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Overview

Karen guides clients through high-stakes litigation, focusing on product liability and mass tort matters.

Manufacturers, construction companies, automotive manufacturers and retailers, insurers, contractors, suppliers and business owners are a few of the clients relying on Karen’s experience, counsel and defense. She is well versed in complex litigation involving toxic products, materials and chemicals. Karen regularly represents clients in state and federal court in matters of product liability, premises liability, personal injury and other complex allegations. She is known for her ability to defend client reputation along with the legal claims at hand.

Karen is the co-founder and co-lead of the firm’s Psychedelic and Emerging Therapies practice group. This groundbreaking group guides researchers, manufacturers, investors, clinicians and other participants around and through the myriad obstacles that result from the patchwork of state and federal laws regulating Schedule I controlled substances.

In addition to Karen’s focus on psychedelic law and complex products liability, she also has experience representing clients in general commercial litigation, business litigation and the cannabis industry.

Industries

Services

Recognition

  • National Law Journal’s Emerging Therapies/Life Sciences Trailblazers
  • The Global Top 200 Psychedelic Lawyers, Policy & Regulation Experts, 2023
  • National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Prospective Partners Program, 2022
  • Southern California Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2015-2020

Education

  • J.D., University of San Diego School of Law
  • B.A., University of California, Irvine
    • English, International Studies

Admissions

  • California
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of California

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • Defense Research Institute
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA), Cannabis Section
  • National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)
  • Women's Law Association of Los Angeles, Board of Governors

Languages

  • Spanish, proficient
  • Cantonese, proficient


*Contact Karen to set up an in-person consultation by appointment in the Los Angeles office.
2024 Pro Bono Contributor
Experience
  • Obtained complete dismissal on behalf of talc supplier in jury trial arising from allegations that its talc, later incorporated into baby powder, was contaminated.
  • Defended construction materials company against claims of injury from alleged exposure to asbestos-containing products during plaintiff's work on various construction sites. Secured favorable outcome for client.
  • Defended equipment manufacturer in injury and wrongful death allegations brought by familial survivors, claiming exposure to asbestos during decedent's work aboard Navy vessels. Secured favorable outcome for client.
  • Advised higher education client on federal regulations and California law governing who is able to prescribe, administer and dispense controlled substances under California law, information needed for DEA licensing requirements, and clinic licensing requirements for human studies involving psychedelic substances.
  • Advised business on current state and federal drug paraphernalia laws and liability issues related to psychedelic substances.
News Releases | February 17, 2023
Husch Blackwell Authors Amicus Brief in Ninth Circuit's Psilocybin Rescheduling Dispute

Husch Blackwell prepared and filed an amicus curiae brief on behalf of nearly 30 end-of-life and palliative care clinicians, urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to compel the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency to initiate proceedings that could lead to a rescheduling of psilocybin for use in the end-of-life clinical setting.

News Releases | November 07, 2022
Husch Blackwell Elects 29 to 2023 New Partner Class
News Releases | March 15, 2022
Husch Blackwell Launches Psychedelics and Emerging Therapies Practice Group

Husch Blackwell is pleased to announce the formalization of its Psychedelics and Emerging Therapies practice group, making it the first Am Law 100 firm to establish such a practice.

News Releases | April 01, 2021
Husch Blackwell Expands California Footprint
Outside the Office

Karen is an adventurous traveler, backpacker and off-roader.

She has independently traveled, mostly solo, to over 100 international cities, from the jungles and temples of Southeast Asia and Central America to the high mountain passes of the Himalayas. She enjoys shipwreck diving and cooking. Her favorite place in the world is the cabin she helped build on the coast in Big Sur.

Community Leadership

Karen donates her time, talents and legal skills to pro bono matters.

Karen represented a large cohort of physicians and clinicians in their amicus brief in AIMS v DEA, a landmark case in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that involves a direct petition to the DEA to reschedule psilocybin from schedule 1 to schedule 2 of the Controlled Substances Act.

Karen serves her community though leadership roles in multiple non-profit organizations. Karen is a member of the Board of Governors for Womens Law Association of Los Angeles, and California Women Lawyers.

Karen is a founding board member of the Women in Psychedelics Network, a non-profit organization connecting women professionals working to advance research and development of psychedelic therapeutics.

Psychedelic Therapeutics

Karen Luong follows the research and development of these medicines for psychiatric conditions such as PTSD and treatment-resistant depression.

While psychedelic drugs such as MDMA, psilocybin, LSD and DMT are currently federally illegal Schedule 1 substances, the FDA is currently overseeing Phase I, II and III studies exploring the potential therapeutic benefit of these drugs. Members of the Husch Blackwell psychedelic law team are closely following this progress and concurrent proposed state legislation in multiple jurisdictions, and are positioned to help clients navigate what will no doubt be highly complex and novel legal issues.