AnnaS.
McLean

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Anna McLean

Overview

Anna McLean is an experienced first-chair litigator who focuses on the defense of complex class actions. With more than 35 years of experience advocating for clients across a variety of consumer-facing industries, she now concentrates her practice on claims related to consumer products, consumer finance, food and beverage, technology and insurance.

Anna defends companies in state and federal courts with regard to alleged unfair business practices, product defect and warranty claims, and labeling and disclosure issues as well as alleged violations of state and federal regulations. She has also represented clients in matters before the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Recognized and valued for her strategic thinking, Anna offers clients clear-eyed evaluations of their cases informed by her thorough understanding of the law, court dynamics and risk considerations.

Litigating extensively in California and Texas, she has deep experience defending clients against claims brought under California’s Unfair Competition Law (UCL) and the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA).

Anna has particular expertise in the enforcement of consumer arbitration clauses in both state and federal courts.

While much of her work centers on defending multinational companies, Anna also represents smaller companies in the food and beverage and technology industries that are increasingly the targets of the plaintiffs’ bar.

Anna has received an AV® rating by Martindale-Hubbell®, the highest rating an attorney can receive for legal quality and ethics.

In her free time, Anna enjoys genealogy research, hiking and travel.

Experience

Representative engagements defending:

  • Major food companies in consumer class actions involving labeling claims about protein, olive oil, color and additives.
  • Major disk drive manufacturer in class action alleging consumer warranty and product defect claims. In re Seagate Technology LLC Litigation, 2019 WL 282369 (N.D. Cal.) (denying plaintiffs’ second attempt at class certification).
  • Major building products manufacturers and home builders in putative class actions alleging unfair business practices claims arising out of the use of allegedly defective building and plumbing materials. g., Camenson v. Milgard Manufacturing, Inc., 2008 WL 2381904 (Cal. Ct. App. 2008) (upholding denial of class certification of homeowner claims alleging defective windows).
  • Major banks, insurers and consumer finance companies in class actions in state and federal courts challenging force-placed insurance on automobile and home loans, including Wahl v. American Security Ins. Co., 2008 WL 2444802 (N.D.Cal.).
  • Major car rental companies in multiple state and federal class actions challenging fees, pass-throughs and refueling charges. Defeated class certification or prevailed on dispositive motion in four cases, including Guerra v. Hertz, 504 F. Supp. 2d 1014 (D. Nev. 2007).
  • Major auto finance companies in consumer class actions challenging financing and leasing issues, including Toyota Financial Services, GM Financial, Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation, Consumer Portfolio Services and Santander Consumer USA, among others. E.g. In re Toyota Motor Corp. Unintended Acceleration Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation, 785 F. Supp. 2d 883, 904 (C.D. Cal. 2011) (granting motion to dismiss with prejudice); AmeriCredit Financial Services, Inc. (now GM Financial), including Bankston v. AmeriCredit, 2011 WL 89730 (N.D. Cal.) (granting dismissal for lack of standing) and Wright v. AmeriCredit, 2010 WL 5058345 (S.D. Cal.) (upholding validity of notice and dismissing action).
Credentials
Education

J.D., UCLA School of Law, 1989, UCLA Law Review

B.A., University of California, Berkeley, with high distinction

Admissions

California

Texas

Honors

Consumer Protection Editorial Advisory Board, Law360, 2022, 2023

Memberships

Fellow, American Bar Foundation

Member, American Bar Association

Admitted, State Bar of California

Admitted, State Bar of Texas

Member, Bar Association of San Francisco

Vice-President, Association of Business Trial Lawyers Board of Governors

2026 Consumer Protection Editorial Advisory Board, Law360

Thought Leadership

Articles and Presentations

  • "Emerging UCL Issues," California Lawyers Association, January 12, 2023
  • "High court says ‘concrete’ injury required for Article III standing for class members," Daily Journal, July 2, 2021
  • "Nominal damages sufficient for Article III standing; dissent warns of ‘major expansion’ of courts’ role," Daily Journal, March 17, 2021
  • "The Contract Is King: The U.S. Supreme Court's Two Recent FAA Decisions," Bloomberg BNA, September 27, 2013
  • Bridgeport Continuing Education, 2013 Class Action Litigation & Management Conference, August 22-23, 2013, "Arbitration: Assessing the Impact on Class Action Litigation"
  • Interviewed in Class Dismissed, The California Lawyer, April 2012
  • Q&A With Sheppard Mullin's Anna McLean, Law360, July 6, 2011 
  • The Recent Assault on Consumer Arbitration Clauses, Lexology, Association of Corporate Counsel, October 2, 2009
  • ABA Antitrust Section, Consumer Protection Committee Spring 2008 Meeting: "California Schemin', Unfair Practices and False Advertising in California"
  • Product Liability Roundtable Discussion, The California Lawyer, December 2007
  • Bridgeport Continuing Education 2006 Class Action & UCL Litigation Conference, May 2006, Recent Developments in UCL Case Law
  • CLE International Class Actions Conference, February 2006, Impact of the Class Action Fairness Act 
  • New Federal Law re Multi-State Class Actions, February 18, 2005
  • CEB, Continuing Educating the Bar, April 2003, Unfair Business Practices - B&P Code §17200 and Beyond
  • Practising Law Institute, Unfair Competition Claims 2002: California Section 17200's Impact on Corporations Everywhere, August 2002
  • Glasser Legalworks Seminars, Litigation & Resolution of Complex Class Actions: Product Liability/Mass Tort Developments & Medical Monitoring Class Actions, January 2002