Profile
Jennifer Keller is widely regarded as one of California's top criminal defense attorneys. In her more than 30 years of practice, Keller has handled some of the region's highest-profile cases at the state, federal and appellate levels. She has represented a broad swath of clients, ranging from well-known CEOs, politicians and professional athletes to police and military officers, college students and receptionists. In addition, Keller has become a go-to attorney for the Southern California legal community, representing local judges, attorneys and law enforcement officials, as well as the Orange County Superior Court itself. The former president of the Orange County Bar Association, Keller also handles parallel civil proceedings and is an expert in white-collar litigation. She is listed in The Best Lawyers in America and has been featured twice in the Daily Journal's "Top 100 California Attorneys" list. She has appeared as a legal commentator on all of L.A.'s newscasts, as well as on national outlets including CBS, ABC and Fox News Channel.
About Jennifer Keller
Admitted: 1978, California
Professional: www.jenniferkellerlawfirm.com/
Honors and Awards: "The 2007 Top 100 Trial Lawyers in California," American Trial Lawyers Association; Martindale-Hubble, "AV" rated since 1983 (highest ranking possible); Listed, Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers; Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America (limited to the top ½ of one percent of American trial lawyers, by invitation only); Orange County Women Lawyers, Attorney of the Year (2003); Anti-Defamation League of Orange County & Long Beach, Jurisprudence Award (2001); Orange County Trial Lawyers Ass'n, Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer of the Year (2000); Public Law Center of Orange County, Attorney of the Year (1996); Constitutional Rights Foundation of Orange County, Lawyer of the Year (1983); Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, S. Naifeh & G. Smith, 2005-present (the oldest and most respected peer reviewed selection publication in the legal profession); The Los Angeles Daily Journal, The Top 100 Lawyers in California, September 2007; California's Top 30 Women Litigators, June 2002; California's Top 75 Women Litigators, May 2007; The 100 Most Influential Lawyers in California, Editors' Pick, October 2001; Los Angeles Magazine, "Southern California Superlawers:" Criminal Defense Superlawyers, Top 50 Orange County Superlawyers, Top 50 Women Superlawyers, 2004-2008; Orange Coast Magazine, The Best Lawyers in Orange County, April 2005-2008; Los Angeles Times Magazine - "Southern California's Best Lawyers," 2007
Special Licenses/Certifications: Certified Specialist in Criminal Law, California State Bar, Board of Legal Specialization, 1985
Bar/Professional Activity: Orange County Bar Association, President, 1996, President-Elect, 1995, Treasurer, 1994, Secretary, 1993; State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization, Commissioner, 2002-2005; Chair, Criminal Law Advisory Commission, 1993-1994, Vice chair 1992-1993, Commissioner 1990-1992; Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, lawyer representative, 1996-99; Public Law Center of Orange County, Board of Directors, 1995-2000; California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, Board of Governors, 1992-93; Orange County Attorneys Association (collective bargaining arm for Orange County deputy district attorneys, public defenders and county counsel), Vice-president 1989-91; Table negotiator 1990; Chapman University School of Law, Board of Visitors, 1995-2008
Pro bono/Community Service: State Bar of California, Wiley Manuel Award for Pro Bono Service, 1996
Scholarly Lectures and Writings: California Public Defenders Association Lecturer: Homicide Seminar, 3/86, Sentencing Seminar, 12/89; Trial Skills Institute, 7/90; Advanced Trial Skills Institute, 1/92, 1/96, 1/97, 1/99, 2/02, 2/03; Annual Seminar, 4/92; "Establishing Trial Themes," 4/04; California Attorneys for Criminal Justice Lecturer: Prop 115 Seminars; Preliminary Hearings, 6/90, 7/90, 12/90; "Advanced Trial Advocacy Workshop: Defense of Sex and Drug Cases," 8/92; Trial and Appellate Advocacy Workshop, 7/93, 8/99; Three Strikes Seminar, 4/94; Faculty, Fall Seminar Appellate Program, Oral Argument Demonstration, 12/94; Voir Dire Workshop, San Diego, 5/2001; Death Penalty Seminar, 2002; "Cross of Experts," Las Vegas, 2003; Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) lecturer: Expert Witnesses in Criminal Cases, LA/Orange County, 6/96; Rutter Group lecturer: "Criminal Law for Civil Practitioners," 1/99; California State Bar Convention Lecturer: White Collar Crime, 9/94; Orange County Bar Association lecturer: "Advocacy in the Modern Trial: Cross-examination," 6/01; "When the FBI Calls," 1/01, 1/02; "Over the Line: White Collar Crime," 1/99; "The Last 60 Days: Preparing Your Witnesses for Trial," 9/10/98o "Top Gun" closing argument competition, 5/19/98
Educational Background: A.B. University of California, Berkeley, 1975