About the Author
I am a plaintiffs’ class action attorney with more than twenty-five years of litigation experience at the trial and appellate levels. My law firm is Kralowec Law, P.C. in San Francisco. I handle consumer fraud, wage and hour, antitrust, and civil rights class actions.
Formerly, I was a partner with Severson & Werson, P.C., also in San Francisco, where I regularly defended UCL and other types of class actions. My judicial clerkship was with Judge David Mannheimer of the Alaska Court of Appeals. I also worked for two years with my father, Arthur C. Kralowec, a solo practitioner.
In 2022, I received the Pound Civil Justice Institute Appellate Advocacy Award, with High Distinction, for my work on Frlekin. In 2013, I received a CLAY Award for my work on the Brinker case. I have been named one of California's Top 100 Labor and Employment Lawyers by the Daily Journal in 2012, 2013 and 2020. I have also been named by the Daily Journal as one of the Top 100 Women Lawyers in California and one of the Top Plaintiffs' Lawyers in California.
I served for five years on the Executive Committee of the Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Section of the State Bar of California (2008-2013). I am also an active a member of the amicus curiae committee of Consumer Attorneys of California. I write and speak extensively on the UCL and class action practice (scroll down for more details).
My firm is available to co-counsel on new class action litigation matters as well as appellate matters. I also provide behind-the-scenes consulting on an hourly basis. To discuss the possibility of working together, please give me a call at (415) 546-6800 or drop me a line by email at kkralowec - at - kraloweclaw - dot - com.
My current practice focuses on four substantive areas: antitrust class actions; consumer class actions; wage and hour class actions; and civil rights class actions. My strong suit is complex brief-writing. I have drafted over 50 appellate briefs in my career. I am also an experienced oral advocate. I have argued repeatedly before the California Supreme Court, the California Court of Appeal, and the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
In appropriate cases, I can handle your appeal or writ proceeding on a contingency-fee basis. As a behind-the-scenes consultant, I can advise you on the class action, UCL, or appellate aspects of your case. Feel free to contact me about any of the above.
Web
- The UCL Practitioner (Oct. 2003-present)
- The Appellate Practitioner (Feb. 2007-Mar. 2009)
- “Supreme Court probing ‘pay-for-delay,’” Daily Journal, March 17, 2015
- “Dukes and Common Proof in California Class Actions,” Competition (Summer 2012)
- “Evidentiary Extrapolations in California Class Actions: Guidance from Brinker,” California Litigation (July 2012)
- “Brinker v. Superior Court: Takeaways for California Workers,” California Labor & Employment Law Review (July 2012)
- “UCL Class Actions After In re Tobacco,” Forum, September/October 2009
- “A Tool for Mischief: Preemptive Defense Motions Under BCBG Overtime Cases to Reject Class Certification,” Forum, January/February 2009 (with Kevin K. Green)
- “UCL Standing to Seek Injunctive Relief: Is a Restitutionary Loss Required?” Forum, July/August 2008
- “Three Evolving Facets of UCL Restitution,” Forum, November 2007
- “UCL Injunctions to Remedy the Past Effects of Wrongful Conduct: Before and After Proposition 64,” Forum, September 2007
- “The UCL’s ‘Unfair’ Prong: Recent Case Law Muddies the Waters Even More,” Forum, July/August 2007
- “The Class Representative’s Pre-Certification Bill of Rights,” Daily Journal, April 6, 2007
- “The Consumers Legal Remedies Act: An Alternative to the UCL in the Post-Prop. 64 World,” Forum, November 2006
- “Proposition 64 and the ‘Statutory Repeal Rule,’ ” Daily Journal, May 31, 2006
Law Review
- “Estoppel Claims Against ERISA Employee Benefit Plans,” 25 U.C. Davis L. Rev. 487 (1992)
- "Hot Cases in the California Supreme Court: Duran, Iskanian, Ayala, and Beyond," CELA Tenth Annual Advanced Wage and Hour Seminar, April 11, 2014
- "Aggregate Proof or 'Trial by Formula,'" The Impact Fund 11th Annual Class Action Conference, Feb. 28-March 1, 2013
- "Brinker and the Future of Meal Period, Rest Break and Off-the-Clock Cases," Consumer Attorneys of California 51st Annual Convention, November 10, 2012
- "A Brinker Primer," California Employment Lawyers Association, 8th Annual Advanced Wage and Hour Seminar, May 18, 2012
- "The Supreme Court Redirects Class Action Defense," American Bar Association, Section of Antitrust Law Spring Meeting, March 30, 2012
- "Kwikset and Beyond: Advanced Topics in §17200 Practice," Rutter Group, March 6 and 8, 2012
- 21st Annual Golden State Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Institute, State Bar of California, Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Section, October 27, 2011 (Section Vice Chair and co-organizer)
- "State Consumer Protection Laws: Enforcement and Litigation Trends in California," American Bar Association, Section of Antitrust Law, May 11, 2011
- 5th Annual Class Action Seminar, Consumer Attorneys of California, January 26, 2011 (moderator)
- "Starting Right: Conflicts Management, Engagement Letters and Other Ethics Matters," BASF Solo and Small Firm Committee, January 19, 2011 (moderator)
- "The Year in Review: Employment Law Updates," Consumer Attorneys of California Annual Convention, November 19, 2010
- 20th Annual Golden State Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Institute, State Bar of California, Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Section, October 21, 2010 (Section Vice Chair and co-organizer)
- Third Annual Class Action Symposium, Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, October 8, 2010
