Mr John Watkins Keker | Attorney
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About John
John Keker earned a B.A., cum laude, from Princeton University in 1965, and a JD from Yale Law School in 1970. He specializes in commercial litigation, white collar criminal defense, and intellectual property.
Following graduation, Keker clerked for the Hon. Earl Warren Retired Chief Justice of the United States from 1970-1971. He has been admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal, Fifth, Ninth, and Eleventh Circuits, and the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Northern, Southern and Central Districts of California, Colorado, and Southern District of Texas.
In 1978 Keker founded Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP. The firm is located in San Francisco, CA. Since founding the company, Keker has earned a reputation as a top trial lawyer. Keker has been inducted into the California State Bar’s “Litigation Hall of Fame.” He has also been named one of the “Top 100 Most Influential Lawyers in the United States” by the National Law Journal.
In his tenure as a lawyer, Keker has litigated many important cases. In 2015, he helped the San Diego County Water Authority win the year’s largest settlement award. In this case, the Water Authority charged the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) with overcharging water transportation rates and breaching a contract between the two parties. Ultimately, the court found that the MWD’s rates violated California’s statutory and constitutional provisions.
Through the years, Keker’s notable clientele include McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., et al., Lance Armstrong, George Lucas and more. In 2015, Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP defended McGraw Hill in a case where the government sought a penalty of $5B under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act. The government accused McGraw Hill of fraud in its residential mortgage-backed securities and debt obligations before the 2008 financial crisis. McGraw settled with the government.
Keker also represented Major League Baseball in San Jose, et. Al. v. Office of the Commissioner of Baseball and Allan Huber “Bud” Selig. The City of San Jose sued MLB, alleging antitrust violations and state law claims related to the possible relocation of the Oakland Athletics to San Jose. The lawsuit also claimed the MLB’s business practices and anticompetitive conduct violated state and federal laws. Keker had the antitrust claims dismissed and convinced the Supreme Court to decline a petition for certiorari.
In 2013, Keker represented Lucasfilm Ltd. in antitrust class action suits launched by former employees. The suits targeted Google, Apple, and Pixar. Plaintiffs alleged unlawful agreements of employee hiring and retention; a preliminary settlement between plaintiffs and Lucasfilm was reached in 2013.
Keker also represented seven-time Tour de France winner, cyclist Lance Armstrong, during an investigation by the US Department of Justice into doping in the sport of professional cycling. The DOJ’s investigation was closed in 2012 and no charges were filed.
In the largest trade secret litigation to date, Keker represented Cadence Design Systems, Inc. against Avant! Corporation. Keker secured an injunction, restitution, and settlement totaling $460M in a trade secret misappropriation suit. The Santa Clara County District Attorney pursued further charges.
Following graduation, Keker clerked for the Hon. Earl Warren Retired Chief Justice of the United States from 1970-1971. He has been admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal, Fifth, Ninth, and Eleventh Circuits, and the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Northern, Southern and Central Districts of California, Colorado, and Southern District of Texas.
In 1978 Keker founded Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP. The firm is located in San Francisco, CA. Since founding the company, Keker has earned a reputation as a top trial lawyer. Keker has been inducted into the California State Bar’s “Litigation Hall of Fame.” He has also been named one of the “Top 100 Most Influential Lawyers in the United States” by the National Law Journal.
In his tenure as a lawyer, Keker has litigated many important cases. In 2015, he helped the San Diego County Water Authority win the year’s largest settlement award. In this case, the Water Authority charged the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) with overcharging water transportation rates and breaching a contract between the two parties. Ultimately, the court found that the MWD’s rates violated California’s statutory and constitutional provisions.
Through the years, Keker’s notable clientele include McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., et al., Lance Armstrong, George Lucas and more. In 2015, Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP defended McGraw Hill in a case where the government sought a penalty of $5B under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act. The government accused McGraw Hill of fraud in its residential mortgage-backed securities and debt obligations before the 2008 financial crisis. McGraw settled with the government.
Keker also represented Major League Baseball in San Jose, et. Al. v. Office of the Commissioner of Baseball and Allan Huber “Bud” Selig. The City of San Jose sued MLB, alleging antitrust violations and state law claims related to the possible relocation of the Oakland Athletics to San Jose. The lawsuit also claimed the MLB’s business practices and anticompetitive conduct violated state and federal laws. Keker had the antitrust claims dismissed and convinced the Supreme Court to decline a petition for certiorari.
In 2013, Keker represented Lucasfilm Ltd. in antitrust class action suits launched by former employees. The suits targeted Google, Apple, and Pixar. Plaintiffs alleged unlawful agreements of employee hiring and retention; a preliminary settlement between plaintiffs and Lucasfilm was reached in 2013.
Keker also represented seven-time Tour de France winner, cyclist Lance Armstrong, during an investigation by the US Department of Justice into doping in the sport of professional cycling. The DOJ’s investigation was closed in 2012 and no charges were filed.
In the largest trade secret litigation to date, Keker represented Cadence Design Systems, Inc. against Avant! Corporation. Keker secured an injunction, restitution, and settlement totaling $460M in a trade secret misappropriation suit. The Santa Clara County District Attorney pursued further charges.
Admission
Colorado
2006
California
1971
Florida
Education
Princeton Univ; Princeton NJ
Bachelor
Recognitions & Achievements
Associations
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Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
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Fellow, International Academy of Trial Lawyers
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Member, Council on Foreign Relations
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Member, Pacific Council on International Policy
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Presidio Trust Board of Directors, Chair
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American Board of Trial Advocates
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American Bar Foundation
Honors / Awards
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Litigation Trial Lawyers ()2016
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Top Plaintiff's Verdict by Lawyer ()2016
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Elite Trial Lawyer ()2015
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White Collar Crime Trailblazer ()2015
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Bet-the-Company Litigator of the Year, Best Lawyers in America2012-2014
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San Francisco Intellectual Property Lawyer of the Year ()2012
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Lawyer of the Year, White Collar Criminal Defense ()2010
Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP Highlights
Litigation, Intellectual Property, Criminal, Antitrust, Business
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