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Kent R. Keller

Kent Keller is a litigation partner in Barger & Wolen’s Los Angeles office. He is well known for his handling of insurance regulatory matters, bad faith and in recent years, class action cases as well as litigation involving a wide variety of contract disputes and unfair business practices, including Business and Professions Code section 17200 lawsuits.

Mr. Keller’s areas of expertise include trial and appellate practice, insurance law and insurance regulation. A prominent attorney with more than 35 years of experience, he represents and defends insurance companies in significant federal, state and civil complex litigation cases in California and federal courts.

Mr. Keller is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers (admission limited to one percent of the attorneys in the United States).

Mr. Keller has been selected for inclusion in the following legal reference organizations: The Best Lawyers in America, The Best of Class, The Guide to the World’s Leading Insurance & Reinsurance Lawyers, Southern California Super Lawyers and The Lawdragon 3000, Leading Lawyers in America.

Education

  • Washington University, J.D., Order of the Coif

    • Member, Washington University Law Quarterly
  • Missouri State University

Articles & Publications

  • Business General Liability Policies California Insurance Law & Practice, LexisNexis Matthew Bender (2005)
  • Identifying and Using Insurance Coverage in Business Litigation California Education of the Bar (1984, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1998, 2001 & 2003)
  • Analyzing Coverage: Reading and Interpreting Insurance Policies and Claims Involving Excess Insurance, California Liability Insurance Practice: Claims and Litigation, California Education of the Bar (1991)
  • Claims Involving Excess Insurance, California Liability Insurance Practice: Claims and Litigation, California Education of the Bar (1991)
  • Anti-Rebate Law, Standing and Judicial Review of Administrative Policymaking: Recent Developments
    1 Journal of Insurance Regulation 123 (1982)

Reported Lectures

  • California Education of the Bar Identifying and Using Insurance Coverage in Business Litigation (1984, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1998, 2001 & 2003)
  • The Rutter Group Bad Faith Seminar (2001 and 2004)
  • Association of California Insurance Companies Code of Civil Procedure Section 340.9 (2001)
  • Mealey’s Publication and Conference Group Insurance Allocation Conference (2000)
  • American Bar Association, Tort and Insurance Practice Section Punitive Damages in California (with Justice Walter Croskey) (2000)
  • Association of Southern California Defense Counsel Bad Faith in the New Millennium (1999)
  • Association of California Insurance Companies California Underground Regulations Administrative Remedies (1996)
  • American Bar Association Mid-Year Meeting Insurance Coverage Litigation Meeting (1996)
  • Association of California Insurance Companies, General Counsel Seminar Future Implications of 20th Century v. Garamendi (1995)
  • Association of Business Trial Lawyers, 19th Annual Seminar Complex Insurance Issues (with Justice Walter Croskey) (1992)

Reported Opinions

  • Newell v. State Farm General Ins. Co., 118 Cal. App. 4th 1094 (2004)
  • Basurco v. 21st Century Ins. Co., 108 Cal. App. 4th 110 (2003)
  • GE Engine Services v. Century Indemnity Co., 250 F. Supp 2d 1237 (C.D. Cal 2001), affirmed, 53 Fed. App. 812 (9th Cir. 2002)
  • AICCO, Inc. v. Ins. Co. of North America, 90 Cal. App. 4th 579 (2001)
  • Smith v. State Farm Ins. Group, 93 Cal. App. 4th 700 (2001)
  • CARE v. Aegis Security Ins. Co., 92 Cal. App. 4th 886 (2001)
  • Walker v. Allstate Indemnity Co., et al., 77 Cal. App. 4th 750 (2000)
  • Wolfe v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Ins. Co., 46 Cal. App. 4th 554 (1996)
  • 20th Century Ins. Co. v. Garamendi, 8 Cal. 4th 216 (1994)
  • Travelers Indemnity Co. v. Gillespie, 50 Cal. 3d 82 (1990)
  • Credit Managers Ass’n. v. Kennesaw Life & Accident Ins. Co., 809 F.2d 617 (9th Cir. 1987)
  • Connick v. Teachers Ins. & Annuity Ass’n., 784 F.2d 1018 (9th Cir. 1986)
  • Dollar Rent A Car, Inc. v. Travelers Indem. Co., 774 F.2d 1371 (9th Cir. 1985)
  • Karlin v. Zalta, 154 Cal. App. 3d 953 (1984)
  • County of Los Angeles v. Farmers Ins. Exch., 132 Cal. App. 3d 673 (1980)
  • Smith Valentino & Smith, Inc. v. Superior Court, 17 Cal. 3d 491 (1976)

Professional Memberships

  • The State Bar of California
  • American Bar Association
  • Fellow, The American Bar Foundation
  • Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association
  • Association of Business Trial Lawyers
Our Reputation Was Earned By Doing Difficult Things Well
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