Preview
1 JEFFREY E. TSAI (SBN 226081)
jeff.tsai@us.dlapiper.com
2 KATHLEEN S. KIZER (SBN 246035)
kathy.kizer@us.dlapiper.com
3
EMILY ROSE MARGOLIS (SBN 324089)
4 emily.margolis@us.dlapiper.com
DLA PIPER LLP (US)
5 555 Mission Street, Suite 2400
San Francisco, California 94105-2933
6 Tel: 415.836.2500 | Fax: 415.836.2501
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Attorneys for Defendants
8 CELESTE WHITE, DR. ROBERT WHITE, and
THE VALLEY ROCK FOUNDATION
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SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
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FOR THE COUNTY OF NAPA
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LISA KEITH, an individual, CASE NO. 22CV001269
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Plaintiff,
15 DECLARATION OF EMILY MARGOLIS
IN SUPPORT OF DEFENDANTS’ REPLY
v.
16 TO PLAINTIFF’S OPPOSITION TO
DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY
CELESTE WHITE, an individual, ROBERT
17 JUDGMENT, OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE,
WHITE, an individual, the VALLEY ROCK SUMMARY ADJUDICATION AS TO
FOUNDATION, aka THE BAR 49
18 PLAINTIFF’S FIRST AMENDED
FOUNDATION, a charitable organization, COMPLAINT
and DOES 1-50, INCLUSIVE,
19
Defendants. Date: March 8, 2024
20 Time: 8:30 AM
Judge: Scott R.L. Young
21 Dept.: B
22 Complaint Filed: October 25, 2022
FAC Filed: March 8, 2023
23 Trial Date: April 4, 2024
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26 I, Emily Margolis, declare as follows:
27 1. I am an Associate at DLA Piper LLP (US), attorneys for Defendants Celeste White,
28 Dr. Robert White, and the Valley Rock Foundation (together, “Defendants”), in this action. I
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DECLARATION OF EMILY MARGOLIS ISO DEFENDANTS’ REPLY TO PL.’S OPPOSITION TO MSJ
CASE NO. 22CV001269
1 submit this declaration in support of Defendants’ Reply to Plaintiff’s Opposition to Defendants’
2 Motion for Summary Judgment or, in the alternative, Summary Adjudication as to Plaintiff’s First
3 Amended Complaint. This declaration is based on my personal knowledge. If called to testify, I
4 could and would testify competently to the matters herein.
5 2. Defendants took the deposition of Plaintiff Lisa Keith (“Plaintiff”) on January 17,
6 2024. A true and correct copy of excerpts of the transcript of that deposition is attached hereto as
7 Exhibit 1 and incorporated herein by this reference.
8 I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the
9 foregoing is true and correct. Executed on March 1, 2024, at Oakland, California.
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Emily Margolis
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DECLARATION OF EMILY MARGOLIS ISO DEFENDANTS’ REPLY TO PL.’S OPPOSITION TO MSJ
CASE NO. 22CV001269
EXHIBIT 1
Lisa Keith vs.
Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al.
·1· · · · SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
·2· · · · · · · · ·FOR THE COUNTY OF NAPA
·3
·4· · ·LISA KEITH, an individual,
·5· · · · · · · · · · Plaintiff,
·6· · ·vs.· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · No. 22CV001269
·7· · ·CELESTE WHITE, an individual;
· · · ·ROBERT WHITE, an individual; the
·8· · ·VALLEY ROCK FOUNDATION aka THE
· · · ·BAR 49 FOUNDATION, a charitable
·9· · ·organization, and DOES 1-50,
10· · ·INCLUSIVE,
11· · · · · · · · · · Defendants.
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·/
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15· · · · · ·VIDEOTAPED DEPOSITION OF LISA KEITH
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18· · · · · · · Stenographically Reported by
19· ·ANGELA SINCLAIR, RMR, RPR, CRR, CCRR, CSR No. 13902
20· · · · · · · · · · ·January 17, 2024
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22· · · · · · · · · · ·Job No. 10132928
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·1· · · · · · · · · DEPOSITION OF LISA KEITH
·2
·3· · · · · ·BE IT REMEMBERED, that pursuant to Notice,
·4· ·and on the 17th day of January 2024, commencing at
·5· ·the hour of 9:03 a.m., in the offices of DLA Piper,
·6· ·555 Mission Street, Suite 2400, San Francisco,
·7· ·California, before me, ANGELA SINCLAIR, a Certified
·8· ·Shorthand Reporter, personally appeared LISA KEITH,
·9· ·produced as a witness in said action, and being by me
10· ·first duly sworn, was thereupon examined as a witness
11· ·in said cause.
12
13· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·---o0o---
14· ·APPEARANCES:
15· ·For the Plaintiff:
16· · · · · · · · · · JOHN RUEPPEL, ESQ.
· · · · · · · · · · · ANGIE LAM, ESQ.
17· · · · · · · · · · JOHNSTON, KINNEY & ZULAICA LLP
· · · · · · · · · · · 101 Montgomery Street, Suite 1600
18· · · · · · · · · · San Francisco, California 94104
· · · · · · · · · · · (415) 693-0550
19· · · · · · · · · · john@jkzllp.com
· · · · · · · · · · · angie.lam@jkzllp.com
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· · ·For the Defendants:
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· · · · · · · · · · · KATHLEEN KIZER, ESQ.
22· · · · · · · · · · EMILY MARGOLIS, ESQ.
· · · · · · · · · · · DLA PIPER LLP (US)
23· · · · · · · · · · 555 Mission Street, Suite 2400
· · · · · · · · · · · San Francisco, California 94105
24· · · · · · · · · · (415) 836-2500
· · · · · · · · · · · kathy.kizer@us.dlapiper.com
25· · · · · · · · · · emily.margolis@us.dlapiper.com
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·1· ·Also Present:
·2· · · · · · · · Lorenzo Fernandez-Kopec, Videographer
·3· · · · · · · · Robert White
·4· · · · · · · · Celeste White
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·1· · · · · · THE VIDEOGRAPHER:· Good morning.· This
·2· ·begins the videotaped deposition of Lisa Keith in the
·3· ·matter Lisa Keith versus Celeste White in the
·4· ·matter -- or excuse me -- filed in the Superior Court
·5· ·of California, County of Napa, Case
·6· ·Number 22CV001269.
·7· · · · · · This deposition is being held at 555 Mission
·8· ·Street in San Francisco, California, on January 17th,
·9· ·2024.
10· · · · · · My name is Lorenzo Fernandez-Kopec.· I'm the
11· ·videographer.· The court reporter is Angela Sinclair,
12· ·and we're both here representing Aptus Court
13· ·Reporting located at 401 West A Street, Suite 1680,
14· ·in San Diego, California.
15· · · · · · Please note that audio and video recording
16· ·will be taking place unless all parties have agreed
17· ·to go off the record.· The time is 9:05.· We're on
18· ·the record now.
19· · · · · · Counsel, will you please state your
20· ·appearance and affiliation.
21· · · · · · MS. KIZER:· Yes.· This is Kathleen S. Kaiser
22· ·with DLA Piper representing the defendants, Celeste
23· ·White, Robert White, and the Valley Rock Foundation.
24· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· John Rueppel from Johnston,
25· ·Kinney & Zulaica representing the plaintiff, Lisa
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·1· ·Keith.
·2· · · · · · MS. MARGOLIS:· Emily Margolis also for
·3· ·defendants.
·4· · · · · · MS. LAM:· Angie Lam also for plaintiff.
·5· · · · · · (Oath administered by the reporter.)
·6· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· Yes.
·7· · · · · · · · · · · · LISA KEITH,
·8· · · · · · · · · ·affirmed as a witness,
·9· · · · · · · · · ·testified as follows:
10· ·EXAMINATION BY MS. KIZER:
11· · · · Q.· Good morning, Ms. Keith.· You're under oath,
12· ·which means you must tell the truth.
13· · · · · · You understand?
14· · · · A.· Yes.
15· · · · Q.· Yes.· Okay.· If you don't understand a
16· ·question I ask, just ask me to repeat it, tell me you
17· ·don't understand.
18· · · · · · Wait for me to finish a question before you
19· ·respond.· The court reporter's going to be reporting
20· ·everything we say, so it's important we don't talk
21· ·over one another even though it seems sometimes
22· ·obvious the question I'm going to ask.
23· · · · · · If you want to take a break at any time,
24· ·just say so.· But just finish answering a question
25· ·before you seek a break, okay?
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·1· · · · A.
A.· (Witness nods head.)
·2· · · · Q.
Q.· All right.· You ready to begin?
·3· · · · A.
A.· Yes.
·4· · · · Q.
Q.· All righty.· Have you been deposed before?
·5· · · · A.
A.· No.
·6· · · · Q.
Q.· Okay.
·7· · · · A.
A.· Actually, I've been deposed, but it did not
·8· ·occur.
·9· · · · Q.
Q.· So you were noticed for a deposition but you
10· ·didn't actually get deposed?
10
11· · · · A.
11 A.· Correct.
12· · · · Q.
12 Q.· And what was the context of that notice?
13· · · · A.
13 A.· It was in regards to the last court case.
14· · · · Q.
14 Q.· Okay.· Have you been involved in any other
15· ·litigation other than this action, the trust action
15
16· ·you initiated previously?
16
17· · · · A.
