Esther Cho is a shareholder with Keesal, Young & Logan. Esther is the Chair of the firm’s Executive Committee and also sits on its Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Esther’s practice focuses on securities, employment, and mortgage banking litigation, and she has defended financial services firms, with particular emphasis on securities broker-dealers, in judicial and arbitration proceedings. She has handled hundreds of cases filed in state and federal court and before securities arbitration forums such as the FINRA, NASD, NYSE, PCX, JAMS, and AAA. In addition, she has represented institutions and individuals in connection with regulatory enforcement investigations.
Esther’s practice also includes the defense of mortgage banking claims, particularly claims involving individual lending transactions. Esther acts as counsel with respect to a wide variety of matters including both origination and servicing of loans. Esther’s mortgage banking experience includes defending claims of wrongful foreclosure and fraud, claims involving promised or failed loan modifications, unfair business practices, RESPA, TILA, and FDCPA claims, lien priority disputes, and misapplication of payment allegations.
As part of her employment practice, Esther defends employers in judicial, arbitration, and administrative proceedings. In representing employers, Esther has defended cases involving claims of wrongful termination, constructive discharge, defamation, retaliation, breach of contract, discrimination, harassment, failure to pay wages, violations of unfair competition laws, and violations of the California Labor Code.
Esther handles appellate briefing and has argued before the California Courts of Appeal. Esther’s unreported appellate cases include Cole v. Chase, 2015 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 7353 (Cal. 2d App. Oct. 13, 2015), and Pearlman v. Prudential Sec., 2004 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 1376 (Cal. 2d App. Feb. 13, 2004).
Esther regularly represents and consults with clients on a wide variety of general business and litigation matters, including most recently a sizable mechanic’s lien case in a bankruptcy action. Esther was recognized by Law & Politics Magazine as one of the Southern California legal community’s “Rising Stars” from 2006 to 2010. Esther also currently serves on Keesal, Young & Logan’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee. Esther also sits on the advisory board of Community of Legal Interns (ourcli.com). CLI’s mission is to “educate, empower and establish future leaders in the rapidly changing legal ecosystem . . . and create a community-based movement to connect students and employers committed to increasing diversity, inclusion and innovation in the legal industry.”
