Daniel J. Kessler

profile
  • Managing Partner

Location:

Irvine, CA

Phone:

Fax:

949-975-7501

Email:

Daniel Kessler is the head of the firm’s litigation department and one of the firm’s founding partners. Mr. Kessler has litigated and tried a wide variety of business cases ranging from employment terminations to real estate development disputes to fraud and conspiracy to water rights. Mr. Kessler has secured multiple million-dollar jury verdicts for his clients, including significant punitive damage awards. Mr. Kessler has successfully defended clients before, during and at trial, including prevailing on several motions to dismiss the opposition’s case in its entirety, saving the expense of further trial. Mr. Kessler is a strong advocate for alternative dispute resolution, as well, participating both as an advocate, and a neutral mediator. Mr. Kessler has guest lectured on mediation at the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University School of Law. Mr. Kessler has also served as an adjunct professor of law at Whittier Law School, teaching trade secrets.

Mr. Kessler was born in New York City, but grew up in Los Angeles. Mr. Kessler received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley in 1991. Mr. Kessler attended Whittier Law School in Los Angeles, California where he graduated magna cum laude and ranked fourth in the law school class. During law school, Mr. Kessler was the recipient of numerous honors, competed nationally on moot court and served as an editor of the school’s law review. Following law school, Mr. Kessler was clerk to the Honorable Kenneth R. Harkins of the United States Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C. Mr. Kessler has been a past board member for the Robert A. Banyard Inn of Court. Mr. Kessler is admitted to practice in all courts in California, and has appeared in courts across the nation.  Mr. Kessler is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell’s peer review rating system, the highest ranking (5.0 out of 5.0) in legal ability and ethics. Additionally, Mr. Kessler has been recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyer for Business Litigation each year since 2011.

 

Areas of Practice

  • Business & Commercial Law
  • Employment Litigation Defense
  • Employment Pre-litigation Investigation and Advice
  • Trade Secret Law
  • Real Estate Law
  • Land Use/Zoning

Bar Admissions

  • California, 1994
  • U.S. Court of Federal Claims
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of California
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of California
  • U.S. District Court Western District of California

Education

  • Whittier College School of Law, Los Angeles, California
    • 1994
    • Honors: magna cum laude
    • Honors: Ranked Fourth in the Law School Class
    • Honors: Recipient of Numerous Honors, Competed Nationally on Moot Court
  • University of California, Berkeley, California
    • B.A. - 1991
    • Major: Political Science

Representative Cases

  • Foxcroft Productions, Inc., et al. v. Universal Studios, LLC, et al., ($70 million jury verdict- Hollywood accounting)

Classes/Seminars

  • Lecturer, Mediation, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University School of Law
  • Adjunct Professor of Law, Teaching Trade Secrets, Whittier Law School

Honors and Awards

  • Significant Punitive Damage Awards
  • The National Registry of Who's Who
  • Southern California SuperLawyer for Business Litigation
  • Best Lawyers, Recognized Lawyer
  • AV Rated Lawyer, the Top Ranking in Ability and Ethics by Martindale-Hubbell

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Robert A. Banyard Inn of Court, Past Board Member

Past Employment Positions

  • Honorable Kenneth R. Harkins of the United States Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C., Clerk