17 A.· Only a divorce.
18· · · · Q.
18 Q.· Okay.· I want to talk to you about your
19· ·employment.
19
20· · · · A.
20 A.· Uh-huh.
21· · · · Q.
21 Q.· I understand you're a real estate broker?
22· · · · A.
22 A.· Correct.
23· · · · Q.
23 Q.· You're currently with Golden Gate Sotheby's;
24· ·is
24 is that right?
25· · · · A.
25 A.· Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty,
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·1· ·yeah.
·2·
2 · · · Q.
Q.· And that's located in Woodside?
·3·
3 · · · A.
A.· My office is.
·4· · · · Q.
Q.· Is in Woodside, California.· Does it have
·5· ·other offices?
·6· · · · A.
A.· Yes.
·7· · · · Q.
Q.· How many other offices?
·8· · · · A.
A.· We've been growing.· It's probably about 13
·9· ·to 15 offices.
10· · · · Q.
10 Q.· So my understanding is that the entity that
11· ·you work for is called Decker Bullock Dreyfus,
11
12· ·Incorporated, doing business as Golden Gate Sotheby's
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13· ·International Realty; is that correct?
13
14· · · · A.
14 A.· It could be.· I don't know their corporate
15· ·structure, but I -- it could be.· They were two firms
15
16· ·that joined together and formed this Golden Gate
16
17· ·Sotheby's franchise.
17
18· · · · Q.
18 Q.· So it is a franchise of the International
19· ·Sotheby's?
19
20· · · · A.
20 A.· Correct.· There's a corporate side of
21· ·Sotheby's and then there's a franchise side.
21
22· · · · Q.
22 Q.· Gotcha.
23· · · · A.
23 A.· So we are the franchise.
24· · · · Q.
24 Q.· Do you know who owns the company for which
25· ·you work?
25
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·1· ·really follow as much anymore.
·2· · · · Q.· Okay.· What do you do to get real estate
·3· ·clients?
·4· · · · A.· I lean on my network and my past clients.
·5· · · · Q.· And when you say your "network," what do you
·6· ·mean by that?
·7· · · · A.· It could be my social network.· It just --
·8· ·people I know in the area.· I've lived where I do now
·9· ·for many, many years.· So. . .
10· · · · Q.· So your neighbors, your friends, that sort
11· ·of thing?
12· · · · A.· Uh-huh, uh-huh.
13· · · · Q.· Okay.· Do you advertise anywhere?
14· · · · A.· Yes.
15· · · · Q.· Where do you advertise?
16· · · · A.· So I advertise in the Almanac, in the
17· ·Palo Alto Daily, in the Post, sometimes in the
18· ·Los Altos Crier, sometimes in the Los Gatos -- I
19· ·think it's Daily, something like that.· But it's not
20· ·really my market, but sometimes we advertise there.
21· · · · · · I've had contracts with local magazines,
22· ·Mountain Home Magazine which is specifically for
23· ·Woodside.· I've had contracts with M Magazine which
24· ·is another local magazine.
25· · · · Q.· So what is the Post that you just referred
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·1· ·to?
·2· · · · A.· It's circular.· It's like a --
·3· · · · Q.· A local newspaper?
·4· · · · A.· Correct.
·5· · · · Q.· And what's the Almanac you referred to?
·6· · · · A.· The same.
·7· · · · Q.· A local newspaper?
·8· · · · A.· Correct.
·9· · · · Q.· So all of these outlets that you described
10· ·are local newspapers of some sort or magazines of
11· ·some sort --
12· · · · A.· Yes.· Also --
13· · · · Q.· -- with a local readership?
14· · · · A.· Correct.· Also I've advertised in the Wall
15· ·Street Journal.
16· · · · Q.· They.· Who's they?
17· · · · A.· No.· I have also advertised in the Wall
18· ·Street Journal.
19· · · · Q.· And when was the last time you advertised in
20· ·the Wall Street Journal?
21· · · · A.· I don't know.
22· · · · Q.· Within the last five years?
23· · · · A.· Yes.
24· · · · Q.· Other than those outlets that you just
25· ·described, have you advertised anywhere else, any
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·1· ·other type of media?
·2· · · · A.· I'm sure I have.· Sotheby's has a deep and
·3· ·wide publication or syndication, you know, division,
·4· ·so to speak, and I'm sure I have.
·5· · · · Q.· Do you do TV advertising?
·6· · · · A.· No.
·7· · · · Q.· What about radio advertising?
·8· · · · A.· No.
·9· · · · Q.· Okay.· What about social media advertising?
10· · · · A.· So social media, yes; social media
11· ·advertising, no.· I don't see social media in that
12· ·way.
13· · · · Q.· Okay.· How do you distinguish between
14· ·advertising versus social media generally?
15· · · · A.· So I think social media is great for
16· ·showing -- it could be lifestyle.· I think
17· ·advertising on -- I don't think that's the function
18· ·of social media.
19· · · · · · So I have two, for example, Instagram
20· ·accounts.· One is for my business and one is for my
21· ·personal use.
22· · · · Q.· What's the handle you use for your Instagram
23· ·account?
24· · · · A.· My business is Selling Silicon Valley.
25· · · · Q.· Since the COVID pandemic started in
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·1· ·March 2020, did you have to alter in any way your
·2· ·marketing efforts?
·3· · · · A.· Marketing?· No, not really.· I -- we were
·4· ·out for about a month before our industry was able to
·5· ·come up with a solution on how to show properties.
·6· · · · Q.· What was the solution that you came up with?
·7· · · · A.· So there were, obviously, sanitation
·8· ·protocols and there were documents that needed to be
·9· ·signed by all parties before you showed a property.
10· ·It was called a PEAD or P-E-A-D.· I cannot remember
11· ·what that stands for, but we had very strict protocol
12· ·starting -- I believe it was May of 2020.
13· · · · Q.· Yeah.· You differentiated between marketing
14· ·and advertising when I mentioned the word
15· ·"marketing."· Do you differentiate between those two
16· ·words in the -- in terms of the work that you do?
17· · · · A.· I believe I was differentiating between
18· ·social media and advertising.· I don't recall saying
19· ·marketing and advertising.· Advertising's a part of
20· ·marketing.
21· · · · Q.· Okay.· Did your advertising change at all
22· ·because of the pandemic?
23· · · · A.· No.
24· · · · Q.· When you are representing a seller or a
25· ·buyer of property, you described a number of tasks
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·1· ·that are undertaken in that process.
·2· · · · A.
A.· Yeah.
·3· · · · Q.
Q.· Do you handle all those tasks yourself, or
·4· ·is there anybody that helps you?
·5·
5 · · · A.
A.· Currently, my daughter works for me and she
·6·
6 ·handles
handles a lot of the marketing tasks.
tasks.· But that has
·7·
7 ·been
been just about a year and a half, and I have done
·8·
8 ·that
that primarily myself.
myself.· However, we have a great
·9·
9 ·support
support network, so to speak, within our company.
10· · · · Q.
10 Q.· So Sotheby's provides additional support to
11· ·you to help you achieve your real estate goals?
11
12· · · · A.
12 A.· Yes.
13· · · · Q.
13 Q.· Who in Sotheby's helps you primarily?· Do
14· ·you have the name of anybody who helps you with your
14
15· ·real estate sales?
15
16· · · · A.
16 A.· I wouldn't say "helps me" with the real
17· ·estate sales.· I'm not sure what that -- I don't
17
18· ·understand the question.
18
19· · · · Q.
19 Q.· Okay.· You mentioned that Sotheby's provides
20· ·a lot of help, and I'm just trying to understand who
20
21· ·at Sotheby's provides that help.
21
22· · · · A.
22 A.· So the type of help that I primarily was
23· ·referring to was we have graphic designers, we have
23
24· ·those that put the ads in the paper for us.
24
25· ·Although, I will have to say so much of what we do is
25
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·1· ·automated through our internal platform, so I can
·2· ·have an ad created and, you know, put into a
·3· ·newspaper by pressing a button.
·4· · · · Q.· So if you're listing a property and you need
·5· ·to include photos, do you personally take those
·6· ·photos?
·7· · · · A.· I hire a photographer.
·8· · · · Q.· And is there a particular photographer or
·9· ·photographers that you use?
10· · · · A.· I've used a selection.
11· · · · Q.· Who do you use?
12· · · · A.· I don't always use the same.· So currently a
13· ·listing, Open Homes Photography, there's Blue Sky
14· ·Media.
15· · · · Q.· And you've used Blue Sky Media in the past?
16· · · · A.· Yes.· Aerial Canvas.· That's another one.
17· · · · Q.· Okay.· I want to mark as an exhibit the
18· ·notice of deposition.· This is pretty much a
19· ·formality.
20· · · · · · (Deposition Exhibit 1 was marked.)
21· ·BY MS. KIZER:
22· · · · Q.· Can you identify this as the notice of
23· ·deposition you received for your appearance today?
24· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Do you have any extra copies,
25· ·Counsel?· Thanks.
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·1· ·BY MS. KIZER:
·2· · · · Q.· You'd consider that compensation for
·3· ·damages?
·4· · · · A.· Which damages?
·5· · · · Q.· That's a good question.· It's your words.
