• Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Master of Laws in Dispute Resolution, expected 2027
  • University of New Mexico School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1996
    • Order of the Coif
  • University of New Mexico, MBA, summa cum laude, 1997
  • Law Clerk to the Honorable John Edwards Conway, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico
  • Law Clerk to the Honorable Thomas A. Donnelly, New Mexico Court of Appeals
  • State of California
  • State of New Mexico (inactive)
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California

KC Maxwell is a trial lawyer and strategic advisor with three decades of experience representing individuals, executives and organizations in high-stakes civil and criminal matters.

KC focuses on complex disputes involving technology, innovation and emerging companies. She brings a broad perspective to that work, having advised clients as outside counsel and general counsel and worked alongside founders and leadership teams in the technology and venture ecosystem. This experience deepened her understanding of how decisions are made inside young and rapidly changing organizations.

At Glenn Agre, KC advises clients facing significant disputes and helps expand the firm’s relationships and presence in the Bay Area, particularly within the technology, startup and venture communities.

Clients turn to KC for judgment as much as legal analysis. She helps clients assess disputes early, understand their broader implications and determine a strategy that serves what they are trying to accomplish. She considers not only the legal issues, but also how a dispute may affect financing, business strategy, partnerships, reputation and people in real-time.

Over the course of her career, KC has represented individuals and institutions in trials, investigations and complex disputes in state and federal courts. She has also served as general counsel and advisor to startups and emerging companies, giving her firsthand experience with legal decisions made in the context of broader business priorities.

Before joining Glenn Agre, KC served as Chief Collaboration Officer at venture studio super{set}. There, she worked closely with founders and leadership teams on operational decisions, organizational challenges, collaboration and growth.

Earlier in her career, KC practiced at Topel & Goldman, where she began her longstanding professional relationship with Glenn Agre co-founder Lyn R. Agre. KC also practiced at O’Melveny & Myers and Jones Day.

While at prior firms, KC represented:

Trials & Defense Matters

  • The former Chief of Staff to Vice President Cheney against perjury and obstruction charges in United States v. Libby (D.D.C.).
  • A defendant on FCPA and money laundering charges, securing an acquittal on money laundering and a sentence of one year and a day, in United States v. Bourke (S.D.N.Y.).
  • A defendant against mail and wire fraud charges in a multi-defendant indictment, obtaining a hung jury after a three-week trial, in United States v. Thompson (S.D.N.Y.).
  • A defendant in a RICO trial, successfully arguing at sentencing that the offense caused no loss, resulting in no restitution order, in United States v. Miller (N.D. Cal.).
  • An individual charged with real estate fraud, obtaining dismissal of the one-count Information on the first day of trial, in Orange County, California.
  • A government scientist charged with mishandling restricted data concerning nuclear weapons, achieving a favorable resolution, in United States v. Lee (D.N.M.).
  • A former FBI agent charged with mishandling classified information and mail fraud, achieving a favorable resolution after lengthy pretrial litigation over classified information, in United States v. Smith (C.D. Cal.).
  • An individual against stock options backdating allegations, obtaining a favorable settlement, in SEC v. Landan (N.D. Cal.).
  • A company alleged to have participated in an industry-wide antitrust conspiracy, achieving a favorable resolution, in United States v. Company (D.D.C.).

    • Investigations

    • A senior marketing executive at a consumer products company in congressional and multistate attorneys general investigations of the company’s marketing practices; no charges were filed, and no individual liability was found.
    • A senior federal official in congressional and DOJ investigations; no charges were filed.
    • An executive investor, as shadow counsel, in an SEC investigation; no enforcement recommendation was made.
    • A realtor in a bid-rigging investigation in the Northern District of California; resolved by plea with no jail time.
    • Individuals, from witnesses to targets, in DOJ Antitrust Division price-fixing investigations worldwide, including executives from Japan, Taiwan and the United States.
    • Several witnesses in the eight-year grand jury investigation of FedEx in the Northern District of California.
    • A tech company executive in a criminal fraud investigation into the federal E-Rate program; no charges were filed.
    • A former CEO of a major media company in a criminal payola investigation and related civil litigation; no charges were filed.
    • Top executives of a toy manufacturer in a foreign criminal investigation; no charges were filed.
    • A high-level executive in a grand jury investigation involving alleged violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
    • A student in a private school disciplinary investigation; resolved with voluntary withdrawal, no negative transcript impact, and positive letters of recommendation.
    • Multiple witnesses in the largest criminal tax fraud investigation in Oregon history.