Reuben Camper Cahn

Cahn joined the Keller/Anderle business litigation firm as a partner in 2018 from his post as executive director of Federal Defenders of San Diego Inc., where he also tried cases and argued appeals, including two before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Now, he is preparing for a January trial where he’ll defend client I-Hsin “Joey” Chen, a prominent Newport Beach businessman, in the Varsity Blues college admissions case. Chen has pleaded not guilty to charges related to alleged cheating on admissions tests. U.S. v. Sidoo, 19-cr-10080 (D. Mass., filed March 12, 2019).

“The government’s focus was on large payments to universities,” Cahn said, pointing out that his client is instead accused of paying the cheating scandal’s ringleader, William “Rick” Singer, to allegedly fix test scores. “Singer is the consummate con man, and he threw up the names of some other people. Mr. Chen’s defense is factual innocence. He did not do what they charged.” He added that recent disclosures confirm that Singer lied to parents as he did to university officials and testing agencies and that government prosecutors hid evidence of parents’ innocence.

Additionally, Cahn represents a member of American International Group Inc., in protracted litigation over breach of contract and bad faith claims in the insurer’s handling of nine underlying product liability and construction defect lawsuits against a mechanical pipe systems maker. Other lawyers representing the client came out on the wrong side of a $52 million verdict; appellate attorneys at Riordan & Horgan and Horvitz & Levy LLP secured a reversal; The case is teed up for a 2022 rematch. Victaulic Co. v. American Home Assurance Co. et al., RG12642929 (Alameda Co. Super. Ct., filed Aug. 9, 2012).

“I came to the firm just after the appeal,” Cahn said. “I love to have my fingers in everything, but it was hard to argue when you have appellate counsel like Dennis Riordan on the team.” Cahn pointed out that the case has featured the admonishment of a judge and, most recently, Cahn and colleagues’ pending appeal over a failed motion to disqualify the plaintiff’s law firm, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, and two of its lawyers, because the lawyers—before joining Pillsbury—allegedly represented the defendant on “substantially related” matters.

Cahn is happy with his new career. “I’m having a really good time,” he said. “This has turned out to be everything I’d hoped.”

- John Roemer