·6· · · · · · Your allegations in your first amended
·7· ·complaint refers to "compensation for damages claimed
·8· ·by Plaintiff," that that settlement payment was
·9· ·"compensation for damages" paid by -- "Claimed By
10· ·Plaintiff."· I'm trying to understand why you
11· ·characterize the settlement payment as "compensation
12· ·for damages claimed by Plaintiff."
13· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Calls for a legal opinion.
14· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· You're referring to what
15· ·document that defines the 1.295?· What document are
16· ·we speaking of?
17· ·BY MS. KIZER:
18· · · · Q.· Your complaint in this action.
19· · · · A.· Refers to that number --
20· · · · Q.· Uh-huh.
21· · · · A.· -- as compensation for damages claimed by
22· ·plaintiff?· Well, I guess you could consider my
23· ·paying a million dollars-plus of legal fees were
24· ·damages.· It could -- you know, compensation for
25· ·that.
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·1· · · · Q.· I'm handing you a document marked as
·2· ·Exhibit 14.
·3· · · · · · (Deposition Exhibit 14 was marked.)
·4· ·BY MS. KIZER:
·5· · · · Q.· Now, these are the final amended responses
·6· ·to those same interrogatories.
·7· · · · A.· Okay.
·8· · · · Q.· In that same interrogatory you changed your
·9· ·answer, and I wanted to ask you why you changed your
10· ·answer.
11· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Sorry.
12· ·BY MS. KIZER:
13· · · · Q.· If you turn to page 6, Interrogatory
14· ·Number 10.
15· · · · A.· Well, that's probably more the true
16· ·definition.
17· · · · Q.· So it wasn't compensation for damages?
18· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Misstates her testimony.
19· ·Lacks foundation.
20· ·BY MS. KIZER:
21· · · · Q.· Your -- the statement you made in your
22· ·complaint that it was compensation for damages was
23· ·untrue?
24· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Again, misstates her
25· ·testimony.· Argumentative.
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·1· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· Well, that was a draft, and
·2· ·this is the final.· So I'm just going to go by this
·3· ·as my response.
·4· ·BY MS. KIZER:
·5· · · · Q.· But you acknowledge that the settlement
·6· ·payment was not compensation for damages you claimed?
·7· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Again, misstates her
·8· ·testimony.· Misstates the response, Exhibit 14.
·9· ·Calls for a legal opinion.
10· ·BY MS. KIZER:
11· · · · Q.· You can answer the question.
12· · · · A.· My response is in the final draft -- final
13· ·document, not the draft.
14· · · · Q.· You agree that the statement in your
15· ·complaint that the settlement payment was
16· ·compensation for damages that you suffered is
17· ·incorrect?
18· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Calls for a legal opinion.
19· ·Lacks foundation.· Misstates her testimony.
20· ·Argumentative.· Asked and answered.
21· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· Was that the draft or final?
22· ·BY MS. KIZER:
23· · · · Q.· That was the final.
24· · · · A.· The compensation for damages is in the
25· ·final?
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·1· · · · Q.· In your complaint.
·2· · · · A.· In the complaint.
·3· · · · Q.· In this action.
·4· · · · A.· (No verbal response.)
·5· · · · Q.· Do you agree that's an accurate
·6· ·characterization of the settlement payment?
·7· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Sorry, which one are you
·8· ·referring to?· Objection.· Vague and ambiguous as to
·9· ·exactly which characterization you're referring to.
10· ·BY MS. KIZER:
11· · · · Q.· Your complaint characterizes the settlement
12· ·payment as compensation for damages that you
13· ·suffered.· You agree that that's not a correct
14· ·statement?
15· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Calls for a legal opinion.
16· ·Misstates her testimony.· Asked and answered about
17· ·three times.
18· · · · · · MS. KIZER:· It hasn't been answered.
19· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· Comp --
20· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· It's been asked and answered.
21· ·We've gone on --
22· · · · · · MS. KIZER:· It's a yes-or-no question.
23· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· It's not necessarily a
24· ·yes-or-no question and same objections.
25· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· Compensate --
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·1· ·BY MS. KIZER:
·2· · · · Q.
Q.· Is that an accurate statement?
·3· · · · A.
A.· I don't know.
·4·
4 · · · Q.
Q.· I've marked this next document as
·5·
5 ·Exhibit
Exhibit 15.
·6·
6 · · · · · (Deposition Exhibit 15 was marked.)
·7·
7 ·BY
BY MS. KIZER:
·8·
8 · · · Q.
Q.· This is a compilation of printouts of your
·9·
9 ·posts
posts from your @SellingSiliconValley Instagram
10· ·account?
10 account?
11· · · · A.
11 A.· Yeah.
12· · · · Q.
12 Q.· You cannot -- you can page through this
13· ·document
13 document and identify this as documents from your
14· ·Instagram
14 Instagram account.
15· · · · A.
15 A.· It sure looks like it, yeah.
16· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Well, look at it first before
16
17· ·you answer.
17
18· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· Okay.
18
19· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Just, sorry, just object to
19
20· ·this exhibit to the extent it's a compilation and not
20
21· ·an accurate or complete collection of the Instagram
21
22· ·posts.
22
23· ·BY MS. KIZER:
23
24· · · · Q.
24 Q.· I will represent to you that it is not an
25· ·accurate
25 accurate representation of all of your posts. I
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·1·
1 ·believe
believe that there are about 170 posts on your
·2·
2 ·Instagram
Instagram account and this is a selection of them
·3·
3 ·consisting
consisting of 19 separate posts, each of which has a
·4·
4 ·separate
separate numerical number on top of it just to
·5·
5 ·distinguish
distinguish them.
·6·
6 · · · A.
A.· Okay.
·7·
7 · · · Q.
Q.· Okay.
Okay.· These are actually your posts on your
·8·
8 ·Instagram
Instagram account?
·9·
9 · · · A.
A.· Okay.
10· · · · Q.
10 Q.· Yes?· Confirm?
11· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Is that a question?
11
12· ·BY MS. KIZER:
12
13· · · · Q.
13 Q.· That is a question, correct, that these are
14· ·actual
14 actual posts that you posted on your Instagram
15· ·account?
15 account?
16· · · · A.
16 A.· Either I did or my daughter did on my
17· ·behalf.
17 behalf.
18· · · · Q.
18 Q.· Does somebody else have access to your
19· ·Instagram account?
19
20· · · · A.
20 A.· No.
21· · · · Q.
21 Q.· Okay.· What devices do you have that are
22· ·automatically logged in to this account?
22
23· · · · A.
23 A.· My phone.
24· · · · Q.
24 Q.· And your daughter's phone?
25· · · · A.
25 A.· I think so.
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·1· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Calls for speculation.
·2· ·BY MS. KIZER:
·3· · · · Q.· Have you deleted any posts from your
·4· ·Instagram account?
·5· · · · A.· I don't know.
·6· · · · Q.· Do you have a practice of deleting Instagram
·7· ·posts?
·8· · · · A.· No.
·9· · · · Q.· Do you ever go back through your Instagram
10· ·and say I gotta delete that and delete that?
11· · · · A.· Do I make a practice of that?
12· · · · Q.· Do you do it generally?
13· · · · A.· Do I generally do that, meaning like
14· ·consistently?
15· · · · Q.· Have you ever done it?
16· · · · A.· I don't know.· I imagine there's been a post
17· ·that I've deleted.
18· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Don't guess.· Just if you have
19· ·a memory.
20· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· I don't have a memory of doing
21· ·that.
22· ·BY MS. KIZER:
23· · · · Q.· Okay.· The first post here is about your
24· ·father; correct?
25· · · · A.· Uh-huh.
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·1· · · · A.· Of course.· This is Portola Valley.· I live
·2· ·close to Portola Valley.· I know it very well.· I --
·3· · · · Q.· So they had no problem having you do the
·4· ·listing, the open house?
·5· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Calls for speculation.
·6· ·BY MS. KIZER:
·7· · · · Q.· I mean, obviously, you --
·8· · · · A.· I did the open house.
·9· · · · Q.· Right.· The next post, is that the same
10· ·property --
11· · · · A.· Let's see.
12· · · · Q.· -- where you say, "A successful open house
13· ·today in Portola Valley Ranch"?
14· · · · A.· Different house.
15· · · · Q.· It is a different house?
16· · · · A.· Yeah.
17· · · · Q.· So in the early part of either October or
18· ·November of 2021, you did the open house at two
19· ·different places in Portola Valley?
20· · · · A.· A week apart.
21· · · · Q.· Yeah.· Okay.· But they're two different
22· ·separate properties?
23· · · · A.· Correct.
24· · · · Q.· And agents in your office were the listing
25· ·agents, and they asked you to handle the open houses
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·1· ·for them?
·2· · · · A.· As it usually goes, an email is sent out to
·3· ·the agents, "Anyone available to do an open house?"
·4· ·And the agents respond.· I'm sure that's -- I don't
·5· ·know if they came to me directly, but it could have
·6· ·been or I could have responded to an email, either
·7· ·way.
·8· · · · Q.· Okay.· Do you get compensated when you
·9· ·handle open houses for other agents?
10· · · · A.· No.
11· · · · Q.· If you would turn to the next page, the
12· ·list -- the Instagram posts that are labeled 12 and
13· ·13, these are properties you sold in 2022; correct?
14· · · · A.· It's the same --
15· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Sorry.· Misstates the
16· ·document.
17· · · · · · You can answer.
18· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· It's the same property,
19· ·obviously, and I did sell it in 2022.
20· ·BY MS. KIZER:
21· · · · Q.· Okay.· In January of 2022?
22· · · · A.· It looks like it.
23· · · · Q.· Now, your Instagram account shows that you
24· ·started making posts around 2015.· You've done so up
25· ·to the present day?
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·1· · · · A.
A.· Uh-huh.
·2·
2 · · · Q.
Q.· But there's a period from September -- let
·3·
3 ·me
me see here -- from October of 2020 until
·4·
4 ·September
September 2021 where you didn't post anything.
anything.· Why
·5·
5 ·didn't
didn't you post anything during that period?
·6·
6 · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:
RUEPPEL:· Just assumes facts not in
·7·
7 ·evidence.
evidence.
·8·
8 · · · · · You can answer.
·9·
9 · · · · · THE WITNESS:
WITNESS:· It's probably about the time
10· ·that
10 that I brought one of my daughters on board
11· ·part-time.·
11 part-time. And, you know, she's good at it.
it.· She's
12· ·really
12 really good.
good.· And in terms of like graphics or all of
13· ·that,
13 that, I don't even know how she did this.
this.· So I -- or
14· ·I
14 I don't know.
know.· I -- I'm assuming it's because --
15· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:
15 RUEPPEL:· Don't -- don't guess.
16· · · · · · THE WITNESS:
16 WITNESS:· Yeah.
17· ·BY
17 BY MS. KIZER:
18· · · · Q.
18 Q.· So you don't know why there was a 12-month
19· ·period
19 period where you made no posts to your Instagram
20· ·account?
20 account?
21· · · · A.
21 A.· No.
22· · · · Q.
22 Q.· Did you take time off because of the
23· ·pandemic?
23 pandemic?
24· · · · A.
24 A.· No.
25· · · · Q.
25 Q.· What was your daughter doing?
doing?· What were
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·1·
1 ·you
you -- you brought her on board in 2021; correct?
·2·
2 · · · A.
A.· I'd have to really confirm that date.
date.· It
·3·
3 ·seems
seems right.
·4·
4 · · · Q.
Q.· Well, I'll point you to the Instagram
·5·
5 ·post
post -- let me see here -- on the second-to-last page
·6·
6 ·of
of this compilation.
compilation.· It's the post with the
·7·
7 ·Number
Number 18 right above it.
·8·
8 · · · A.
A.· Yeah.
·9·
9 · · · Q.
Q.· You see that post?
post?· That's a picture of your
10· ·daughter;
10 daughter; right?
11· · · · A.
11 A.· Yes.
Yes.· One of them.
12· · · · Q.
12 Q.· Maddie?
13· · · · A.
13 A.· Correct.
14· · · · Q.
14 Q.· And you say, "We have had the privilege of
15· ·working
15 working together since 2021 and more recently
16· ·full-time."
16 full-time."
17· · · · · · Do you see that?
17
18· · · · A.
18 A.· Yes, I see that.
19· · · · Q.
19 Q.· So when you started working together in
20· ·2021,
20 2021, what was she doing for you?
21· · · · A.
21 A.· As she does now, marketing and assistant
22· ·work.
22 work.
23· · · · Q.
23 Q.· Was she aware of the harm to your reputation
24· ·caused
24 caused by the -- that you claim was caused by the
25· ·press
25 press releases?
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·1·
1 · · · A.
A.· I didn't talk to her about it.
·2·
2 · · · Q.
Q.· Did she become aware of it?
·3·
3 · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:
RUEPPEL:· Calls for speculation.
·4·
4 · · · · · THE WITNESS:
WITNESS:· Well, she must have.
have.· It's not
·5·
5 ·something
something I discussed with her at all.
all.· She never,
·6·
6 ·certainly,
certainly, read it.
it.· I don't discuss -- did not
·7·
7 ·discuss
discuss this with her.
·8·
8 ·BY
BY MS. KIZER:
·9·
9 · · · Q.
Q.· So if she's working on marketing for you,
10· ·did
10 did she have to do anything special to repair damage
11· ·that
11 that you claim was caused by the news release?
12· · · · A.
12 A.· Since she did not know of any potential
13· ·damage,
13 damage, that was not her goal.
goal.· It wasn't "Oh, I have
14· ·to
14 to correct Mom's reputation."
15· · · · Q.
15 Q.· So --
16· · · · A.
16 A.· It wasn't discussed with her.
17· · · · Q.
17 Q.· Was your reputation damage not just known in
18· ·the
18 the community?
19· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:
19 RUEPPEL:· Assumes facts not in evidence.
20· ·Calls
20 Calls for speculation.
speculation.· Misstates her testimony.
21· · · · · · THE WITNESS:
21 WITNESS:· I'm sorry, could you repeat
22· ·that?
22 that?
23· ·BY
23 BY MS. KIZER:
24· · · · Q.
24 Q.· Was the damage to your reputation that you
25· ·complain
25 complain about, was it known in your community?
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·1·
1 · · · A.
A.· I don't know.
·2·
2 · · · Q.
Q.· Was it known in your office?
·3·
3 · · · A.
A.· I don't know.
·4·
4 · · · Q.
Q.· Did anybody approach you about it?
·5·
5 · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:
RUEPPEL:· Vague as to time.
·6·
6 ·BY
BY MS. KIZER:
·7·
7 · · · Q.
Q.· At any time.
·8·
8 · · · A.
A.· Where?
·9·
9 · · · Q.
Q.· Anywhere.
10· · · · A.
10 A.· Did anybody approach me about that?
11· · · · Q.
11 Q.· About your negative reputation because of
12· ·the
12 the news release.
13· · · · A.
13 A.· Did anybody -- I would find that hard to
14· ·believe
14 believe that somebody would come up to me and say,
15· ·"Your
15 "Your reputation's been damaged."
damaged."· I do know that
16· ·when
16 when my -- well, no person came up to me in my office
17· ·or
17 or in my community and said, "Your reputation has
18· ·been
18 been damaged."
19· · · · Q.
19 Q.· Ashley Banks is the person you identified as
20· ·the
20 the regional manager for your office?
21· · · · A.
21 A.· Yes.
22· · · · Q.
22 Q.· Did she ever approach you and say, "Hey, you
23· ·need
23 need to do something to repair your reputation here"?
24· · · · A.
24 A.· No.
25· · · · Q.
25 Q.· Did anybody say that to you?
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·1·
1 · · · A.
A.· I don't know if anybody ever said that to
·2·
2 ·me.
me.
·3·
3 · · · Q.
Q.· Did you feel like you needed to do anything
·4·
4 ·to
to repair your reputation?
·5·
5 · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:
RUEPPEL:· Vague as to time.
·6·
6 · · · · · THE WITNESS:
WITNESS:· I was concerned.
concerned.· Yeah, I was
·7·
7 ·concerned.
concerned.
·8·
8 ·BY
BY MS. KIZER:
·9·
9 · · · Q.
Q.· You were concerned that you needed to do
10· ·something
10 something --
11· · · · A.
11 A.· Yeah.
12· · · · Q.
12 Q.· -- to repair your reputation?
13· · · · A.
13 A.· I was concerned.
14· · · · Q.
14 Q.· What did you do to repair your reputation,
15· ·if
15 if anything?
16· · · · A.
16 A.· I don't know what I could do.
do.· What Maddie
17· ·did
17 did for me is what she continues to do, but I don't
18· ·know
18 know what I could have done.
done.· I wasn't going to write
19· ·another
19 another press release.
20· · · · Q.
20 Q.· Since Maddie's so good at marketing for
21· ·you
21 you --
22· · · · A.
22 A.· Yeah.
23· · · · Q.
23 Q.· -- isn't that something that you would think
24· ·she
24 she would be good at helping with?
25· · · · A.
25 A.· I do not.
not.· I would -- that would mean I
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·1·
1 ·would
would talk to her about it, and I would not want to
·2·
2 ·talk
talk to her about that.
·3·
3 · · · Q.
Q.· And why not?
·4·
4 · · · A.
A.· Because I -- you know, I just didn't care to
·5·
5 ·go
go into this with her.
her.· I just don't think it's
·6·
6 ·fruitful.·
fruitful. It's negative.
·7· · · · Q.
Q.· So you didn't do anything at all to repair
·8· ·your reputation?
·9· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Misstates her testimony.
10· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· Just work hard.
10
11· ·BY MS. KIZER:
11
12· · · · Q.
12 Q.· You were named a top producer in 2022;
13· ·correct?
13
14· · · · A.
14 A.· Yeah.
15· · · · Q.
15 Q.· And again, that's based on meeting a certain
16· ·sales threshold?
16
17· · · · A.
17 A.· Correct.
18· · · · Q.
18 Q.· Okay.· How were you able to be a top
19· ·producer in 2022 if your reputation was so harmed by
19
20· ·the press release?
20
21· · · · A.
21 A.· I worked my ass off harder than I almost
22· ·ever did.
22
23· · · · Q.
23 Q.· And what --
24· · · · A.
24 A.· I've never had no commissions in one year.
25· ·I knew I had to change something.
25
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·1· · · · Q.· What did --
·2· · · · A.· And I -- so --
·3· · · · Q.· Sorry.· What did you change?
·4· · · · A.· I just dug deeper.· Called more people,
·5· ·worked more open houses.· I just -- nose to the
·6· ·grindstone.
