Ali, a partner in the San Francisco office of McGuireWoods, is a commanding commercial litigator trusted by three of the largest U.S. banks and numerous Fortune Global 500 companies to defend multimillion-dollar class actions and other complex litigation. She defends nationwide consumer class actions brought on behalf of millions of class members, California-wide cases alleging unfair competition, fraud, and violation of various consumer protection statutes, and complex Ponzi-scheme matters brought against banks as well as mass arbitrations.
With over a decade of experience, Ali advocates for her clients at all stages of litigation, often obtaining dismissals with prejudice and negotiating strategically beneficial settlements where appropriate while being prepared to litigate when necessary. She has significant experience defending financial institutions in consumer fraud, aiding and abetting, and ECOA and FHA claims. She is also deeply involved in the evolving mass arbitration landscape and advises clients accordingly.
Additionally, Ali advises clients in commercial disputes, privacy matters, and trust and estate litigation involving undue influence allegations, accounting disputes, life estate valuations, inter-family disputes over distribution of assets, and special trustee’s fiduciary duties in administering family trusts. She is a member of the firm’s Data Privacy & Security Group and a registered member of the IAPP.
She also has significant pro bono experience litigating asylum and prisoners’ rights cases. Ali is a member of the firm’s Board of Partners. She has served on the firm’s Diversity Committee since 2019 and has co-chaired the firm’s Women Lawyers Network since 2022.
Experience
- Obtained first of its kind order from Ninth Circuit affirming a AAA Process Arbitrator’s order requiring the claimants provide basic information about their claims in order to proceed.
- Defended major national banks in multidistrict class action litigation and individual class actions while navigating regulatory implications.
- Represented Fortune 100 manufacturing company in a breach of contract matter involving the company’s software platform.
- Represented company in fraud-related construction matter securing significant award in arbitration
- Successfully handle trust and estate litigation matters involving undue influence allegations, accounting disputes, and claims concerning a corporate trustee’s fiduciary duties.
- Defended major national banks in litigation triggering Articles 3 and 4 of the Commercial Code, including customer obligations, unauthorized signatures, know your customer requirements, electronic funds transfers and applicable federal preemption.
- Successful representation of clients through trial.
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Santa Clara University School of LawJD
cum laude, Editor in Chief, Santa Clara Journal of International Law; Pupillage Member, The Honorable William A. Ingram American Inn of Court Advocacy, Best Oralist Award; CALI Award for Excellence in Constitutional Law II; Order of the Coif
2007 -
Gonzaga UniversityBACriminal Justice, minor in Spanish
magna cum laude
2003
- President, San Francisco Bank Attorneys Association, 2022
- Co-President, Bay Area Financial Services Association, 2023
- Spanish
- Author, New Complaint – Damian, as Receiver of Today’s Growth Consultant, Inc. v. Core Financial Outsourcing of Chicago, LLC, Ponzi Perspectives, September 13, 2022
- Author, First CCPA Enforcement Action Shows Accepting User-Enabled Global Privacy Controls Is Mandatory, Password Protected, August 30, 2022
- Author, New Complaint – Damian, as Receiver of Today’s Growth Consultant, Inc. v. SmithAmundsen, LLC, Ponzi Perspectives, July 7, 2022
- Author, New Utah Privacy Law Largely Overlaps With Existing State Statutes, Password Protected, April 1, 2022
- Author, Illinois Federal Court Carves Up Plaintiffs’ Ponzi Scheme Claims For Lack of Actual Knowledge or Bad Faith, Ponzi Perspectives, January 27, 2022
- Author, California Privacy Rights Act: A Move Closer to GDPR?, Password Protected, January 20, 2021
- Quoted, NY, FTC Lead Charge To Expand Biometric Privacy Shields, Law360, January 15, 2021
- Author, Tips for Companies on California’s New Privacy Rights and Enforcement Act, Password Protected, December 14, 2020
- Author, As Biometrics Technology Permeates Everyday Life, What Laws Should Companies Keep in Mind?, Password Protected, July 14, 2020
- Author, Circuit Split on Article III Standing After Spokeo Leaves Defendants in a Quandary, Class Action Countermeasures, February 28, 2020
- Author, Revitalization of CIPA Claims in the New Age of “Smart” Speakers, Password Protected, October 11, 2019
- Author, Is Your Family Office Protected Against Cybersecurity Threats?, Password Protected, June 18, 2019
- Author, Snap Removals – An Often-Neglected Path to Federal Court, Class Action Countermeasures, January 16, 2019
- Co-author, "District Court Dismisses Class Action for Failure to Plead Fraud Claim with Particularity," Class Action Countermeasures, August 22, 2017
- Co-author, "5 Things You Should Know About Telephone Spoofing," Law360, August 5, 2016
- Author, "California Court of Appeals Reaffirms Sanctity of Attorney-Client Relationship; Billing Invoices Privileged in Their Entirety," BNA's Corporate Counsel Weekly, May 20, 2015
- Author, "Thrown Away for Being Gay: The Abandonment of LGBT Youth and Their Lack of Legal Recourse," Indiana Journal of Law and Social Equality: Vol. 3: Iss. 2, Article 5, Spring 2015
- California
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation
Selected for inclusion in “Legal 500 United States,” Cyber Law (including data protection and privacy), 2024
Named to “Top Women Lawyers,” California, Daily Journal, 2021
- Speaker, "Lawyering with Littles: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Panel," McGuireWoods California CLE Day, January 26, 2023
- Speaker, An Overview of California Data Privacy Laws, San Francisco Bank Attorneys Association, February 7, 2022
- Panelist, Class Action Review, January 25, 2022
- Speaker, California Data Privacy Legal Update: Compliance Requirements Under the CCPA, CPRA, Attorney General Regulations and CPPA, McGuireWoods CLE, January 20, 2022
- Speaker, "Where Marketers and Attorneys Learn to Speak the Same Language ," Frenemies Video Series, October 2020 - April 2021
- Speaker, "Biometrics Data Privacy: Summary on Compliance, Legislation and Recent Litigation Issues Facing Retailers," ACC Charlotte Retail Affinity Group CLE, March 16, 2021
- Speaker, Naughty or Nice? An Overview of the CPRA, December 15, 2020
- Host, "The One Where 'Sale' Doesn’t Mean What You Think: What is a Sale and Why Does it Matter? ," Frenemies Video Series, November 28, 2020
- Speaker, "Real Action: What Companies, Law Firms and Academic Institutions are Doing to Identify and Eliminate Bias," Katharine and George Alexander Community Law Center at Santa Clara University School of Law, October 28, 2020
- Panelist, Class Action Review, Complimentary Webinar, December 12, 2019
- Speaker, McGuireWoods Sponsors Women, Diversity & Change Summit, June 14, 2019
- Speaker, "Unique Will and Trust Issues," McGuireWoods Fiduciary Survey: Important Trust and Tax Developments, McGuireWoods CLE, May 1, 2019
- Panelist, Class Action Review, January 29, 2019
- Panelist, "Class Action Updates and Developments 2018," McGuireWoods MCLE, San Francisco, January 24, 2019
- Panelist, "Self-Advocacy & Countering Personal Negation," Women, Diversity & Change, San Francisco, November 7, 2018
- Presenter, "Beyond PowerPoint: Integrating Technology in Your Litigation Practice," Bar Association of San Francisco, Barristers Annual Meeting, November 4, 2016