Katherine Kleindienst

Partner

Practice Areas

Honors & Awards

“The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch,” Best Lawyers, 2021, 2023
“Rising Star,” Southern California Super Lawyers Magazine, 2016 – 2023
“Top 40 Under 40,” Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal, 2020

Education

Harvard University, B.A. (Psychology, cum laude), 2005
Georgetown University Law Center, J.D. (magna cum laude; Order of the Coif), 2010

Ms. Kleindienst is an experienced litigator who handles a wide range of complex litigation matters, including entertainment, intellectual property, and general commercial litigation. She has represented clients in matters involving contract and partnership disputes, trademark and copyright infringement, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and unfair competition. Her experience includes pretrial investigation, motion practice, fact and expert discovery, witness preparation, arbitration, trial, and appeals.

Ms. Kleindienst has been named a “Rising Star” by Southern California Super Lawyers Magazine every year since 2016, and has been included on the “Up-and-Coming 100 Rising Stars” and “Up-and-Coming 50 Women Rising Stars” lists since 2018. Ms. Kleindienst was also featured in the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal’s “Top 40 Under 40” in 2020 and recognized in the inaugural edition of “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” in 2021.

Prior to joining KWIKH, Ms. Kleindienst was an associate at O’Melveny & Myers.

State Bar of California (Member)
U.S. District Court, Central District of California
U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Warren Christopher Scholarship Fund (Board Member)

Representative Matters

Represented SeaWorld in a putative class action brought under consumer protection laws. Following a bench trial, a federal judge found that the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring the case and entered judgment for SeaWorld.
Represented SeaWorld in a putative class action asserting claims based on the temporary park closures caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The federal court dismissed the entire case in response to SeaWorld’s motion to dismiss.
With Howard Weitzman and other KWIKH attorneys, represented the Estate of Michael Jackson and associated entities in various matters, including a copyright action brought by the Estate against ABC and Disney for their use of copyright protected works in the 2018 television special, The Last Days of Michael Jackson.
Successfully defended a financial technology company against a motion that sought to hold the company liable for a multi-million dollar judgment based on allegations that the company was an alter ego of the judgment debtor.
Represented the author of a series of children’s books in a copyright and partnership dispute, which settled after filing an anti-SLAPP motion on her behalf.
Represented a family seeking to recover compensation for properties stolen after the family fled Iran during the revolution. Following a five week bench trial, obtained a $34 million judgment in the family’s favor.
Represented Jessica Simpson in an action alleging breach of oral contract in connection with the sale of the Jessica Simpson brand.
Represented Kim Kardashian West in an action alleging trademark infringement in connection with her KKW Beauty cosmetics line.
Represented Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. Entertainment in an action alleging idea theft in connection with the film Kong: Skull Island.
Represented talent management company ROAR in a partnership dispute, culminating in a several-week bench trial in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Represented business manager, Clare Staples, in a dispute with celebrity hypnotist Paul McKenna.
Represented Kretek International in trade dress infringement case regarding product packaging for electronic cigarettes.
Represented a motion picture company in a contract action arising from a film financing transaction. Obtained summary judgment in client’s favor.
Part of a team that successfully defended a live entertainment company in a six-month multi-billion dollar wrongful death trial.

Practice Areas

Honors & Awards

“The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch,” Best Lawyers, 2021, 2023
“Rising Star,” Southern California Super Lawyers Magazine, 2016 – 2023
“Top 40 Under 40,” Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal, 2020

Education

Harvard University, B.A. (Psychology, cum laude), 2005
Georgetown University Law Center, J.D. (magna cum laude; Order of the Coif), 2010

Related News

June 6, 2023

Four KWIKH Attorneys Named “Super Lawyers” Rising Stars and Make “Up-and-Coming” Lists for 2023

KWIKH is pleased to announce that Katherine Kleindienst, Kate Mangels, Allen Secretov, and Nicholas Soltman were named Southern California “Rising Stars” for 2023 by Thomson Reuters’ “Super Lawyers.” Additionally, Katherine...

May 10, 2023

KWIKH Scores Major Win for Evan Rachel Wood

On May 9, 2023, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Teresa A. Beaudet granted in full the anti-SLAPP motion filed by the KWIKH team of Michael Kump, Shawn Holley, and Katherine...

August 18, 2022

Fourteen KWIKH Attorneys Named 2023 “Best Lawyers;” Shawn Holley Named Entertainment Law- Motion Pictures and Television “Lawyer of the Year”

Partners Chad Fitzgerald, Shawn Holley, Lawrence Iser, Dale Kinsella, Gregory Korn, Alan Kossoff, Michael Kump, Suann MacIsaac, Amber Melius, Patricia Millett, Allen Secretov, Nick Soltman, Kristen Spanier, and Jon Steinsapir...