·7· · · · Q.· And it worked?
·8· · · · A.· And it did work.
·9· · · · Q.· Because you doubled your commissions in 2022
10· ·compared to the prior year --
11· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Sorry.
12· ·BY MS. KIZER:
13· · · · Q.· -- compared to 2020?
14· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Compared to 2020, the year
15· ·2020?
16· · · · · · MS. KIZER:· Yeah.
17· ·BY MS. KIZER:
18· · · · Q.· You more than -- you about doubled your
19· ·commissions from 2022 to -- compared to 2020?
20· · · · A.· It was something like that.· I know you --
21· ·we looked at the numbers earlier.· It was something
22· ·like that.
23· · · · Q.· And in -- there's an organization -- the
24· ·last page of the compilation of your Instagram posts,
25· ·you make note of the 2023 REAL Trends America's Best.
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·1· ·What is that recognition?
·2· · · · A.· Yeah.· That's a -- and I'm not completely
·3· ·familiar, but it is a rating organization
·4· ·nation-nal -- nation-nal -- national, REAL Trends.
·5· ·So. . .
·6· · · · Q.· And it says you're in the top 1.5 percent
·7· ·nationwide.· Do you know what that is a top
·8· ·1.5 percent of?
·9· · · · A.· Without knowing exactly, I think it's all
10· ·agents that are active agents in the country.
11· · · · Q.· Is it also just hitting a threshold?· Is
12· ·there a specific threshold or. . .
13· · · · A.· I don't know.· That's a good question. I
14· ·don't know how they --
15· · · · Q.· Would you agree that the fact that you're in
16· ·the top 1.5 percent nationwide, that that shows your
17· ·reputation is just fine in the real estate world?
18· · · · A.· You know, it's a really -- it's a little bit
19· ·of a misnomer when they say 1.5 when we're speaking
20· ·of the whole country because we're talking also about
21· ·home values that are far less than they are here in
22· ·the Bay Area.
23· · · · · · So you'll find most likely -- like, I can't
24· ·say exactly how many transactions I did, but let's
25· ·say eight or ten.· It would take somebody in another
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·1· ·area of the country 40 transactions to do that.· So I
·2· ·don't know if it really -- anyway, shows, you know,
·3· ·that I'm all that much better than that person that,
·4· ·you know, lives someplace else and works just as
·5· ·hard.
·6·
6 · · · Q.
Q.· But you would agree with me that your
·7·
7 ·reputation
reputation in the real estate market in Silicon
·8·
8 ·Valley
Valley where you work is just fine, that you're doing
·9·
9 ·just
just fine?
10· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· It's vague as to time.· You're
10
11· ·talking about --
11
12· · · · · · MS. KIZER:· Right now.
12
13· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· -- present day?
13
14· · · · · · THE WITNESS:
14 WITNESS:· I think reputation is a bit
15· ·different
15 different than production.
production.· So I was able to produce
16· ·a
16 a lot more in 2022 'cause I worked for it.
17· · · · · · Now, there are agents that are top, top
17
18· ·producers
18 producers that have horrible reputations.
reputations.· So I can't
19· ·say
19 say -- so it's really not an equatable term
20· ·"reputation"
20 "reputation" and "production."
"production."· All I know is I
21· ·worked
21 worked really hard, and I know that there was a
22· ·negative
22 negative press release about me.
me.· So. . .
23· ·BY MS. KIZER:
23
24· · · · Q.
24 Q.· And you --
25· · · · A.
25 A.· Those are the facts.
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·1·
1 · · · Q.
Q.· And you have no way of connecting that
·2·
2 ·negative
negative press release to the fact that you earned no
·3·
3 ·commissions
commissions in 2021, you don't know that there's any
·4·
4 ·causal
causal relationship there?
·5· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Misstates her testimony.
·6· ·BY MS. KIZER:
·7·
7 · · · Q.
Q.· But that's correct; right?
right?· You can't prove
·8·
8 ·that
Preview
1 JEFFREY E. TSAI (SBN 226081) jeff.tsai@us.dlapiper.com 2 KATHLEEN S. KIZER (SBN 246035) kathy.kizer@us.dlapiper.com 3 EMILY ROSE MARGOLIS (SBN 324089) 4 emily.margolis@us.dlapiper.com DLA PIPER LLP (US) 5 555 Mission Street, Suite 2400 San Francisco, California 94105-2933 6 Tel: 415.836.2500 | Fax: 415.836.2501 7 Attorneys for Defendants 8 CELESTE WHITE, DR. ROBERT WHITE, and THE VALLEY ROCK FOUNDATION 9 10 SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA 11 FOR THE COUNTY OF NAPA 12 13 LISA KEITH, an individual, CASE NO. 22CV001269 14 Plaintiff, 15 DECLARATION OF EMILY MARGOLIS IN SUPPORT OF DEFENDANTS’ REPLY v. 16 TO PLAINTIFF’S OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY CELESTE WHITE, an individual, ROBERT 17 JUDGMENT, OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE, WHITE, an individual, the VALLEY ROCK SUMMARY ADJUDICATION AS TO FOUNDATION, aka THE BAR 49 18 PLAINTIFF’S FIRST AMENDED FOUNDATION, a charitable organization, COMPLAINT and DOES 1-50, INCLUSIVE, 19 Defendants. Date: March 8, 2024 20 Time: 8:30 AM Judge: Scott R.L. Young 21 Dept.: B 22 Complaint Filed: October 25, 2022 FAC Filed: March 8, 2023 23 Trial Date: April 4, 2024 24 25 26 I, Emily Margolis, declare as follows: 27 1. I am an Associate at DLA Piper LLP (US), attorneys for Defendants Celeste White, 28 Dr. Robert White, and the Valley Rock Foundation (together, “Defendants”), in this action. I -1- DECLARATION OF EMILY MARGOLIS ISO DEFENDANTS’ REPLY TO PL.’S OPPOSITION TO MSJ CASE NO. 22CV001269 1 submit this declaration in support of Defendants’ Reply to Plaintiff’s Opposition to Defendants’ 2 Motion for Summary Judgment or, in the alternative, Summary Adjudication as to Plaintiff’s First 3 Amended Complaint. This declaration is based on my personal knowledge. If called to testify, I 4 could and would testify competently to the matters herein. 5 2. Defendants took the deposition of Plaintiff Lisa Keith (“Plaintiff”) on January 17, 6 2024. A true and correct copy of excerpts of the transcript of that deposition is attached hereto as 7 Exhibit 1 and incorporated herein by this reference. 8 I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the 9 foregoing is true and correct. Executed on March 1, 2024, at Oakland, California. 10 11 Emily Margolis 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 -2- DECLARATION OF EMILY MARGOLIS ISO DEFENDANTS’ REPLY TO PL.’S OPPOSITION TO MSJ CASE NO. 22CV001269 EXHIBIT 1 Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· · · · SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA ·2· · · · · · · · ·FOR THE COUNTY OF NAPA ·3 ·4· · ·LISA KEITH, an individual, ·5· · · · · · · · · · Plaintiff, ·6· · ·vs.· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · No. 22CV001269 ·7· · ·CELESTE WHITE, an individual; · · · ·ROBERT WHITE, an individual; the ·8· · ·VALLEY ROCK FOUNDATION aka THE · · · ·BAR 49 FOUNDATION, a charitable ·9· · ·organization, and DOES 1-50, 10· · ·INCLUSIVE, 11· · · · · · · · · · Defendants. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·/ 12 13 14 15· · · · · ·VIDEOTAPED DEPOSITION OF LISA KEITH 16 17 18· · · · · · · Stenographically Reported by 19· ·ANGELA SINCLAIR, RMR, RPR, CRR, CCRR, CSR No. 13902 20· · · · · · · · · · ·January 17, 2024 21 22· · · · · · · · · · ·Job No. 10132928 23 24 25 Page 1 www.aptusCR.com Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· · · · · · · · · DEPOSITION OF LISA KEITH ·2 ·3· · · · · ·BE IT REMEMBERED, that pursuant to Notice, ·4· ·and on the 17th day of January 2024, commencing at ·5· ·the hour of 9:03 a.m., in the offices of DLA Piper, ·6· ·555 Mission Street, Suite 2400, San Francisco, ·7· ·California, before me, ANGELA SINCLAIR, a Certified ·8· ·Shorthand Reporter, personally appeared LISA KEITH, ·9· ·produced as a witness in said action, and being by me 10· ·first duly sworn, was thereupon examined as a witness 11· ·in said cause. 12 13· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·---o0o--- 14· ·APPEARANCES: 15· ·For the Plaintiff: 16· · · · · · · · · · JOHN RUEPPEL, ESQ. · · · · · · · · · · · ANGIE LAM, ESQ. 17· · · · · · · · · · JOHNSTON, KINNEY & ZULAICA LLP · · · · · · · · · · · 101 Montgomery Street, Suite 1600 18· · · · · · · · · · San Francisco, California 94104 · · · · · · · · · · · (415) 693-0550 19· · · · · · · · · · john@jkzllp.com · · · · · · · · · · · angie.lam@jkzllp.com 20 · · ·For the Defendants: 21 · · · · · · · · · · · KATHLEEN KIZER, ESQ. 22· · · · · · · · · · EMILY MARGOLIS, ESQ. · · · · · · · · · · · DLA PIPER LLP (US) 23· · · · · · · · · · 555 Mission Street, Suite 2400 · · · · · · · · · · · San Francisco, California 94105 24· · · · · · · · · · (415) 836-2500 · · · · · · · · · · · kathy.kizer@us.dlapiper.com 25· · · · · · · · · · emily.margolis@us.dlapiper.com Page 6 www.aptusCR.com Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· ·Also Present: ·2· · · · · · · · Lorenzo Fernandez-Kopec, Videographer ·3· · · · · · · · Robert White ·4· · · · · · · · Celeste White ·5 ·6 ·7 ·8 ·9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Page 7 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· · · · · · THE VIDEOGRAPHER:· Good morning.