Sarah Kelly-Kilgore

Sarah Kelly-Kilgore is a highly skilled and innovative lawyer with the ability to persuade judges and juries in cases with the highest stakes.  She has been lead counsel in a number of high-profile cases involving significant national and international public attention, including matters reported in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Boston Globe.

She is a force to be reckoned with in both trial and appellate courtrooms across the country.

Ms. Kilgore has been featured on numerous top attorney lists, and was named a “Top 40 Under 40” lawyer by the Daily Journal in 2019 [Top 40 Under 40].  She has litigated cases in a wide range of areas of law, including employment litigation; fraud; business torts; defamation; securities and investments; real estate; contracts; corporate governance disputes, shareholder and consumer class action litigation; federal agency enforcement actions; unfair competition; trade secrets; director and officer liability; and fraudulent conveyances.  Ms. Kilgore also regularly advises business entities on matters of employment law, including sexual harassment, discrimination, and wrongful termination.  Her clients include public companies, private businesses, executives, and celebrities.

Ms. Kilgore obtained her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, where she was Editor in Chief of the American Criminal Law Review.  A former water polo All-American, Ms. Kilgore earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in History from San Diego State University, where she led her team to the NCAA Final Four.  Before beginning her legal career, Ms. Kilgore competed as the starting goalkeeper for the Fremantle Marlins, a women’s water polo team based in Perth, Australia.  Ms. Kilgore finished her career with the Marlins in 2008 when the team finished with a second consecutive national championship.

Ms. Kilgore is the Managing Partner in the firm’s Los Angeles office.

Representative Matters

• Successfully represented celebrity in high-profile defamation action before the U.S. Supreme Court, resulting in a full dismissal of claims.
• Obtained jury verdict against Uber Technologies, Inc. and its founders in first phase of a $1-billion trade secrets theft case.
• Obtained summary judgment for the former president and COO of a multinational casino and resorts company in a securities class action in federal court.  The summary judgment order was subsequently affirmed by the Ninth Circuit.
• Successfully pursued cross-claim on behalf of an engineering company in a state court action involving contract and fraud claims.
• Defended biotechnology company in a shareholder derivative action involving allegations of improper stock option grants to senior executives and directors, resulting in favorable non-monetary settlement.
• Successfully represented former CFO of a software company in an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission involving the company’s revenue recognition and accounting practices.
• Represented multinational software engineering company in a London Court of International Arbitration proceeding involving a breach of contract claim based on agreement to provide bespoke software system.
• Successfully represented outdoor media company in several lawsuits involving highly valuable commercial real estate, including one lawsuit in which Ms. Kilgore obtained a contempt order against the opposing parties.

Awards & Recognition

• “On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyers in America” by the American Bar Association (2022)
• “Leaders of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys” in Los Angeles Business Journal  (2022, 2023)
• “Top Women Lawyers” in Daily Journal (2022, 2023)
• “Women of Influence: Attorneys” in Los Angeles Business Journal (2022 – 2023)
• The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, Litigation – Securities (2022)
• “Labor & Employment Star” in Benchmark Litigation (2021)
• “40 and Under” in Benchmark Litigation (2023)
• “40 and Under Hot List” in Benchmark Litigation (2021)
• “Ones to watch” in Southern California’s Best Lawyers (2023, 2024)
• “Rising Star” in Southern California Super Lawyers (2020 – 2022)
• “Top Women Attorneys” in Los Angeles Business Journal (2020)
• “Top 40 Under 40” Lawyer in Daily Journal (2019)

Professional & Community Activities

• Los Angeles County Bar Association
  • Board of Trustees, Executive Member (2020 – 2023)
  • Barristers/Young Attorneys Section, President (2021 – 2022)
    • President-Elect (2020 – June 2021)
    • Vice President (2019 – 2020)
    • Assistant Vice President of Special Events (2017 – 2019)
    • Continuing Legal Education Chair (2016 – 2017)
    • Executive Committee Member (2015 – present)
  • Business & Corporations Law Section, Executive Committee Member/Barristers Liaison (2017 – 2019)
  • Membership Benefits Committee/Membership Task Force, Executive Member (2019 – present)
  • Nominating Committee, Member (2018)
• L.A. Superior Court, Bench & Bar Committee, Civil, Member
• Institute for Corporate Counsel, Advisory Board Member (2018 – present)
• American Bar Association, Member
• Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, Member
• Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Member of the Board of Governors
• Mission Plasticos, Board Member
• Public Counsel Associate Leadership Board, Member
• San Diego State University, Aztec Mentor Program, Mentor