Keo Keopong

A skilled litigator, Keo Keopong has represented clients in complex, business, commercial, real estate, trust and estates, and other civil litigation, from case initiation through trial, verdict, appeal and settlement. She has prosecuted and defended claims in contentious lawsuits involving business disputes, real property disputes, contractual issues, corporate and fiduciary malfeasance, professional negligence and malpractice, fraud and fraudulent conversion, Civil Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (R.I.C.O.) violations, unfair competition, financial elder abuse, tax defense, trust and estate disputes, and insurance issues, among others. She litigates claims in federal and state trial and appellate courts, as well as through arbitration and mediation.

In addition, Ms. Keopong provides strategic advice and counsel to businesses, corporations, and other organizations regarding issues ranging from day-to-day operations to critical disputes and decisions, helping them identify, analyze, and address potential and emerging issues and determine solutions. She offers strategic advice to management and boards concerning general business operations, corporate governance, risk management and planning, compliance issues, employment matters, contract and business negotiations and disputes, agreements, financial issues, ownership concerns, and other pre-litigation and litigation matters.

An accomplished advocate and adept negotiator, Ms. Keopong strives to assist clients in preventing and solving problems, particularly in fast-paced or high-stakes situations. She is committed to building and maintaining trusted and strong relationships with her clients through integrity, communication, and effective representation focused on each client’s unique concerns, needs, and goals.​

Honors & Recognitions

• Lawyers of Distinction (2016-2024)
• Pasadena Top Attorneys 2023, Pasadena Magazine (March/April 2024)

Litigation

• Represented a group of more than 50 plaintiffs composed of corporations, partnerships, trusts, and individuals in a complex civil case lasting nearly a decade. Plaintiffs alleged that a group of 25 defendants were liable for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and civil RICO violations, among others, and sought more than $120 million in damages. After a trial and multiple appeals, the case was resolved through favorable settlements.
• Successfully litigated and recovered more than $2 million of misappropriated funds from overseas for a corporate client.
• Second-chaired a successful two-week arbitration representing numerous plaintiffs in a business dispute with more than $1 million at stake.
• Managed a team of attorneys and second-chaired in multiple weeks-long federal trials in California, Oregon, and Texas involving commercial and/or tax issues.
• Second-chaired a successful defense in a probate court trial involving disputes over a multimillion-dollar estate among various family members/heirs/beneficiaries. Secured pivotal testimony by cross-examining opposition’s key expert witness and direct examining key witnesses.
• Represented an international franchise business prosecuting and defending against breach of contract as well as labor and employment claims.
• Represented personal protective equipment (PPE) products company in a commercial dispute involving claims of breach of contract, unfair competition, breach of good faith and fair dealing, and fraud.

Real Estate

• Represented corporate and individual property owners seeking to develop a $150-million-dollar project. After issues arose during development, represented owners in prosecuting a related inverse condemnation claim against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
• Advised individuals and businesses regarding residential and commercial real estate transactions, including development and entitlement.
• Prosecuted claims against a major California city related to various real estate disputes, including easements, rights-of-way, and code compliance.
• Advised and represented property owners concerning their rights and a variety of property disputes.

General Business Advisory

• Advised a serial entrepreneur and owner of two medical companies concerning partnership and management disputes and the subsequent sale of his multimillion-dollar partnership interest.
• Advised a multimillion-dollar almond farm company and its shareholders and board on a variety of commercial, employment, contractual, real estate, operational, and pre-litigation matters.
• Advised an international franchise business concerning operations, governance, labor and employment, risk assessment and management, contractual issues, and more.
• Provided counsel to a medical Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) concerning operations, governance, policies and procedures, and ownership issues.
• Advised a large Southern California-based general contractor and commercial construction and property maintenance company regarding day-to-day operations, contracts, and project-specific and subcontractor issues.

Notable Published Decisions

• Ruth McClamma Stueve, et al. v. Berger Kahn (Cal. Ct. App. 2013) 222 Cal. App. 4th 303. Unanimous favorable ruling denying the applicability of Civil Code §1714.10 in a civil conspiracy lawsuit against attorneys and other professionals arising from alleged fraudulent transactional activities in a Ponzi scheme.
• Ruth McClamma Stueve, et al. v. Buchalter Nemer (Cal. Ct. App. 2017) 2017 WL 192727. Unanimous favorable ruling related to California’s five-year rule with respect to jury empanelment, resulting in new law affecting all jury trials in state superior courts.

Practice Areas

Community & Professional

• Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles (APABA), Member
• Asian Pacific American Women Lawyers Alliance (APAWLA), Member
• Executives Association of Long Beach, International Executives Association, Member - Business Law Classification
• Leadership Pasadena, Member - Community Leadership Cohort of 2022
• Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA), Member
• National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), Member
• National Association of Cambodian American Lawyers (NACAL), Member
• Pasadena Bar Association (PBA), Member
• Pathways Volunteer Hospice, Board Member (2023-2025)
• Rotary Club, San Gabriel Valley New Generation, Member
• San Gabriel Valley Bar Association (SGVBA), Member
• UCLA Alumni Association, Member - Rose Bowl Bruins
• UCLA Alumni Mentor Program, Member
• USC Alumni Association, Member
• Vistage Worldwide, Member - Emerging Leaders (2022-2023)
• Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles (WLALA), Member