Biography

Kelly Matayoshi is co-leader of the Consumer Products Initiative. She represents a broad range of local and international companies to thoughtfully handle their complex litigation needs. In her business litigation practice, Kelly focuses on products liability, contract disputes, breach of fiduciary duty, and other business disputes. She has a deep understanding of the consumer products industry, having many clients in this space. Kelly is national coordinating counsel for a flexible gas tubing manufacturer, where Kelly handles every aspect of litigation, beginning with the notice letter that originates the case, through fact-gathering, working with experts, discovery, motion practice, negotiation, and settlement or trial.

Kelly also has extensive employment experience, effectively representing employers in state and federal court as well as numerous agencies on a range of causes of action including wrongful termination and class action wage and hour disputes. She has represented employers in the transportation and sales industries concerning issues arising under a variety of employment statutes and regulations such as exemptions, split shifts, meal and rest breaks, overtime, vacation, wage statements, deductions, and commissions.

Kelly is particularly gifted at building the relationships that make her an efficient practitioner, and in working cooperatively with all the parties to a dispute to uncover a mutually acceptable solution. She is the exact opposite of a scorched-earth litigator – she seeks, and usually finds, the consensus that brings disputes to swift, equitable, and favorable conclusions.

She served as an extern for Judge Edward Chen of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and represented a pro bono client before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals as part of the Hastings Appellate Project.

Distinctions

  • 2022 Diversity Award, Barristers Club of the Bar Association of San Francisco
  • 2021 Outstanding Barristers Award, Barristers Club of the Bar Association of San Francisco
  • 2021 Minority Bar Coalition Unity Award, Barristers Club of the Bar Association of San Francisco
  • The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch - Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants (2021-2023)
  • Northern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars in Business Litigation (2015-2021)
  • Laurie Miller Award for Public Service, ABA Section of Litigation (2018) 

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Member, UC Hastings Foundation Board of Trustees (2022)
  • Member, Elimination of Bias Committee, San Francisco Superior Court (2021)
  • Member, Advisory Board, UC Hastings Center for Litigation and Courts (2021)
  • President, Barristers Club, Bar Association of San Francisco (2020)
  • President, UC Hastings College of the Law Alumni Association Board of Governors (2019-2020)
  • Director, Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area (2016-present)
  • Committee Member, Membership & Marketing, Section of Litigation, American Bar Association (2020-present)
  • Co-Chair, Labor and Employment Committee, Section of Litigation, American Bar Association (2017-2019)
  • Co-Chair, Section of Litigation ABA Annual Meeting (2019)
  • San Francisco Leadership Team, Judicial Intern Opportunity Program

Firm Highlights

Publication

Uncorking Accessibility: How Winery Websites Can Meet ADA Compliance Standards

Vanessa Ing and Kelsey Mollura discuss "Uncorking Accessibility: How Winery Websites Can Meet ADA Compliance Standards." The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities...

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News

Chambers USA 2023 Recognizes Farella Braun + Martel Lawyers, Practices

Farella Braun + Martel is pleased to announce that Chambers USA has recognized 16 lawyers and six practice areas in the legal directory’s 2023 edition. Individual California and Western U.S. Rankings: Sarah Bell &ndash...

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Publication

Nonprofit Basics: Federal Tax Filing Deadlines and Penalties

Welcome to  EO Radio Show – Your Nonprofit Legal Resource . This episode focuses on the importance of meeting the federal tax filing deadlines that apply to charitable organizations. Most charitable organizations that are...

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Publication

Office-to-Housing Conversion: State and Local Efforts to Revitalize the Downtown

Originally published in The Registry . As office vacancies soar in traditional downtown areas like San Francisco’s Financial District, state and local officials are moving quickly to adopt incentives they hope will bring people...

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News

Legal experts say Google, Twitter and other tech companies dodged a bullet at the Supreme Court

Erik Olson spoke to Silicon Valley Business Journal for the article "Legal experts say Google, Twitter and other tech companies dodged a bullet at the Supreme Court." The Supreme Court avoided taking a stand...

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Publication

Nonprofit Basics: Meeting Minutes Best Practices

Welcome to  EO Radio Show – Your Nonprofit Legal Resource . This episode focuses on documenting decisions made at meetings of a nonprofit organization's board of directors or trustees. While everyone who attends a...

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News

Big Tech Breathes Sigh of Relief After Justices' Terror Rulings

Erik Olson spoke to Law360 for the article "Big Tech Breathes Sigh of Relief After Justices' Terror Rulings," covering the U.S. Supreme Court's decision not to review whether Section 230 insulates online platforms from...

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Event

Bisnow: San Francisco State of the Market

At Bisnow's San Francisco State of the Market event, Ashley Breakfield will moderate the panel "Revitalizing San Francisco: Reconfiguring the city for a hybrid world, reimagining downtown, and uplifting the economy." Click  here  for more information and to...

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Publication

Trends Guest Editorial: Wildfires and Wineries

Link to the article in Gradient's Trends  Spring 2023 newsletter. Recurring wildfires in the Napa and Sonoma Counties of California have created a set of niche problems for the surrounding wineries, on top of...

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News

Farella Braun + Martel Earns Mansfield Certification Plus Status

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