Carey L. Cooper

Shareholder

Executive Profile

Carey L. Cooper is a Shareholder at Klinedinst PC’s San Diego office. She is an experienced litigator and trial attorney who works closely with our business clients to achieve their individualized goals. She represents a variety of clients in business, product liability, professional liability, and environmental litigation. Ms. Cooper also has extensive experience defending environmental professionals in mediation and at trial. She has a wealth of litigation experience involving product liability, commercial litigation, industrial equipment, land use, and toxic torts.

Ms. Cooper is the recipient of the AV®-Preeminent™ peer review rating by Martindale-Hubbell. From 2015-2025, she has been featured in San Diego Super Lawyers® based on independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations. The San Diego Business Journal profiled Ms. Cooper in 2014 and 2015 as one of its Best of the Bar, having previously featured her as a nominee in its “Women Who Mean Business.” In 2007, the San Diego Daily Transcript recognized her as a Top Attorney in real estate litigation in San Diego County, and Ms. Cooper has achieved a top “Superb” ranking on Avvo.com.

Ms. Cooper has served as Managing Shareholder of the San Diego office, as well as Chief Operating Officer of the firm, and Chair of the Product Liability and Environmental Practice Groups. She graduated cum laude from California State University, Northridge before attending Washington & Lee University School of Law, where she also graduated cum laude. Ms. Cooper has participated in numerous legal seminars, has published several articles, and has been recognized with a variety of awards.

Education

  • California State University, Northridge (B.A., cum laude, 1993)
  • Washington & Lee University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1997)

Appellate and Administrative Decisions

  • Barbanell v. Lodge, D084193, 2025 (Cal. App. 4th Dist., Div. 1 Dec. 17, 2025), certified for publication Jan. 8, 2026 – Served as appellate counsel for Respondents, successfully defending a post judgment award of attorneys’ fees; the California Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court’s ruling in a published opinion.
  • Herron v. San Diego Unified Port District, 2025, D083668 (Cal. App. 4th Dist., Div. 1 Jan. 29, 2025), certified for publication Feb. 25, 2025 – Served as appellate counsel for Defendants and Respondents, securing affirmance of the trial court’s order sustaining a demurrer without leave to amend on a petition for writ of mandate, in a published opinion.
  • Neice v. Pierce Cnty. Recycling, Composting & Disposal LLC, 2024 Wash. App. LEXIS 2116 (Ct. App. October 15, 2024) – Served as Defense Counsel at the trial court level where all claims against the client were summarily adjudicated, and served as appellate counsel where the Washington Court of Appeals affirmed summary adjudication through this published opinion
  • Del Cerro Action Council v. Board of Trustees of California State University, 2008 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 1334 (Cal. App. 4th Dist. 2008) – Served as Petitioner and Respondent’s counsel, securing and upholding $96,000 award of attorneys’ fees and costs
  • In re: Request for Review of UST Claim No. 081647, 2008 – Served as counsel for a UST applicant in this administrative appeal, whereby the State agreed to reverse its initial decision denying the applicant up to $1.5 million in State funds for a contaminated site
  • Grinham v. Fielder, 99 Cal. App. 4th 1049 June 24, 2002 – Served as Defense Counsel in the successful summary judgment proceeding, upheld on appeal

Awards, Professional and Community Involvement

Professional and Community Affiliations

Recognition and Awards

News, Media and Speaking Engagements

Publications and Speaking Engagements

  • “Noise, Light and Odors,” Continuing Education of the Bar, California Neighbor Disputes: Law & Litigation (January 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
  • “Beware Boilerplate Settlement Agreement Language,” Daily Journal (December 2017)
  • “Even With a Good-Faith Order in Hand…” CAIIA Status Report (June, 2014)
  • “Protecting Environmental Consultants’ Work from Discovery: United States v. Torf Extends the Work-product Privilege to Documents Which Serve a Dual Purpose,” The National Forum for Environmental and Toxic Tort Issues Newsletter (Spring, 2004)
  • “Mold Update,” The National Forum for Environmental & Toxic Tort Issues (October 2002)
  • “Mold Legislation in California,” BIA Builder Magazine (Summer, 2001)
  • “California Legislators Consider Enacting Toxic Mold Legislation,” MECA Mailer (July 24, 2001)
  • “Under Construction: The Toxic Mold Protection Act of 2001” California Real Estate Journal (June, 2001)
  • “New Research Links Parkinson’s Disease to Its Chemical Causes,” MECA Mailer (March 15, 1999)
  • “Federal Preemption of State ‘Failure-To-Warn’ Claims,” Los Angeles Daily Journal (January 11, 1999)
  • “The Role of the Secured Interest Exemption in Lender Liability Under CERCLA,” Environmental Law Digest, Vol. 8:4
  • “The Pollution Exclusion Controversy,” Environmental Law Digest, Vol.10:1
  • “Comprehensive General Liability Policies & Third Party Disputes: Which Trigger of Coverage Theory will Virginia Adopt?” Environmental Law Digest, Vol. 10, No. 4

Related News

Admissions



  • California (1998)



  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of California (1998)



  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California (1998)



  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (2003)


Practice Areas

  • Retail and Premises Liability

Contact

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