Connie M. Anderson - Klinedinst Attorney Profile

Associate

Connie M. Anderson is the Chair of the Financial Products and Services Litigation group. Located in Klinedinst's Los Angeles office, she has tried cases in both federal and state courts. Her practice focuses on financial products and services litigation, including defending third party administrators and consultants in employee benefits related cases. She also defends financial advisors and registered representatives in FINRA arbitrations and civil lawsuits, and responds to Wells Notices concerning SEC civil enforcement actions.

Prior to joining Klinedinst, Ms. Anderson was an associate at an AMLAW Top 20 Firm, where she defended high exposure consumer class actions and handled numerous other business and real estate litigation matters.

Having earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees in business, Ms. Anderson has a strong understanding of financial products and complex business matters. With this background, she has been able to obtain excellent results in both traditional and emerging areas of law.

Some of Ms. Anderson's experience includes:

First chairing a federal jury trial defending the subsidiary of one of the nation's largest financial institutions in a case involving claims of professional liability related to the administration of a profit-sharing plan;

Obtaining a dismissal of a multi-million dollar variable annuity securities fraud case at the pleadings stage;

Obtaining dismissal at the pleadings stage of a significant portion of litigation against third party administrator and insurance broker relating to a 419(e) Single Employer Welfare Benefit Plan;

Defending against consumer class action and other complex business litigation matters, including successfully resolving a consumer class action for alleged violations of consumer privacy related laws. Possible exposure in the case was approximately $850 million; however, Ms. Anderson was able to resolve the case for under $250,000, or roughly 0.02% of the original damage exposure;

Managing highly contentious multi-million dollar litigation concerning partnership dispute between two major real estate developers;

Representing a real estate developer in litigation concerning a national homebuilder’s failure to complete the purchase of a $26 million dollar property, Ms. Anderson defeated the homebuilder’s motion for a right to attach a $4 million dollar deposit held by the developer, convincing the Court that the homebuilder could not show a likelihood of success at the time of trial;

Drafting a significant opposition to a demurrer on technical federal preemption issues, presented in a case concerning a high-profile train crash;

Obtaining a settlement of approximately $850,000 on the eve of trial for a landlord in an action against its former tenant that breached its lease and damaged the property while removing its business equipment. The settlement amount was approximately 90% of the amount that her client was seeking at trial; and

Obtaining a $375,000 jury verdict in favor of tenant against landlord who refused to allow tenant’s exercise of option to extend lease of a commercial space, causing significant damage to the client’s business. Ms. Anderson sat second chair at trial.

Ms. Anderson received her J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2000. She also earned her M.B.A. from the Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management in 1999, and her B.S. in Business Administration from Valparaiso University in 1996, with a minor in German.

Professional and Community Affiliations