Farella Elects New Firm Co-Chairs Karen Kimmey and Holly Sutton
Northern California legal powerhouse Farella Braun + Martel is pleased to announce the election of Karen P. Kimmey and Holly L. Sutton as co-chairs and co-managing partners of the firm, effective Jan. 1, 2025. Together, Karen and Holly succeed Brian Donnelly, who has served in the role since 2017.
“Holly and I have worked together for more than 25 years, and we are excited to continue this collaboration on a firmwide scale. We are the product of Farella’s mentorship and leadership training, and we look forward to ensuring similar opportunities to the firm’s next generation—all while maintaining our vibrant practices,” said Karen. “Together, we are steadfast in ensuring Farella remains a Northern California legal powerhouse.”
“I’m excited to helm this new chapter for the firm with Karen. As co-leaders, we will have more room to explore multiple viewpoints on the firm and its direction. We’ll serve as sounding boards for each other, fostering outside-the-box thinking and ideally bringing forward the strongest solutions and best course for guiding Farella forward,” added Holly. “The firm is poised to take full advantage of its strong, regional, mid-market position, both as an attractive practice platform for attorneys and as counsel of choice for clients who want sophisticated advice and stellar service today and for generations to come. We are excited to build on this platform.”
“We are delighted that the partnership has elected Karen and Holly as the firm’s new co-managing partners,” said Real Estate Partner Tony Ratner on behalf of the firm’s Advisory Board. “Our firm has always embraced change and evolved over its more than 60-year history, while steadfastly preserving our culture and identity. Brian has served the firm exceptionally well over the last eight years, has skillfully guided our firm through many changes and events over his term, and has been instrumental in maintaining our position as a pre-eminent Northern California law firm that is regarded as not only one of the best law firms to work at in Northern California but has been consistently rated as one of the best places to work. We have complete confidence that, under Karen and Holly’s leadership, our firm will continue to thrive and evolve, while always supporting and developing the people who work here.”
An experienced trial lawyer, Karen's litigation practice focuses on commercial disputes, particularly complex contract, fraud, unfair competition, and negligence claims. She also has significant experience in employment and products liability. Karen is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America in Commercial Litigation. She received the prestigious California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year (CLAY) award in 2022 from the Daily Journal for her role as trial counsel in a precedent-setting antitrust class action against Sutter Health. Karen earned her J.D. from the University of California, College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings Law).
Holly advises employers and boards of directors on a broad spectrum of employment issues, including high-risk separations, personnel policies, wage and hour laws, EEO compliance, hiring and termination practices, harassment and discrimination investigations, non-competition clauses, conflict of interest, and trade secret matters. She helps her clients navigate challenging business scenarios, including reductions in force, realignment of workforces, mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Holly also defends employers in wrongful termination and employment discrimination actions, and in trade secrets, accommodation, and employee solicitation cases. Holly is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America in Employment Law – Management. She earned her J.D. from Stanford Law School.
About Farella
Farella Braun + Martel is a leading Northern California law firm representing corporate and private clients in sophisticated business and real estate transactions and complex commercial, civil, and criminal litigation. Clients seek our imaginative legal solutions and the dynamism and intellectual creativity of our lawyers. We are headquartered in San Francisco and maintain an office in the Napa Valley focused on the wine industry.
Contact:
Cheryl Loof
Farella Braun + Martel LLP
415.954.4433 / [email protected]