· This ·2· ·begins the videotaped deposition of Lisa Keith in the ·3· ·matter Lisa Keith versus Celeste White in the ·4· ·matter -- or excuse me -- filed in the Superior Court ·5· ·of California, County of Napa, Case ·6· ·Number 22CV001269. ·7· · · · · · This deposition is being held at 555 Mission ·8· ·Street in San Francisco, California, on January 17th, ·9· ·2024. 10· · · · · · My name is Lorenzo Fernandez-Kopec.· I'm the 11· ·videographer.· The court reporter is Angela Sinclair, 12· ·and we're both here representing Aptus Court 13· ·Reporting located at 401 West A Street, Suite 1680, 14· ·in San Diego, California. 15· · · · · · Please note that audio and video recording 16· ·will be taking place unless all parties have agreed 17· ·to go off the record.· The time is 9:05.· We're on 18· ·the record now. 19· · · · · · Counsel, will you please state your 20· ·appearance and affiliation. 21· · · · · · MS. KIZER:· Yes.· This is Kathleen S. Kaiser 22· ·with DLA Piper representing the defendants, Celeste 23· ·White, Robert White, and the Valley Rock Foundation. 24· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· John Rueppel from Johnston, 25· ·Kinney & Zulaica representing the plaintiff, Lisa Page 8 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· ·Keith. ·2· · · · · · MS. MARGOLIS:· Emily Margolis also for ·3· ·defendants. ·4· · · · · · MS. LAM:· Angie Lam also for plaintiff. ·5· · · · · · (Oath administered by the reporter.) ·6· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· Yes. ·7· · · · · · · · · · · · LISA KEITH, ·8· · · · · · · · · ·affirmed as a witness, ·9· · · · · · · · · ·testified as follows: 10· ·EXAMINATION BY MS. KIZER: 11· · · · Q.· Good morning, Ms. Keith.· You're under oath, 12· ·which means you must tell the truth. 13· · · · · · You understand? 14· · · · A.· Yes. 15· · · · Q.· Yes.· Okay.· If you don't understand a 16· ·question I ask, just ask me to repeat it, tell me you 17· ·don't understand. 18· · · · · · Wait for me to finish a question before you 19· ·respond.· The court reporter's going to be reporting 20· ·everything we say, so it's important we don't talk 21· ·over one another even though it seems sometimes 22· ·obvious the question I'm going to ask. 23· · · · · · If you want to take a break at any time, 24· ·just say so.· But just finish answering a question 25· ·before you seek a break, okay? Page 9 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· · · · A. A.· (Witness nods head.) ·2· · · · Q. Q.· All right.· You ready to begin? ·3· · · · A. A.· Yes. ·4· · · · Q. Q.· All righty.· Have you been deposed before? ·5· · · · A. A.· No. ·6· · · · Q. Q.· Okay. ·7· · · · A. A.· Actually, I've been deposed, but it did not ·8· ·occur. ·9· · · · Q. Q.· So you were noticed for a deposition but you 10· ·didn't actually get deposed? 10 11· · · · A. 11 A.· Correct. 12· · · · Q. 12 Q.· And what was the context of that notice? 13· · · · A. 13 A.· It was in regards to the last court case. 14· · · · Q. 14 Q.· Okay.· Have you been involved in any other 15· ·litigation other than this action, the trust action 15 16· ·you initiated previously? 16 17· · · · A. 17 A.· Only a divorce. 18· · · · Q. 18 Q.· Okay.· I want to talk to you about your 19· ·employment. 19 20· · · · A. 20 A.· Uh-huh. 21· · · · Q. 21 Q.· I understand you're a real estate broker? 22· · · · A. 22 A.· Correct. 23· · · · Q. 23 Q.· You're currently with Golden Gate Sotheby's; 24· ·is 24 is that right? 25· · · · A. 25 A.· Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty, Page 10 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· ·yeah. ·2· 2 · · · Q. Q.· And that's located in Woodside? ·3· 3 · · · A. A.· My office is. ·4· · · · Q. Q.· Is in Woodside, California.· Does it have ·5· ·other offices? ·6· · · · A. A.· Yes. ·7· · · · Q. Q.· How many other offices? ·8· · · · A. A.· We've been growing.· It's probably about 13 ·9· ·to 15 offices. 10· · · · Q. 10 Q.· So my understanding is that the entity that 11· ·you work for is called Decker Bullock Dreyfus, 11 12· ·Incorporated, doing business as Golden Gate Sotheby's 12 13· ·International Realty; is that correct? 13 14· · · · A. 14 A.· It could be.· I don't know their corporate 15· ·structure, but I -- it could be.· They were two firms 15 16· ·that joined together and formed this Golden Gate 16 17· ·Sotheby's franchise. 17 18· · · · Q. 18 Q.· So it is a franchise of the International 19· ·Sotheby's? 19 20· · · · A. 20 A.· Correct.· There's a corporate side of 21· ·Sotheby's and then there's a franchise side. 21 22· · · · Q. 22 Q.· Gotcha. 23· · · · A. 23 A.· So we are the franchise. 24· · · · Q. 24 Q.· Do you know who owns the company for which 25· ·you work? 25 Page 11 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· ·really follow as much anymore. ·2· · · · Q.· Okay.· What do you do to get real estate ·3· ·clients? ·4· · · · A.· I lean on my network and my past clients. ·5· · · · Q.· And when you say your "network," what do you ·6· ·mean by that? ·7· · · · A.· It could be my social network.· It just -- ·8· ·people I know in the area.· I've lived where I do now ·9· ·for many, many years.· So. . . 10· · · · Q.· So your neighbors, your friends, that sort 11· ·of thing? 12· · · · A.· Uh-huh, uh-huh. 13· · · · Q.· Okay.· Do you advertise anywhere? 14· · · · A.· Yes. 15· · · · Q.· Where do you advertise? 16· · · · A.· So I advertise in the Almanac, in the 17· ·Palo Alto Daily, in the Post, sometimes in the 18· ·Los Altos Crier, sometimes in the Los Gatos -- I 19· ·think it's Daily, something like that.· But it's not 20· ·really my market, but sometimes we advertise there. 21· · · · · · I've had contracts with local magazines, 22· ·Mountain Home Magazine which is specifically for 23· ·Woodside.· I've had contracts with M Magazine which 24· ·is another local magazine. 25· · · · Q.· So what is the Post that you just referred Page 23 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· ·to? ·2· · · · A.· It's circular.· It's like a -- ·3· · · · Q.· A local newspaper? ·4· · · · A.· Correct. ·5· · · · Q.· And what's the Almanac you referred to? ·6· · · · A.· The same. ·7· · · · Q.· A local newspaper? ·8· · · · A.· Correct. ·9· · · · Q.· So all of these outlets that you described 10· ·are local newspapers of some sort or magazines of 11· ·some sort -- 12· · · · A.· Yes.· Also -- 13· · · · Q.· -- with a local readership? 14· · · · A.· Correct.· Also I've advertised in the Wall 15· ·Street Journal. 16· · · · Q.· They.· Who's they? 17· · · · A.· No.· I have also advertised in the Wall 18· ·Street Journal. 19· · · · Q.· And when was the last time you advertised in 20· ·the Wall Street Journal? 21· · · · A.· I don't know. 22· · · · Q.· Within the last five years? 23· · · · A.· Yes. 24· · · · Q.· Other than those outlets that you just 25· ·described, have you advertised anywhere else, any Page 24 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· ·other type of media? ·2· · · · A.· I'm sure I have.· Sotheby's has a deep and ·3· ·wide publication or syndication, you know, division, ·4· ·so to speak, and I'm sure I have. ·5· · · · Q.· Do you do TV advertising? ·6· · · · A.· No. ·7· · · · Q.· What about radio advertising? ·8· · · · A.· No. ·9· · · · Q.· Okay.· What about social media advertising? 10· · · · A.· So social media, yes; social media 11· ·advertising, no.· I don't see social media in that 12· ·way. 13· · · · Q.· Okay.· How do you distinguish between 14· ·advertising versus social media generally? 15· · · · A.· So I think social media is great for 16· ·showing -- it could be lifestyle.· I think 17· ·advertising on -- I don't think that's the function 18· ·of social media. 19· · · · · · So I have two, for example, Instagram 20· ·accounts.· One is for my business and one is for my 21· ·personal use. 22· · · · Q.· What's the handle you use for your Instagram 23· ·account? 24· · · · A.· My business is Selling Silicon Valley. 25· · · · Q.· Since the COVID pandemic started in Page 25 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· ·March 2020, did you have to alter in any way your ·2· ·marketing efforts? ·3· · · · A.· Marketing?· No, not really.· I -- we were ·4· ·out for about a month before our industry was able to ·5· ·come up with a solution on how to show properties. ·6· · · · Q.· What was the solution that you came up with? ·7· · · · A.· So there were, obviously, sanitation ·8· ·protocols and there were documents that needed to be ·9· ·signed by all parties before you showed a property. 10· ·It was called a PEAD or P-E-A-D.· I cannot remember 11· ·what that stands for, but we had very strict protocol 12· ·starting -- I believe it was May of 2020. 13· · · · Q.· Yeah.· You differentiated between marketing 14· ·and advertising when I mentioned the word 15· ·"marketing."