KENNETH A. OHASHI

Ken Ohashi practices in the firm's San Diego office, in the Consumer Defense and Commercial Litigation Groups.

Admitted to practice throughout the state and federal courts of California, Ken has successfully defended financial institutions and collection agencies against single-plaintiff and class action lawsuits and arbitrations filed in California, as well as throughout the country. His practice primarily focuses on claims filed under various federal and state consumer protection statutes, including the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Federal Trade Commission Act, Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies Act.

Prior to joining Sessions, Ken enjoyed a successful career as a litigator, specializing in the defense of consumer claims against multi-national creditors, financial institutions, and collection agencies.

Prior to practicing law, Kenneth earned a Master of Music degree in Performance at the University of Southern California, after receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music at UCLA.

NOTABLE CASES/WORK

• Padilla, et al. v. Santander Bank, N.A. f/k/a Sovereign Bank, N.A., 2:19-cv-10753-JFW-AGR (C.D.Cal. Aug. 13, 2020), aff’d by Ninth Circuit Ct. of Appeals, 20-55953 (Aug. 3, 2021) - Motion to dismiss granted with prejudice as to civil Complaint filed against large commercial lender alleged to have violated judgment debtor's civil rights under the First, Fourth, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution while acting under color of state law pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
• Wang v. Verizon Communications Inc., et al., 1:19-cv-09506-JMF-RWL (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 8, 2020) - Motion to dismiss granted as to civil Complaint filed against 26 separate entity defendants, asserting violations of numerous federal and state consumer protection statutes including, without limitation, the FDCPA, FCRA, and N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 349, for allegedly attempting to collect and credit report a non-existent consumer debt.
• Gentile v. Firstsource Advantage, LLC, 9:19-cv-80659-DMM (Nov. 25, 2019) - Motion to dismiss granted as to putative class action Complaint asserting violations of the FDCPA, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1692e and e(10), arising out of allegedly false and misleading payment addresses described in collection letters.
• Perdomo v. Firstsource Advantage, LLC, 1:19-cv-03546-ARR-SJB (Aug. 28, 2019) - Motion to dismiss granted as to putative class action Complaint asserting violations of the FDCPA, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1692e and e(10), arising out of an alleged ambiguity as to whether payments were to be sent, or received by a certain deadline set forth in collection letters.
• E.R.E. Ventures, et al. v. David Evans and Associates, et al., 2:17-cv-01561-MR-RAO (Feb. 17, 2018) - Motion for Summary Judgment granted with prejudice as to civil Complaint filed against geotechnical engineering firm for allegedly failing to implement adequate asbestos mitigation measures for development on Catalina Island in violation of the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act ("CERCLA") and applicable state health and safety laws.
• Copenbarger v. McNaughton, G047978 (4th Dist. Ct. of App. Jul. 14, 2014) - Successful appeal resulting in reversal of Superior Court judgment against client, on grounds that the trial court failed to properly apply Cal. Civ. Code § 2856 in its erroneous finding that loan guarantor was exonerated from liability for deficiency judgment entered against primary obligor on loan.

HONORS AND DISTINCTIONS

• Guest speaker re: Business Ethics and Litigation Risk Management, The Institutes Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) Society, Orange Empire Chapter (Mar. 9, 2017)
• Guest speaker re: EB-5 Offerings: Minimizing Litigation RIsks, The Knowledge Group (Mar. 28, 2016)
• Rated "AV-Preeminent" by his peers on Martindale-Hubbell

EDUCATION

• University of California at Los Angeles, B.A.
• University of Southern California, M.A.
• Loyola Law School, J.D.

ADMISSIONS

• State of California
• United States District Court, Central District of California
• United States District Court, Eastern District of California
• United States District Court, Northern District of California
• United States District Court, Southern District of California
• Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals