Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP

06/05/2026

We're excited to have Jamie Slaughter take the reins as Managing Partner of Keker, Van Nest & Peters! 🎉

In a Law360 Pulse interview, Jamie shares his vision for the firm's future: preserving Keker's culture of lean teams, deep collaboration, disciplined growth, and elite trial advocacy. He also discusses the advantages of Keker's single-office model, and how the firm is embracing AI to enhance, but not replace, the judgment, strategy, and advocacy clients rely on when facing complex disputes involving tech, copyright, privacy, antitrust, and more.

Read more here: https://www.keker.com/news/news-items/jamie-slaughter-new-managing-partner-keker-future

06/03/2026

A small Georgia town is taking on a proposed 10,000-bed ICE detention facility—and legal experts are paying attention.

The Guardian reports that Social Circle, represented by KVP, has brought a novel challenge alleging violations of federal environmental and administrative law, along with claims under Georgia's public nuisance law.

The case highlights how local communities can use existing legal tools to seek accountability when federal projects may have significant local impacts.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/31/georgia-ice-detention-center-social-circle

06/02/2026

In an interview with Law.com, new KVP managing partner Jamie Slaughter spoke about what separates the firm from all the rest — and why he intends to keep it that way.

On the firm's pro bono commitment and its vocal opposition to the Trump administration's attacks on the legal profession: "It might have been an unpopular position to take in the broader legal community. You saw many law firms not willing to stand up that way, but it was never really a question for us."

On the firm's one-office model: "It means that the people know each other and trust each other. We work across cases in a way that I think is harder to collaborate and replicate when you have multiple offices and practice areas."

On growth: "We have grown, but we've never chased scale. Excellence is our strategy."

And on the road ahead: "John, Bob, and Elliot built a firm around excellence and independence and trust, and the task now is to preserve that culture while continuing to compete at the highest level."

The appointment of James Slaughter as the new managing partner at Keker, Van Nest & Peters marks "a change in leadership, not a change in identity," reported Law.com.

06/02/2026

Congratulations to Jamie Slaughter on being named Managing Partner of Keker, Van Nest & Peters.

A veteran trial lawyer and Keker partner since 2001, Jamie brings a deep commitment to the firm’s culture of collaboration, excellence, and fearless advocacy. As he told the Daily Journal, his focus is on being "a steward of something that's been great" while continuing to invest in the next generation of trial lawyers.

"We've got one office. We do one thing: litigation. That model has mattered to us. It means people know one another, they work with one another, they trust one another, we can work across cases in a way that's hard to replicate."

Speaking about his new post as managing partner at Keker, Van Nest & Peters, Jamie Slaughter said he is not planning big changes, and instead sees his role as "a steward of something that's been great,” with a focus on “emphasizing continuity, collaboration, and talent development,” reported T...

06/01/2026

Happy Pride Month! Today and everyday, we celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and the individuals whose advocacy and contributions continue to shape a more inclusive world. Keker is proud to support an environment where everyone is valued, respected, safe, and empowered to be themselves. 🌈

06/01/2026

We are proud to announce the appointment of Jamie Slaughter as the firm's new Managing Partner.

A veteran trial lawyer who has spent more than two decades at Keker, Jamie has built a national reputation handling high-stakes disputes for leading companies, institutions, and individuals. His practice spans complex commercial litigation, intellectual property, employment classification, and professional liability matters, including landmark copyright litigation for major tech companies. Jamie has also long embodied the values that define the firm: fearless advocacy, exceptional client service, and an unwavering commitment to community engagement.

https://www.keker.com/news/news-items/keker-van-nest-peters-appoints-r-james-slaughter-new-managing-partner

05/25/2026

In an opinion piece for the San Francisco Chronicle, John Keker writes:
"Every Memorial Day, I wear a T-shirt with the names of more than 1,000 members of the 3rd Battalion of the 5th Marines who were killed in combat during the Vietnam War...This year, putting on that shirt feels different."
Read more about the government's misuse of military power, the cost of war, and our duty to defend the Constitution. https://tinyurl.com/bdhdpjcz

05/21/2026

You may not know it, but the de facto privacy regime for AI technologies is a 1967 California wiretapping law meant to penalize eavesdropping on land lines. Wiretapping lawsuits targeting AI-enabled tools are surging, with judges and juries being asked to apply 1960s-era statutes to technologies unimagined when the laws were enacted.

KVP partner Ben Berkowitz has watched the trend unfold in courts across the country and writes about it in an analysis for Law.com. "I’ve spent much of my career as a trial lawyer litigating disputes involving emerging technologies, privacy and cybersecurity. I primarily represent technology companies in this litigation, and that perspective informs my view. Still, after watching these cases unfold in courtrooms across the country, I’m convinced the current moment is failing everyone—including the consumers these suits are supposed to protect." Read the full analysis here: https://www.keker.com/news/news-items/wiretap-laws-became-artificial-intelligence-de-facto-regulator

05/20/2026

Congratulations to Keker partners Sharif Jacob and Michelle Ybarra for being named among The Daily Journal’s 2026 Top Intellectual Property Lawyers in California! Sharif was recognized for his work in high-stakes patent, trademark, and trade secret litigation for major tech companies, and Michelle was recognized for her cutting-edge work in generative AI, copyright, patent, and right-of-publicity disputes. Read more: https://www.keker.com/news/news-items/sharif-jacob-michelle-ybarra-top-ip-lawyers-california-daily-journal