Litigation

Kelly Welchans is a member of Arnold & Porter LLP's litigation practice group. Her practice encompasses a broad range of complex litigation in state and federal courts, covering environmental, antitrust, consumer protection, unfair competition, franchise law, and business contract cases. She has experience handling all stages of litigation from case initiation through appeals, including individual responsibility for questioning jury trial witnesses. Ms. Welchans maintains an active pro bono practice, which she considers to be an important supplement to her commercial case load.

Ms. Welchans graduated Order of the Coif from the University of California, Davis School of Law, where she was co-editor-in-chief of Environs Environmental Law & Policy Journal. Prior to joining Arnold & Porter, Ms. Welchans served as an extern at the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California and the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office. She earned her BS in general biology from the University of California, San Diego. Before attending law school, she was employed at a start-up biotechnology company that produced antibodies and other research reagents for immunological research.

Litigation Representative Matters

• Represents a global energy corporation in ongoing national MDL and California federal and state court proceedings relating to the gasoline additive methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE).
• Represents a global energy corporation in mass and putative class actions filed by its gas station and convenience store franchisees asserting contract, unfair competition, and antitrust claims arising from point-of-sale and back-office accounting system, wholesale gasoline pricing, and selection of third-party vendors.
• Trial representation of an HIV-positive woman asserting claims against a doctor and hospital for violations of the Unruh Act.
• Defended a national television network against an antitrust suit brought by a putative nationwide class of cable and satellite TV subscribers for allegedly unlawful bundling of "tiers" of channels.
• Defended leading internet domain name registry operator in antitrust litigation arising out of the registry operator's entry into a new agreement for operation of the registry.
• Represented various clients in matters alleging violations of California consumer protection laws, including the Unfair Competition Law and False Advertising Law. 

• Represents a global energy corporation in ongoing national MDL and California federal and state court proceedings relating to the gasoline additive methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE).
• Represents a global energy corporation in mass and putative class actions filed by its gas station and convenience store franchisees asserting contract, unfair competition, and antitrust claims arising from point-of-sale and back-office accounting system, wholesale gasoline pricing, and selection of third-party vendors.
• Trial representation of an HIV-positive woman asserting claims against a doctor and hospital for violations of the Unruh Act.
• Defended a national television network against an antitrust suit brought by a putative nationwide class of cable and satellite TV subscribers for allegedly unlawful bundling of "tiers" of channels.
• Defended leading internet domain name registry operator in antitrust litigation arising out of the registry operator's entry into a new agreement for operation of the registry.
• Represented various clients in matters alleging violations of California consumer protection laws, including the Unfair Competition Law and False Advertising Law.