October 2025 – Kendall Brill & Kelly LLP is pleased to announce that Cassie D. Palmer, a former federal prosecutor and section chief in the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Central District of California who previously served as a KBK attorney, has rejoined the firm as a partner.
Ms. Palmer, who was recently recognized by the Los Angeles County Bar Association as a 2025 Prosecutor of the Year, previously served as a KBK associate from 2011–2012 and again from 2013–2014. She returns bringing more than fifteen years of litigation experience and a national reputation for success in landmark corruption, securities fraud, and civil rights prosecutions to KBK’s elite team of litigators.
During her leadership tenure in the USAO Public Corruption & Civil Rights Section, where she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for more than a decade, Ms. Palmer tried nine jury trials and argued multiple cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Notable recent representations include her roles as co-lead trial counsel in a landmark, multi-year City Hall corruption that resulted in more than ten convictions, including the Central District’s first-ever federal racketeering conviction of an elected official, former Los Angeles City Councilmember José Huizar, and as lead trial counsel in a securities fraud and money laundering case involving $215 million in investor losses, as well as in a separate $200 million healthcare fraud prosecution.
She resigned from the U.S. Attorney’s Office earlier this year, following her objection to a proposed plea agreement for a convicted sheriff’s deputy that undermined the jury’s verdict.
Throughout Ms. Palmer’s career, she has earned a reputation as a principled advocate for criminal justice and public integrity. She has handled significant civil rights prosecutions and pro bono cases, including the successful challenge of systemic racial segregation in Arizona’s prisons, in which she secured a statewide injunction that dismantled unlawful practices and reinforced constitutional protections under the Equal Protection Clause.
“Cassie is a remarkable trial lawyer, litigator, and leader whose integrity is matched only by her skill,” said KBK founding Partner Richard Kendall. “Her return further strengthens our team and reflects KBK’s shared commitment to principled, results-driven advocacy.”
Ms. Palmer earned her J.D. magna cum laude from Loyola Law School, where she served as Chief Articles Editor of the Loyola Law Review and Senior Editor of the Los Angeles Public Interest Law Journal, and she received her B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Utah.