Jesse Mentz is a litigator with experience at the trial and appellate levels, having practiced in federal courts across the Ninth Circuit and beyond. He brings to his practice a nuanced understanding of complex commercial disputes, constitutional law, and appellate litigation.
Before joining Kibler Fowler & Cave LLP, Jesse clerked for the Honorable Sandra S. Ikuta of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Honorable Stanley Blumenfeld Jr. of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. He also practiced as a litigation associate at Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP, where he represented clients in white collar criminal investigations and complex civil disputes. His pro bono work has included appeals protecting religious freedom and successfully representing a trafficking victim in a civil suit against his trafficker.
Jesse earned his J.D. from the USC Gould School of Law, where he graduated Order of the Coif and served as Executive Postscript Editor of the Southern California Law Review. He also holds M.A. and B.A. degrees from the University of Southern California.
Prior to law, Jesse worked in finance as a commercial real estate valuation consultant and as a senior investment analyst for an endowment and registered investment adviser, where he managed investments for philanthropic organizations and individuals across a wide range of asset classes. This financial background informs his ability to navigate the broader business and economic context of clients’ disputes.