review the Criminal Justice Act. He has chaired the Magistrate Judges Selection Committee of the Southern District of Florida and held numerous other positions of distinction and responsibility. Mr. Cahn has also won multiple awards for his advocacy.

Mr. Cahn has defended a wide range of matters, involving tax, public corruption, fraud, money laundering, RICO, Continuing Criminal Enterprise charges and virtually every other type of white collar case. He has been lead counsel in federal capital cases, including one that resulted in complete acquittal and another that ended with a unanimous life verdict. Mr. Cahn has been appointed “counsel learned in the law” by federal judges in over 15 capital trial cases.

At Keller/Anderle Mr. Cahn focuses on commercial litigation, white collar criminal defense, and appeals. He brings to his KA clients the energy and experience honed in countless jury trials, and in arguments before federal appellate courts and the highest court in the land.

    SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

    • National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms’ (NAMWOLF) Annual Meeting & Law Firm Expo, “Kicked For Cause: The Science of Getting Bad Jurors Out of the Jury Box,” (September 24, 2019, Los Angeles, CA)

    MEDIA

    • August 22, 2018 – Law 360 “Keller/Anderle Adds Veteran Atty With Prolific Trial Skills”

    Practice Areas Explained

    Reuben Camper Cahn's Areas of Practice

    Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Reuben Camper Cahn handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.

    Criminal Defense

    A criminal defense attorney protects your rights from arrest through trial. Find experienced lawyers handling DUI, drug, federal, theft, and violent-crime charges.

    Reuben Camper Cahn is one of 214,270 criminal defense attorneys indexed nationally. Browse criminal defense attorneys in California →

    Business & Corporate Law

    Business attorneys advise founders and growing companies on entity formation, contracts, financing, M&A, and dispute resolution.

    Reuben Camper Cahn is one of 501,317 business attorneys indexed nationally. Browse business attorneys in California →

    White Collar Crimes

    Reuben Camper Cahn is one of 20,025 white collar attorneys indexed nationally. Browse white collar attorneys in California →

    Civil Litigation

    Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.

    Reuben Camper Cahn is one of 454,532 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in California →

    Jurisdictional Context

    Why local counsel matters in California

    Practicing law in California. Legal matters in California are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in San Clemente are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate California state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in California brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in California courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.

    Looking for additional California attorneys? Browse all attorneys in San Clemente or all attorneys in California.

    Frequently Asked

    Common questions about Reuben Camper Cahn

    Where is Reuben Camper Cahn's law office located?
    Reuben Camper Cahn's law practice is located in San Clemente, California. The firm is Bienert Katzman Littrell Williams Llp. You can contact the office directly through this profile page.
    What practice areas does Reuben Camper Cahn handle?
    Reuben Camper Cahn focuses on criminal defense, business, white collar, litigation. Each practice area listed reflects experience handling cases of that type in California.
    Where did Reuben Camper Cahn go to law school?
    Reuben Camper Cahn earned their education at (J.D., 1984); (—, 1981).
    How can I contact Reuben Camper Cahn for a consultation?
    You can contact Reuben Camper Cahn directly through this profile page. Click "Ask the Attorney" to submit a question, or "Schedule a Consultation" to book a meeting. Most claimed-profile attorneys respond within one business day.
    What awards or recognition has Reuben Camper Cahn received?
    Reuben Camper Cahn's notable recognition includes: Best Lawyers in America — Commercial Litigation; Best Lawyers in America — Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Best Lawyers in America — Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs; Best Lawyers in America — Additional Areas of Practice:; Best Lawyers in America — Bet-the-Company Litigation.

    Education

    J.D.
    Yale University
    - 1984
    Stanford University
    - 1981

    Awards

    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 — Bet-the-Company Litigation
    - 2026
    Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Intellectual Property
    - 2026
    Best Lawyers in America — Professional Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
    - 2026
    Best Lawyers in America — Awards:
    - 2026
    Best Lawyers in America — Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
    - 2026
    Best Lawyers in America — Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America (by invitation only, limited to top ½ of 1 percent of lawyers nationally)
    - 2026
    Best Lawyers in America — The Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America
    - 2026
    Best Lawyers in America — (2021-2023)
    - 2026
    Best Lawyers in America — The Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America
    - 2026
    Best Lawyers in America — (2023)
    - 2026
    Best Lawyers in America — The Best Lawyers In America
    - 2026
    Best Lawyers in America — , S. Naifeh & G. Smith (2021-2023), White Collar Criminal Defense
    - 2026
    Best Lawyers in America — The Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journals
    - 2026
    Best Lawyers in America — , “The Top 100 Lawyers in California” (2021)
    - 2026
    Best Lawyers in America — , “Top White Collar Lawyers in California,” (2020)
    - 2026
    Best Lawyers in America — Los Angeles Magazine
    - 2026
    Best Lawyers in America — , Southern California Super Lawyers for General Litigation (2022)
    - 2026
    Best Lawyers in America — 17th Judicial Circuit Public Defender of the Year, given for most jury trials in the prior year, 1991
    - 2026

    Bar Admissions

    California, State Bar of
    New York, State Bar of
    Florida, State Bar of
    District of Columbia, Bar

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