Jennifer L. Keller

IRVINE - Jennifer L. Keller spent eight years as a deputy public defender before hanging out her own shingle as a criminal defense lawyer. Then, in 2008, she joined forces with Kay Anderle, a former prosecutor, to form Keller/Anderle LLP and practice complex commercial litigation. Success as a trial lawyer followed.

"It was time for a change to business law for me," Keller said. "I took the courtroom skills I'd acquired and applied them to civil cases. Things like the rules of evidence and persuasiveness and how to pick a jury are completely transferrable from criminal to civil."

Her criminal defense practice had her in the courtroom on a daily basis, and that was a distinct advantage when she changed direction. "I'm somewhat surprised at how nervous and worried my opposing counsel can get because they don't go to court very often," Keller said. "Among other things, when you go to court every day, you learn to streamline your cases, and overburdened judges appreciate that."

Among Keller's current clients is Calvin Broadus, known as the rapper Snoop Dogg, accused of sexual assault, battery and retaliation in a sex-trafficking scheme by a Jane Doe plaintiff. After voluntarily dismissing two earlier complaints, Doe filed a third in July 2022. Doe v. Broadus, 2:22-cv-04952 (C.D. Cal., filed July 20, 2022).

"This complaint is as lacking in merit as the others," Keller said in mid- August. "It's odd, but we're still trying to get opposing counsel to actually serve us with the document."

Another celebrity client, the Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey, is facing an October trial in federal court in New York on sexual assault allegations by actor Anthony Rapp, who claims the event occurred in 1986. Rapp v. Fowler, 1:20-cv-09586 (S.D. N.Y., filed Nov. 13, 2020).

Keller is currently seeking discovery materials from BuzzFeed journalist Adam Vary, a friend of Rapp's, who broke the story of Rapp's allegations in 2017 but declined at a deposition to answer questions about his interactions with Rapp. On Aug. 9, a federal judge issued an order compelling Vary to produce documents and answer questions.

"The guy [Vary] tried to pass himself off as a journalist, but the judge saw through his shenanigans," Keller said. "He touched off this whole thing."

She added: "Keven Spacey is arguably the greatest actor of his generation, and I'm looking forward to seeing him vindicated," Keller said. She likened the current pretrial situation to that surrounding Johnny Depp before his case against Amber Heard went to court. "Everyone was burying Johnny Depp before the facts came out. I really think it's time for Kevin to be heard."