Mr. Keller is the head of the firm’s Litigation and Insolvency practice groups. His areas of expertise include real estate and environmental litigation, land use entitlements proceedings, and creditor representation in bankruptcy cases.
One of Mr. Keller’s greatest strengths is a broad base of experience in litigation and transactional real estate matters. As a litigator, he has defended housing and hotel projects against challenges under the California Environmental Quality Act; represented Fortune 500 companies in eminent domain proceedings; prosecuted commercial landlord-tenant and loan default cases; and resolved disputes involving takings claims, boundary issues, easements, mechanic’s liens, and water rights. His litigation experience also informs his approach to other matters such as representation of developers seeking entitlements, buyers and lenders conducting due diligence, and property owners impacted by development on neighboring parcels. In all these settings Mr. Keller applies a practical approach that starts with a strong appreciation for his clients’ priorities and an understanding of his role as both advocate and advisor.
Mr. Keller has also built a nationwide practice representing landlords and other creditors in bankruptcy proceedings. He has represented everything from large institutional investors to small businesses in cases venued from San Diego to Connecticut. Mr. Keller’s experience includes large, complex cases such as Sanchez Energy, in which Mr. Keller represented the owner of the debtor’s corporate headquarters, and Sears, in which he represented three different landlords with nine separate properties. Mr. Keller has also served as court-approved attorney for receivers, referees, and bankruptcy trustees, helping them analyze claims, resolve disputes, and win authorization to sell distressed assets.
Mr. Keller is actively involved in the legal community. He has served as the Chair of the San Francisco Bar Association’s Commercial Law & Bankruptcy Section; the President of the California Receivers Forum’s Bay Area Chapter; an officer of the Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum; and Co-Chair of the California Bankruptcy Forum’s 2022 Conference. He has been named a Super Lawyer for Northern California by Super Lawyers magazine for 2021, 2022, and 2023, and was named by the same publication as a Rising Star for every year from 2013 through 2020. Mr. Keller speaks fluent German and has done pro bono work representing Holocaust survivors applying for benefits with the German government, as well as fundraising work for the Bay Area Urban Debate League and the Friends of Cal Debate.
Land Use, Litigation, and Insolvency