- Strategies for Growing Your Practice, Bar Association of San Francisco Solo & Small Firm Committee, August 10, 2010
- The Potential Impact of Dukes on Class Certification in Antitrust and UCL Cases in the Ninth Circuit, State Bar of California, Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Section, July 22, 2010
- Antitrust Institute 2010: Developments & Hot Topics, Practising Law Institute, May 21, 2010
- The Rutter Group §17200 Practice: The Impact of Tobacco II Cases, March 1 and 3, 2010
- Consumer Attorneys of California Annual Convention, November 14, 2009
- Second Annual Class Action Symposium, Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, October 23, 2009
- 19th Annual Golden State Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Institute, State Bar of California, Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Section, October 22, 2009
- Need a Light? Understanding Voter Limits on Unfair Competition Actions After Tobacco II, Los Angeles County Bar Association, October 6, 2009
- Proposition 64: Are the Standards Changing? (Recorder Roundtable), July 22, 2009
- 5th Annual Advanced Wage and Hour Seminar, California Employment Lawyers Association, May 1, 2009
- Wage & Hour: The Essential Update, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, April 7, 2009
- 3rd Annual Class Action Seminar: Class Action Hurdles From the Plaintiff's Perspective, Consumer Attorneys of California College of Trial Arts, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, Bar Association of San Francisco (co-sponsors), January 28, 2009
- 47th Annual Convention, Consumer Attorneys of California, "Discovery Techniques in Class Action Cases," November 7, 2008
- 6th Annual Unfair Competition Law Program, State Bar of California, Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Section, May 14, 2008
- Annual Tahoe Ski Seminar, "Update On Section 17200," Consumer Attorneys of California College of Trial Arts, Capitol City Trial Lawyers Association, March 28-29, 2008
- 2nd Annual Class Action Seminar: Class Action Hurdles From the Plaintiff's Perspective, “Discovery Techniques in Class Action Cases,” Consumer Attorneys of California College of Trial Arts, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, Bar Association of San Francisco (co-sponsors), March 5, 2008
- “Law Blogging for Fun and Profit: Building Your Audience, Building Your Practice,” West Legalworks, February 21, 2008
- 17th Annual Litigation & Resolution of Complex Class Actions Conference, West Legalworks, November 1, 2007
- 5th Annual Unfair Competition Law Program, State Bar of California, Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Section, May 18, 2007
- 2006 Class Action and UCL Conference, “UCL Remedies: The Scope of Restitution and Injunctive Relief,” Bridgeport Continuing Education, May 18, 2006
- “Blogs and RSS Feeds,” The Law Library 2006: Skills, Strategies, and Solutions, Practising Law Institute, March 1, 2006
- “Be Careful What You Wish For: The UCL After Prop. 64,” Santa Clara County Bar Association, December 1, 2005 (with Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge James P. Kleinfeld)
- “The Impact of Proposition 64,” Unfair Competition Claims 2005, Practising Law Institute, May 10, 2005 (with San Francisco County Superior Court Judge Richard A. Kramer)
- “Blogs – Cutting Edge or Bleeding Edge?” The Future of Legal Research: Legal Resources and Access Today and Tomorrow, Northern California Association of Law Librarians, April 16, 2005
- “Appellate Practice 101: Master the Basics, Avoid the Traps,” Solano County Bar Association, November 3, 2000, Bar Association of San Francisco, Appellate Practice Section, May 16, 2000 (with First District Court of Appeal Justice Barbara J.R. Jones)
- “Persuasive Statements of Fact,” Bar Association of San Francisco, Appellate Practice Section, October 29, 1999
- “Effective Legal Writing for Paralegals in California,” Institute for Paralegal Education, September 13, 2000 and August 11, 1999
- Pound Civil Justice Institute Appellate Advocacy Award, High Distinction, 2022
California Lawyer Attorney of the Year ("CLAY") Award in Employment Law, 2013
Daily Journal Top Labor & Employment Lawyers, 2012, 2013, 2020
Daily Journal Top Women Lawyers, 2012, 2022
Daily Journal Top Plaintiffs' Lawyers, 2022
Northern California Super Lawyers, 2011-present
CAOC Women's Caucus, Consumer Advocate of the Year, 2010
CAOC Presidential Award of Merit, 2009
CAOC Presidential Award of Merit, 2008
U.S. Davis Law School, Hopkins Memorial Writing Award, 1992
Pomona College, F.S. Jennings Prize in Expository Writing, 1986
- Click here for a list of press mentions since 2004.
- Click here for a sample of the feedback I've received from readers since I created The UCL Practitioner.
- J.D., 1992, University of California, Davis, School of Law
- Publication: Comment, “Estoppel Claims Against ERISA Employee Benefit Plans,” 25 U.C. Davis L. Rev. 487 (1992)
- Patrick J. Hopkins Memorial Writing Award (Best Student Law Review Article of the Year)
- Publication: Comment, “Estoppel Claims Against ERISA Employee Benefit Plans,” 25 U.C. Davis L. Rev. 487 (1992)
- B.A. English, cum laude, 1989, Pomona College, Claremont, California
- F.S. Jennings Prize in Expository Writing (Pomona College Department of English Prize for "unusually fine performance in writing")
- Pomona College Scholar
- Pomona College Honors at Entrance
I am admitted to practice in California, the United States Courts of Appeals for the Ninth, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits, all United States District Courts in California, and the United States Supreme Court.
Kralowec Law, P.C.
3132A 24th Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
Telephone: (415) 546-6800
Facsimile: (415) 546-6801
Website: http://www.kraloweclaw.com
Email address: uclpractitioner@gmail.com