Biography
Kathryn D. Horning is senior counsel in Allen Matkins' Litigation, Land Use and Environmental and Natural Resources Departments, practicing out of the firm's San Diego office. Her practice focuses on environmental contamination, land use and development disputes, water rights disputes, and complex business litigation and appeals on behalf of public agencies, corporations, developers and individuals.
Kathryn's environmental litigation experience includes claims under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), the Oil Pollution Act (OPA), and the Clean Water Act, as well as state law claims under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Polanco Redevelopment Act (California Health and Safety Code sections 33459 et seq.), the Subdivision Map Act (Government Code sections 66410 et seq.), and related common-law claims. She has handled complex multi-party litigation over hazardous waste disposal and contaminated soil, groundwater, surface water and marine sediments involving petroleum hydrocarbons and waste oil, PCBs, chlorinated solvents, metals, perchlorate and trichloroethylene from various industrial operations and facilities, including shipyard operations, energy facilities, manufactured gas plants, underground storage tanks and fueling facilities.
Kathryn also has experience litigating water rights disputes, involving large-scale water transfers and wheeling under the California Water Code and disputes over related hydropower rights.
Kathryn has litigated a variety of complex business disputes, including claims against corporate directors, securities fraud actions, class actions involving Unfair Competition Law (Business and Professions Code sections 17200 et seq.) and Consumer Legal Remedies Act claims, easement and boundary disputes, landlord-tenant disputes, broker disputes, and construction defect claims. Her experience as a civil litigator includes extensive pretrial work, and jury and bench trials. She has also represented clients in arbitration and mediation, and has successfully negotiated favorable settlements for her clients both in and out of court.
Kathryn has extensive experience handling both appeals and petitions for writ review in the California Courts of Appeal and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She has successfully argued cases before the appellate courts, and several of her cases have resulted in published opinions.
Memberships
- State Bar of California, Litigation and Environmental Law Sections
- American Bar Association, Litigation Section
- San Diego County Bar Association, Litigation and Environmental Sections
- Association of Women in Water, Energy and the Environment
- Association of Business Trial Lawyers
- American Inns of Court, Lewis M. Welsh Chapter, Barrister
Community Activities
- Helen Woodward Animal Center, Therapeutic Riding Program, Volunteer
- Torrey View Homeowners' Association, Board member and current president
Education
Kathryn received her B.A. from the University of California, San Diego, with a major in biology. She received her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of San Diego School of Law where she was awarded the Order of the Coif, and served as the Editor-In-Chief of the San Diego Law Review.
Bar Admissions
Court Admissions
- All State of California courts
- Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of California