Honors & Awards

  • “The Best Lawyers in America,” Best Lawyers (Present)
  • “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 KHIKS, 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 KHIKS 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.

Honors & Awards

  • “The Best Lawyers in America,” Best Lawyers (Present)
  • “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

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KHIKS Secures Dismissal of Consumer Fraud Class Action Claims Against SeaWorld

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KHIKS’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...

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KHIKS Wins in 9th Circuit for SeaWorld

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KHIKS’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...

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

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

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KHIKS 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...

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

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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...

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

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