Current Role
  • Senior Counsel, Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP
  • Concentrates on appeals involving consumer rights, investor fraud and antitrust litigation
  • Certified Appellate Specialist, State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization (since 2006)
Recognition
  • Super Lawyer (since 2008)
  • Legal Aid Society of San Diego, Outstanding Service Award (2015)
Notable Decisions
  • In re: Lithium Ion Batteries Antitrust Litig., 2022 WL 16959377 (9th Cir. Nov. 16, 2022) (rejecting objections to fee award)
  • Colbert v. Rio Tinto PLC, 824 F. App’x 5 (2d Cir. 2020) (vacating dismissal of securities fraud complaint)
  • Mayall v. USA Water Polo, 909 F.3d 1055 (9th Cir. 2018) (recognizing duty to implement concussion protocols in youth water polo)
  • Hernandez v. Restoration Hardware, 4 Cal. 5th 260 (2018) (unnamed class members must intervene for standing to appeal)
  • Friedman v. AARP, Inc., 855 F.3d 1047 (9th Cir. 2017) (UCL claim alleged where AARP unlawfully transacted insurance without license)
  • George v. Urban Settlement Serv., 833 F.3d 1242 (10th Cir. 2016) (reinstating RICO complaint against Bank of America)
  • Wong v. Accretive Health, 773 F.3d 859 (7th Cir. 2014) (upholding $14 million securities settlement)
  • Lynch v. Rawls, 429 F. App’x 641 (9th Cir. 2011) (first Ninth Circuit reversal on presuit demand requirement)
  • Kwikset Corp. v. Superior Court, 51 Cal. 4th 310 (2011) (elaborating UCL standing prerequisites)
  • Luther v. Countrywide Fin. Corp., 195 Cal. App. 4th 789 (2011) (allowing Securities Act class action to proceed in state court, later approved in Cyan, Inc. v. Beaver Cnty. Emps. Ret. Fund, 138 S. Ct. 1061 (2018))
  • In re F5 Networks, Inc. Derivative Litig., 207 P.3d 433 (Wash. 2009) (Washington follows demand futility standard, not universal demand rule)
  • Alaska Elec. Pension Fund v. Brown, 941 A.2d 1011 (Del. 2007) (en banc) (intervening shareholders who show corporate benefit may seek attorney fees)
  • Lavie v. Procter & Gamble Co., 105 Cal. App. 4th 496 (2003) (seminal precedent on California’s reasonable consumer standard)

Publications
  • The Commission on Judicial Performance Speaks on the 3rd District Court of Appeal, Los Angeles Daily Journal (June 14, 2022)
  • Appellate Pro Bono? It’s Come to San Diego, San Diego Lawyer (2021)
  • The Need to Correct the 9th Circuit's ‘Nutty’ Rule barring Expert Testimony in Software Copyright Cases (2017) (with David Nimmer and Peter S. Menell) (available at SSRN)
  • Forfeiture at the Pleading Stage, California Litigation (2015)
  • Closing the Appellate Justice Gap, Los Angeles Daily Journal (Feb. 10, 2015)
  • Appellate Self-Help Workshops Begin, San Diego Lawyer (2014)
  • Appellate Review in California Class Actions, California Litigation (2011)
  • A Tool for Mischief: Preemptive Defense Motions Under BCBG Overtime Cases to Reject Class Certification, Forum (2009) (with Kimberly A. Kralowec)
  • The Unfair Competition Law After Proposition 64: The California Supreme Court Speaks, Competition (2006)
Presentations
  • California Lawyers Association Annual Meeting, A Conversation with California Supreme Court and Court of Appeal Justices (2022)
  • Judicial Council CJER Webinar, Expanding Access to Justice in Appellate Courts (2020)
  • Bridgeport Class Action Conference, Appellate Review of Issues in Class Actions (2020)
  • CAOC Webinar, Evidence at Class Certification: The Evolving Appellate Landscape (2019)
  • Bridgeport Class Action Conference, Expert Evidence at Class Certification (2019)
  • California Lawyers Association Webinar, New Mandatory Disclosures Before Mediation (2018)
  • Bridgeport Class Action Conference, Consumer Protection Cases Predicated on Omissions (2018)
  • CAOC Webinar, Ninth Circuit Practice: Everything but the Brief (2016)
  • Bridgeport Class Action Litigation Conference, Objectors (2016)
  • CAOC Annual Convention, Class Action Update (2014)
  • San Diego County Bar Association, Pleasing the Court: Making Your Oral Argument Count (2014)
  • State Bar of California Annual Meeting, Forfeiture: A Four-Letter Word in the Court of Appeal (2014)
  • State Bar of California Golden State Institute, California Supreme Court Panel (2012)
Personal Insight

Kevin ran with the bulls at Pamplona before easing into a monastic life of appellate practice. Concerned about excessive distraction, he has never had a social media account.