· Do you differentiate between those two 16· ·words in the -- in terms of the work that you do? 17· · · · A.· I believe I was differentiating between 18· ·social media and advertising.· I don't recall saying 19· ·marketing and advertising.· Advertising's a part of 20· ·marketing. 21· · · · Q.· Okay.· Did your advertising change at all 22· ·because of the pandemic? 23· · · · A.· No. 24· · · · Q.· When you are representing a seller or a 25· ·buyer of property, you described a number of tasks Page 26 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· ·that are undertaken in that process. ·2· · · · A. A.· Yeah. ·3· · · · Q. Q.· Do you handle all those tasks yourself, or ·4· ·is there anybody that helps you? ·5· 5 · · · A. A.· Currently, my daughter works for me and she ·6· 6 ·handles handles a lot of the marketing tasks. tasks.· But that has ·7· 7 ·been been just about a year and a half, and I have done ·8· 8 ·that that primarily myself. myself.· However, we have a great ·9· 9 ·support support network, so to speak, within our company. 10· · · · Q. 10 Q.· So Sotheby's provides additional support to 11· ·you to help you achieve your real estate goals? 11 12· · · · A. 12 A.· Yes. 13· · · · Q. 13 Q.· Who in Sotheby's helps you primarily?· Do 14· ·you have the name of anybody who helps you with your 14 15· ·real estate sales? 15 16· · · · A. 16 A.· I wouldn't say "helps me" with the real 17· ·estate sales.· I'm not sure what that -- I don't 17 18· ·understand the question. 18 19· · · · Q. 19 Q.· Okay.· You mentioned that Sotheby's provides 20· ·a lot of help, and I'm just trying to understand who 20 21· ·at Sotheby's provides that help. 21 22· · · · A. 22 A.· So the type of help that I primarily was 23· ·referring to was we have graphic designers, we have 23 24· ·those that put the ads in the paper for us. 24 25· ·Although, I will have to say so much of what we do is 25 Page 27 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· ·automated through our internal platform, so I can ·2· ·have an ad created and, you know, put into a ·3· ·newspaper by pressing a button. ·4· · · · Q.· So if you're listing a property and you need ·5· ·to include photos, do you personally take those ·6· ·photos? ·7· · · · A.· I hire a photographer. ·8· · · · Q.· And is there a particular photographer or ·9· ·photographers that you use? 10· · · · A.· I've used a selection. 11· · · · Q.· Who do you use? 12· · · · A.· I don't always use the same.· So currently a 13· ·listing, Open Homes Photography, there's Blue Sky 14· ·Media. 15· · · · Q.· And you've used Blue Sky Media in the past? 16· · · · A.· Yes.· Aerial Canvas.· That's another one. 17· · · · Q.· Okay.· I want to mark as an exhibit the 18· ·notice of deposition.· This is pretty much a 19· ·formality. 20· · · · · · (Deposition Exhibit 1 was marked.) 21· ·BY MS. KIZER: 22· · · · Q.· Can you identify this as the notice of 23· ·deposition you received for your appearance today? 24· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Do you have any extra copies, 25· ·Counsel?· Thanks. Page 28 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· ·BY MS. KIZER: ·2· · · · Q.· You'd consider that compensation for ·3· ·damages? ·4· · · · A.· Which damages? ·5· · · · Q.· That's a good question.· It's your words. ·6· · · · · · Your allegations in your first amended ·7· ·complaint refers to "compensation for damages claimed ·8· ·by Plaintiff," that that settlement payment was ·9· ·"compensation for damages" paid by -- "Claimed By 10· ·Plaintiff."· I'm trying to understand why you 11· ·characterize the settlement payment as "compensation 12· ·for damages claimed by Plaintiff." 13· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Calls for a legal opinion. 14· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· You're referring to what 15· ·document that defines the 1.295?· What document are 16· ·we speaking of? 17· ·BY MS. KIZER: 18· · · · Q.· Your complaint in this action. 19· · · · A.· Refers to that number -- 20· · · · Q.· Uh-huh. 21· · · · A.· -- as compensation for damages claimed by 22· ·plaintiff?· Well, I guess you could consider my 23· ·paying a million dollars-plus of legal fees were 24· ·damages.· It could -- you know, compensation for 25· ·that. Page 120 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· · · · Q.· I'm handing you a document marked as ·2· ·Exhibit 14. ·3· · · · · · (Deposition Exhibit 14 was marked.) ·4· ·BY MS. KIZER: ·5· · · · Q.· Now, these are the final amended responses ·6· ·to those same interrogatories. ·7· · · · A.· Okay. ·8· · · · Q.· In that same interrogatory you changed your ·9· ·answer, and I wanted to ask you why you changed your 10· ·answer. 11· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Sorry. 12· ·BY MS. KIZER: 13· · · · Q.· If you turn to page 6, Interrogatory 14· ·Number 10. 15· · · · A.· Well, that's probably more the true 16· ·definition. 17· · · · Q.· So it wasn't compensation for damages? 18· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Misstates her testimony. 19· ·Lacks foundation. 20· ·BY MS. KIZER: 21· · · · Q.· Your -- the statement you made in your 22· ·complaint that it was compensation for damages was 23· ·untrue? 24· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Again, misstates her 25· ·testimony.· Argumentative. Page 121 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· Well, that was a draft, and ·2· ·this is the final.· So I'm just going to go by this ·3· ·as my response. ·4· ·BY MS. KIZER: ·5· · · · Q.· But you acknowledge that the settlement ·6· ·payment was not compensation for damages you claimed? ·7· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Again, misstates her ·8· ·testimony.· Misstates the response, Exhibit 14. ·9· ·Calls for a legal opinion. 10· ·BY MS. KIZER: 11· · · · Q.· You can answer the question. 12· · · · A.· My response is in the final draft -- final 13· ·document, not the draft. 14· · · · Q.· You agree that the statement in your 15· ·complaint that the settlement payment was 16· ·compensation for damages that you suffered is 17· ·incorrect? 18· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Calls for a legal opinion. 19· ·Lacks foundation.· Misstates her testimony. 20· ·Argumentative.· Asked and answered. 21· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· Was that the draft or final? 22· ·BY MS. KIZER: 23· · · · Q.· That was the final. 24· · · · A.· The compensation for damages is in the 25· ·final? Page 122 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· · · · Q.· In your complaint. ·2· · · · A.· In the complaint. ·3· · · · Q.· In this action. ·4· · · · A.· (No verbal response.) ·5· · · · Q.· Do you agree that's an accurate ·6· ·characterization of the settlement payment? ·7· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Sorry, which one are you ·8· ·referring to?· Objection.· Vague and ambiguous as to ·9· ·exactly which characterization you're referring to. 10· ·BY MS. KIZER: 11· · · · Q.· Your complaint characterizes the settlement 12· ·payment as compensation for damages that you 13· ·suffered.· You agree that that's not a correct 14· ·statement? 15· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Calls for a legal opinion. 16· ·Misstates her testimony.· Asked and answered about 17· ·three times. 18· · · · · · MS. KIZER:· It hasn't been answered. 19· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· Comp -- 20· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· It's been asked and answered. 21· ·We've gone on -- 22· · · · · · MS. KIZER:· It's a yes-or-no question. 23· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· It's not necessarily a 24· ·yes-or-no question and same objections. 25· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· Compensate -- Page 123 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· ·BY MS. KIZER: ·2· · · · Q. Q.· Is that an accurate statement? ·3· · · · A. A.· I don't know. ·4· 4 · · · Q. Q.· I've marked this next document as ·5· 5 ·Exhibit Exhibit 15. ·6· 6 · · · · · (Deposition Exhibit 15 was marked.) ·7· 7 ·BY BY MS. KIZER: ·8· 8 · · · Q. Q.· This is a compilation of printouts of your ·9· 9 ·posts posts from your @SellingSiliconValley Instagram 10· ·account? 10 account? 11· · · · A. 11 A.· Yeah. 12· · · · Q. 12 Q.· You cannot -- you can page through this 13· ·document 13 document and identify this as documents from your 14· ·Instagram 14 Instagram account. 15· · · · A. 15 A.· It sure looks like it, yeah. 16· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Well, look at it first before 16 17· ·you answer. 17 18· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· Okay. 18 19· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Just, sorry, just object to 19 20· ·this exhibit to the extent it's a compilation and not 20 21· ·an accurate or complete collection of the Instagram 21 22· ·posts. 22 23· ·BY MS. KIZER: 23 24· · · · Q. 24 Q.