Katherine M. Knudsen

Ms. Knudsen is a member of the firm's Construction Litigation Practice, where she concentrates her practice on construction, real estate, business litigation and business matters. She is experienced in handling public and private construction claims and disputes, including contract issues, mechanic's lien, stop notice and payment bond claims, and delay, disruption and inefficiency claims. Ms. Knudsen is also experienced in handling general business litigation, including, contractual disputes, and real property title issues. She has represented general contractors, subcontractors, private owners, sureties and title companies in various matters and capacities over the course of her career.

Representative Matters

• Representation of several general contractors on remediation school projects for San Diego Unified School District, Sweetwater Union High School District, Poway Unified School District, Los Angeles Unified School District and Las Virgenes Unified School District
• Representation of surety company on Riverside County project
• Representation of title insurance company on quiet title and lis pendens claim
• Representation of general contractor in contract negotiations for its commercial projects
• Representation of multiple general contractors on United States Government projects
• Representation of major wastewater authority
• Defense of construction company officers and directors sued for alter ego
• Representation of various general contractors in United States Court of Federal Claims
• Defense of multiple Federal and State False Claims Act cases

Katherine M. Knudsen received her Bachelor of Arts degree from San Diego State University in 1983 and her law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1986. While studying law, Ms. Knudsen attended Magdalen College, Oxford University in Oxford, England. She was admitted to practice in California in 1986. She is also admitted to practice before the United States District Court in the Southern, Central and Eastern Districts of California, the United States Court of Federal Claims, and the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals.

During her career, Ms. Knudsen has been involved in the San Diego Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction. She served on its Board of Directors for three years and served on numerous committees as the chairperson within the association. Among her professional memberships, she has been an active member of the San Diego County Bar Association and served on its Legal Resource and Information Services Committee for six years. She also served on the Standing Committee on Legal Resource and Information Services for the American Bar Association for three years. She is also a member of the State Bar of California. Civically, Ms. Knudsen served on the Board of Directors for the Community Association of Bernardo Heights for five years, is a member of the San Diego North Chamber of Commerce and served on its Economic Development Committee and Streetscape Subcommittee for one year. She is currently on the Board of Directors for RB United, a non profit agency established for emergency preparedness and community improvement projects. She was selected for inclusion in the 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, Southern California Super Lawyers® - San Diego lists for Construction Litigation.

 Recent Articles/Publications

• “Special Fee Shifting Statute Under the California False Claims Act,” November 2011
• "How the False Claims Acts May Impact Your Construction Project," December 2010
• "Solid Contracts: Negotiating construction contracts to limit or avoid financial loss or liability", Interviewed by Leslie Stevens-Huffman, SmartBusiness San Diego, July 2008