June 7, 2022

Four KWIKH Attorneys Named “Super Lawyers” Rising Stars and Make “Up-and-Coming” Lists for 2022

KWIKH is pleased to announce that Katherine Kleindienst, Kate Mangels, Allen Secretov, and Nicholas Soltman were named Southern California "Rising Stars" for 2022 by Thomson Reuters’ “Super Lawyers.”...

May 19, 2022

KWIKH Secures Dismissal of Consumer Fraud Class Action Claims Against SeaWorld

KWIKH’s SeaWorld team (Larry Iser, Kristen Spanier and Kat Kleindienst) won the dismissal of consumer fraud claims brought as a putative class action against SeaWorld. The lead plaintiff claims that...

October 25, 2021

KWIKH Wins in 9th Circuit for SeaWorld

KWIKH’s SeaWorld team (Larry Iser, Kristen Spanier, and Kat Kleindienst) have won the appeal in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals of the dismissal of a consumer fraud putative class...

August 19, 2021

Eleven KWIKH Attorneys Named 2022 “Best Lawyers;” One Named to “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch”

Partners Zachary Elsea, Chad Fitzgerald, Shawn Holley, Lawrence Iser, Dale Kinsella, Gregory Korn, Alan Kossoff, Michael Kump, Suann MacIsaac, Nick Soltman, and Kristen Spanier have been recognized among the top...

June 8, 2021

Four KWIKH Attorneys Named “Super Lawyers” Rising Stars and Make “Up-and-Coming” Lists for 2021

KWIKH is pleased to announce that Zachary Elsea, Katherine Kleindienst, Kate Mangels, and Nicholas Soltman were named Southern California Rising Stars for 2021 by “Super Lawyers.” Additionally, Zachary, Katherine, and...

April 26, 2021

KWIKH Obtains Dismissal of Long-Running Abuse Lawsuit Against Michael Jackson Estate

The Estate of Michael Jackson, represented by Jonathan Steinsapir and the late Howard Weitzman, scored a major victory on Monday when a Los Angeles judge ruled that the late artist’s...

October 19, 2020

KWIKH Wins Trial for SeaWorld of Activist-Backed Lawsuit

KWIKH’s SeaWorld team (Larry Iser, Kristen Spanier, Kat Kleindienst, and paralegal Chris Avalos) prevailed in the trial of a consumer fraud lawsuit conceived of and backed by anti-SeaWorld advocacy group...

October 5, 2020

KWIKH’s SeaWorld Team Obtains Dismissal of Consumer Fraud Putative Class Action

KWIKH’s SeaWorld team (Larry Iser, Kristen Spanier and Kat Kleindienst) have obtained dismissal of a consumer fraud putative class action against SeaWorld relating to the Covid-19 pandemic, filed in the...

August 20, 2020

Eleven KWIKH Attorneys Named 2021 “Best Lawyers;” One Named to “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch”

Partners Zachary Elsea, Chad Fitzgerald, Shawn Holley, Lawrence Iser, Dale Kinsella, Gregory Korn, Michael Kump, Suann MacIsaac, Nick Soltman, Kristen Spanier, and Howard Weitzman have been recognized among the top...

August 12, 2020

Katherine Kleindienst Named to Daily Journal’s 2020 “Top 40 Under 40”

The firm is pleased to announce that Katherine Kleindienst has been selected for inclusion by the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal on its 2020 “Top 40 Under 40”...

June 9, 2020

Four from KWIKH named Super Lawyer “Rising Stars” and make “Up-and-Coming″ lists for 2020

KWIKH is pleased to announce that four of the firm’s attorneys were named Southern California “Rising Stars” for 2020 by Super Lawyers magazine and were named on the “Top 100”...

June 6, 2019

Six from KWIKH named Super Lawyer “Rising Stars,” Three make “Up-and-Coming 100″ List for 2019

KWIKH is pleased to announce that six of the firm’s attorneys were named Southern California “Rising Stars” for 2019 by Super Lawyers magazine and three were named on the “Top...

January 8, 2019

KWIKH Wins $34 Million Judgment in Iranian Property Dispute

KWIKH partners David Swift and Katherine Kleindienst recently scored a major victory for their clients in Galstian v. Minassian....

January 3, 2019

Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP Elevates Katherine Kleindienst, Joshua Rosenberg and Nicholas Soltman to Partnership

Santa Monica, CA – January 3, 2019 – Entertainment, intellectual property and business litigation boutique law firm Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP (KWIKH) announces that Katherine (“Kat”) Kleindienst, Joshua Rosenberg and...