Karla J. Kraft

Karla Kraft represents corporations, banking institutions, governmental entities and other organizations in a broad range of commercial litigation matters, including contract disputes, real estate, trade secrets, unfair competition, employment disputes and foreclosure actions.

Professional Highlights

• Serving as lead counsel representing a mortgage lender and its loan officer in a two-week jury trial against privacy and negligence claims, which resulted in a defense verdict.
• Representation of the Judicial Council of the State of California in a three-week jury trial involving the conduct of a judicial officer, which concluded with a unanimous defense verdict.
• Winning numerous cases by prevailing on summary judgment in matters such as breach of contract, fraud, wrongful termination of employment, foreclosure, and various other business torts and statutory causes of action.

She was formerly a litigation associate with Paul Hastings LLP. Ms. Kraft previously served as law clerk to the Honorable William Fremming Nielsen of the United States District Court, Eastern District of Washington.

In the Community

For four consecutive years, the publishers of Los Angeles Magazine and Law & Politics selected Ms. Kraft as a “Southern California Rising Star” in the area of Business Litigation.  This designation is awarded to only 2.5% of attorneys under the age of 40.

Ms. Kraft regularly lectures for California’s Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) and other legal organizations, and sits on the Board of Governors of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Orange County Chapter.  She also enjoys being active in community organizations, including as a member of the Dean’s Cabinet of the University of California, Irvine, Law School; as an Associate of the Milken Institute and a member of its Young Leaders Circle; as a member of the organizing committee of the Sonenshine Pro Bono Opportunities Reception; and, as a member of the boards of several University of Southern California organizations, including the USC Alumni Association Board of Governors and is a past President of the Alumni Club of Newport and Irvine. She previously served for five years as a member of the Board of Directors of Camp Fire USA Orange County Council, and for four years as a team coach in the Constitutional Rights Foundation high school mock trial competition.

In recognition of her contributions to the legal profession and the community, Ms. Kraft has received several awards. She was presented with the 2010 Marcus Kaufman Jurisprudence Award, given by the Orange County and Long Beach Chapter of the Anti-Defamation League to attorneys who make very significant contributions to their community and the legal profession. She previously was awarded USC’s Widney Alumni House Award for her exceptional service to the University as an alumnus, and our firm was recognized as the Constitutional Rights Foundation Orange County’s Law Firm of the Year in 2007.

Education

Karla graduated law school at the University of Southern California, where she served as Managing Editor of the Southern California Review of Law and Women’s Studies, participated in the Hale Moot Court Honors Program, and was named the Outstanding Woman Law Graduate. She also received bachelor’s degrees with honors in print journalism and international relations from the University of Southern California, where she graduated Phi Kappa Phi and magna cum laude.