Kay E. Kochenderfer, a partner in Gibson Dunn & Crutcher's Los Angeles office, joined the firm in 1986.  She is a member of the firm's Litigation Department based in the Los Angeles office.  She was named one of California's Top 75 Women Litigators by the California Daily Journal in 2007 and 2006.  Ms. Kochenderfer graduated with a juris doctor degree from the University of Southern California Law Center, where she was a member and a Notes Editor of the Southern California Law Review.  Prior to attending the Law Center, Ms. Kochenderfer received her master of arts degree from the University of Southern California.  She received her bachelor of arts degree from the University of California, Riverside, where she was elected to the membership of Phi Beta Kappa.

Class Action Practice

Ms. Kochenderfer focuses on business litigation, arbitrations and mediation proceedings in both state and federal jurisdictions, with an emphasis on complex class action work.  She has experience in class action litigation, unlawful business practice litigation, breach of contract litigation and fraud litigation.  She has handled class action matters filed in a number of different states involving allegations of false advertising, unfair business practices under California Business and Professions Code Section 17200, violation of various state deceptive trade practices acts, fraud and breach of contract.

Antitrust and Complex Business Litigation Practice

Ms. Kochenderfer also has experience in the following types of complex business and commercial litigation:  antitrust litigation, product recall matters, labor law litigation, accounting litigation, securities litigation, legal malpractice litigation, products liability litigation, lawsuits involving allegations of bribery/kickbacks, environmental liability litigation, including Proposition 65 enforcement actions, and partnership dissolution litigation.  Ms. Kochenderfer is admitted to practice before the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, all federal district courts in California, and all California state courts.  She also has been admitted pro hac vice for matters in New York, Minnesota, Nevada and Texas.

Clients

Clients Ms. Kochenderfer has represented include:  Sempra Energy; Southern California Gas Company; San Diego Gas and Electric Company; Aetna Inc.; Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.; Nissan North America, Inc.; Princess Cruises, Inc.; Deloitte & Touche; Union Carbide Corporation; American Airlines, Inc.; PaineWebber Incorporated; BMC Corporation; Shimano, Inc.; Young's Tea Corporation; the Norton Simon Museum; Steven Wynn; Abbott Laboratories; The Aerospace Corporation; Anheuser-Busch; Cessna Aircraft Company; Charterhouse Realty Group #1; Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc.; Leonard Green & Partners, L.P.; Johnson & Johnson; Leiner Health Products; the National Soft Drink Association; and Times Mirror Company (Matthew Bender).

Firm Activities

Ms. Kochenderfer is a member of the Firm's Compensation Committee.  In addition, she has served on the Firm's Hiring Committee, including service as the Chair of the Firm's Summer Subcommittee of the Hiring Committee.  She also has served as Chair of the Firm's Adopt-A-School Program. 

Professional and Community Associations

Ms. Kochenderfer serves on the Board of the Center for Law in the Public Interest. She also serves on the Board of the AIDS Service Center. Other professional associations and community activities of Ms. Kochenderfer include the Association of Business Trial Lawyers and the Constitutional Rights Foundation (judge for several years for mock trial competition of high school and junior high school students).  In addition, Ms. Kochenderfer served on a fundraising committee to raise money through the YMCA for underprivileged children.