Karen Lehmann Alexander

Associate

  • Karen Lehmann Alexander
  • Phone: +1 619 744 2224

    Read Karen Lehmann Alexander's blog Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris LLP
    750 B Street, Suite 2900
    San Diego, CA 92101-4681
    USA
  • Duane Morris LLP
    865 South Figueroa Street, Suite 3100
    Los Angeles, CA 90017-5450
    USA

Karen Lehmann Alexander is a seasoned trial lawyer with concurrent focuses on white-collar criminal defense and business litigation. Ms. Alexander has experience representing individuals and entities in matters involving election fraud, securities fraud, insurance fraud, bankruptcy fraud, mortgage fraud, immigration fraud, criminal tax matters, unlicensed money transferring, bulk cash smuggling, criminal environmental matters and political corruption. In 2016, she co-tried a six-week white-collar jury trial in federal court.

On the civil side, Ms. Alexander has extensive litigation and employment experience in state and federal courts, arbitrations and mediations. She has acquired substantial knowledge on a variety of topics including contract disputes, shareholder disputes, unfair competition and consumer legal remedies, compliance with federal and California wage and hour laws, trademark, regulatory compliance under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, and other complex litigation issues. 

Prior to entering private practice, Ms. Alexander spent five years as an assistant federal defender for the Southern District of California, where she represented more than 500 individuals in federal criminal prosecutions, including mail and wire fraud, drug trafficking, alien smuggling and other immigration violations. She appeared as lead counsel in six jury trials and two bench trials and argued once before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Ms. Alexander is a cum laude graduate of Yale University and a graduate of New York University School of Law. She clerked for the Honorable Karen S. Crawford of the Southern District of California and has taught Constitutional and Criminal law courses as an adjunct professor at Point Loma Nazarene University. She is a regularly contributing member of the Duane Morris White-Collar Criminal Law Blog.

Areas of Practice

  • White-Collar Criminal Law
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Employment Litigation
  • Securities
  • Appeals

Representative Matters

    Criminal Litigation

  • Represented an insurance salesman charged with defrauding individuals and insurance companies through an illegal Stranger Originated Life Insurance (STOLI) scheme.

  • Represented an election services provider charged with aiding and abetting unlawful contributions from a foreign national and causing campaigns to file false reports.

  • Represented an individual federally investigated for bankruptcy fraud, criminal tax evasion, mortgage fraud and bank fraud.

  • Represented the owner of an international money transmitting business accused of violating state and federal licensing laws.

  • Represented the owners of a California casino/cardroom in the defense of an Accusation filed by the Bureau of Gambling Control.

  • Represented the owner of a California animal shelter accused of various animal welfare and health and safety code violations.

  • Represented a teenage victim of human trafficking as she prepared to testify before the Grand Jury in a federal criminal investigation.

    • Civil Litigation

  • Represented a corporation in its countersuit against a former financial manager who embezzled thousands of dollars from the company and then sued the company for wrongful termination.

  • Represented a private equity firm sued as an alter ego for frauds allegedly committed by one of its portfolio companies.

  • Represented a private college in defending against a former student’s claims of breach of contract, fraud, and wrongful dismissal.

  • Represented a wealthy businessman in judgement collection and a fraudulent conveyance action after the trial court entered a $33 million collectible judgment against him.

  • Represented closely-held corporation and individual directors in business litigation alleging dissolution of the corporation, unfair business practices and breach of fiduciary duty.

  • Represented international corporation in breach of contract action raising issues of a product’s compliance with the U.S. Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

  • Represented national cable company accused of violations of the wage and hour provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

  • Represented private college in three separate lawsuits by former employees claiming violations of their meals and rest breaks and overtime provisions of the California Labor Code.

  • Represented Southern California manufacturer in the investigation and termination of employees caught selling the company’s trade secrets to competitors.

Admissions

  • California
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

Education

  • New York University School of Law, J.D., 2009
    - Production Editor, Journal of International Law and Politics
  • Yale University, B.A., cum laude, 2006

Experience

  • Duane Morris LLP
    - Associate, 2015-present
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
    - Law Clerk to the Hon. Karen S. Crawford, Magistrate Judge, 2014-2015
  • Federal Defenders of San Diego
    - Trial Attorney, 2009-2014

Professional Activities

  • Adjunct Professor, Point Loma Nazarene University - Criminal Law and Constitutional Law

  • American Welsh Inn of Court
  • Lawyers Club
  • American Business Trial Lawyers

Honors and Awards

  • Named to Best Lawyers "Ones to Watch," 2023 and 2024

Selected Publications

Selected Speaking Engagements

  • "Pain and Suffering Damages," American Welsh Inn of Court, March 2016
  • "Top 10 Tips for Lawyers," American Welsh Inn of Court, October 2014