· I will represent to you that it is not an 25· ·accurate 25 accurate representation of all of your posts. I Page 124 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· 1 ·believe believe that there are about 170 posts on your ·2· 2 ·Instagram Instagram account and this is a selection of them ·3· 3 ·consisting consisting of 19 separate posts, each of which has a ·4· 4 ·separate separate numerical number on top of it just to ·5· 5 ·distinguish distinguish them. ·6· 6 · · · A. A.· Okay. ·7· 7 · · · Q. Q.· Okay. Okay.· These are actually your posts on your ·8· 8 ·Instagram Instagram account? ·9· 9 · · · A. A.· Okay. 10· · · · Q. 10 Q.· Yes?· Confirm? 11· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Is that a question? 11 12· ·BY MS. KIZER: 12 13· · · · Q. 13 Q.· That is a question, correct, that these are 14· ·actual 14 actual posts that you posted on your Instagram 15· ·account? 15 account? 16· · · · A. 16 A.· Either I did or my daughter did on my 17· ·behalf. 17 behalf. 18· · · · Q. 18 Q.· Does somebody else have access to your 19· ·Instagram account? 19 20· · · · A. 20 A.· No. 21· · · · Q. 21 Q.· Okay.· What devices do you have that are 22· ·automatically logged in to this account? 22 23· · · · A. 23 A.· My phone. 24· · · · Q. 24 Q.· And your daughter's phone? 25· · · · A. 25 A.· I think so. Page 125 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Calls for speculation. ·2· ·BY MS. KIZER: ·3· · · · Q.· Have you deleted any posts from your ·4· ·Instagram account? ·5· · · · A.· I don't know. ·6· · · · Q.· Do you have a practice of deleting Instagram ·7· ·posts? ·8· · · · A.· No. ·9· · · · Q.· Do you ever go back through your Instagram 10· ·and say I gotta delete that and delete that? 11· · · · A.· Do I make a practice of that? 12· · · · Q.· Do you do it generally? 13· · · · A.· Do I generally do that, meaning like 14· ·consistently? 15· · · · Q.· Have you ever done it? 16· · · · A.· I don't know.· I imagine there's been a post 17· ·that I've deleted. 18· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Don't guess.· Just if you have 19· ·a memory. 20· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· I don't have a memory of doing 21· ·that. 22· ·BY MS. KIZER: 23· · · · Q.· Okay.· The first post here is about your 24· ·father; correct? 25· · · · A.· Uh-huh. Page 126 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· · · · A.· Of course.· This is Portola Valley.· I live ·2· ·close to Portola Valley.· I know it very well.· I -- ·3· · · · Q.· So they had no problem having you do the ·4· ·listing, the open house? ·5· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Calls for speculation. ·6· ·BY MS. KIZER: ·7· · · · Q.· I mean, obviously, you -- ·8· · · · A.· I did the open house. ·9· · · · Q.· Right.· The next post, is that the same 10· ·property -- 11· · · · A.· Let's see. 12· · · · Q.· -- where you say, "A successful open house 13· ·today in Portola Valley Ranch"? 14· · · · A.· Different house. 15· · · · Q.· It is a different house? 16· · · · A.· Yeah. 17· · · · Q.· So in the early part of either October or 18· ·November of 2021, you did the open house at two 19· ·different places in Portola Valley? 20· · · · A.· A week apart. 21· · · · Q.· Yeah.· Okay.· But they're two different 22· ·separate properties? 23· · · · A.· Correct. 24· · · · Q.· And agents in your office were the listing 25· ·agents, and they asked you to handle the open houses Page 132 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· ·for them? ·2· · · · A.· As it usually goes, an email is sent out to ·3· ·the agents, "Anyone available to do an open house?" ·4· ·And the agents respond.· I'm sure that's -- I don't ·5· ·know if they came to me directly, but it could have ·6· ·been or I could have responded to an email, either ·7· ·way. ·8· · · · Q.· Okay.· Do you get compensated when you ·9· ·handle open houses for other agents? 10· · · · A.· No. 11· · · · Q.· If you would turn to the next page, the 12· ·list -- the Instagram posts that are labeled 12 and 13· ·13, these are properties you sold in 2022; correct? 14· · · · A.· It's the same -- 15· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Sorry.· Misstates the 16· ·document. 17· · · · · · You can answer. 18· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· It's the same property, 19· ·obviously, and I did sell it in 2022. 20· ·BY MS. KIZER: 21· · · · Q.· Okay.· In January of 2022? 22· · · · A.· It looks like it. 23· · · · Q.· Now, your Instagram account shows that you 24· ·started making posts around 2015.· You've done so up 25· ·to the present day? Page 133 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· · · · A. A.· Uh-huh. ·2· 2 · · · Q. Q.· But there's a period from September -- let ·3· 3 ·me me see here -- from October of 2020 until ·4· 4 ·September September 2021 where you didn't post anything. anything.· Why ·5· 5 ·didn't didn't you post anything during that period? ·6· 6 · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL: RUEPPEL:· Just assumes facts not in ·7· 7 ·evidence. evidence. ·8· 8 · · · · · You can answer. ·9· 9 · · · · · THE WITNESS: WITNESS:· It's probably about the time 10· ·that 10 that I brought one of my daughters on board 11· ·part-time.· 11 part-time. And, you know, she's good at it. it.· She's 12· ·really 12 really good. good.· And in terms of like graphics or all of 13· ·that, 13 that, I don't even know how she did this. this.· So I -- or 14· ·I 14 I don't know. know.· I -- I'm assuming it's because -- 15· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL: 15 RUEPPEL:· Don't -- don't guess. 16· · · · · · THE WITNESS: 16 WITNESS:· Yeah. 17· ·BY 17 BY MS. KIZER: 18· · · · Q. 18 Q.· So you don't know why there was a 12-month 19· ·period 19 period where you made no posts to your Instagram 20· ·account? 20 account? 21· · · · A. 21 A.· No. 22· · · · Q. 22 Q.· Did you take time off because of the 23· ·pandemic? 23 pandemic? 24· · · · A. 24 A.· No. 25· · · · Q. 25 Q.· What was your daughter doing? doing?· What were Page 134 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· 1 ·you you -- you brought her on board in 2021; correct? ·2· 2 · · · A. A.· I'd have to really confirm that date. date.· It ·3· 3 ·seems seems right. ·4· 4 · · · Q. Q.· Well, I'll point you to the Instagram ·5· 5 ·post post -- let me see here -- on the second-to-last page ·6· 6 ·of of this compilation. compilation.· It's the post with the ·7· 7 ·Number Number 18 right above it. ·8· 8 · · · A. A.· Yeah. ·9· 9 · · · Q. Q.· You see that post? post?· That's a picture of your 10· ·daughter; 10 daughter; right? 11· · · · A. 11 A.· Yes. Yes.· One of them. 12· · · · Q. 12 Q.· Maddie? 13· · · · A. 13 A.· Correct. 14· · · · Q. 14 Q.· And you say, "We have had the privilege of 15· ·working 15 working together since 2021 and more recently 16· ·full-time." 16 full-time." 17· · · · · · Do you see that? 17 18· · · · A. 18 A.· Yes, I see that. 19· · · · Q. 19 Q.· So when you started working together in 20· ·2021, 20 2021, what was she doing for you? 21· · · · A. 21 A.· As she does now, marketing and assistant 22· ·work. 22 work. 23· · · · Q. 23 Q.· Was she aware of the harm to your reputation 24· ·caused 24 caused by the -- that you claim was caused by the 25· ·press 25 press releases? Page 135 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· 1 · · · A. A.· I didn't talk to her about it. ·2· 2 · · · Q. Q.· Did she become aware of it? ·3· 3 · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL: RUEPPEL:· Calls for speculation. ·4· 4 · · · · · THE WITNESS: WITNESS:· Well, she must have. have.· It's not ·5· 5 ·something something I discussed with her at all. all.· She never, ·6· 6 ·certainly, certainly, read it. it.· I don't discuss -- did not ·7· 7 ·discuss discuss this with her. ·8· 8 ·BY BY MS. KIZER: ·9· 9 · · · Q. Q.· So if she's working on marketing for you, 10· ·did 10 did she have to do anything special to repair damage 11· ·that 11 that you claim was caused by the news release? 12· · · · A. 12 A.· Since she did not know of any potential 13· ·damage, 13 damage, that was not her goal. goal.· It wasn't "Oh, I have 14· ·to 14 to correct Mom's reputation." 15· · · · Q. 15 Q.· So -- 16· · · · A. 16 A.· It wasn't discussed with her. 17· · · · Q. 17 Q.· Was your reputation damage not just known in 18· ·the 18 the community? 19· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL: 19 RUEPPEL:· Assumes facts not in evidence. 20· ·Calls 20 Calls for speculation. speculation.· Misstates her testimony. 21· · · · · · THE WITNESS: 21 WITNESS:· I'm sorry, could you repeat 22· ·that? 22 that? 23· ·BY 23 BY MS. KIZER: 24· · · · Q. 24 Q.· Was the damage to your reputation that you 25· ·complain 25 complain about, was it known in your community? Page 136 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· 1 · · · A. A.· I don't know. ·2· 2 · · · Q. Q.· Was it known in your office? ·3· 3 · · · A. A.· I don't know. ·4· 4 · · · Q. Q.· Did anybody approach you about it? ·5· 5 · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL: RUEPPEL:· Vague as to time. ·6· 6 ·BY BY MS. KIZER: ·7· 7 · · · Q. Q.· At any time. ·8· 8 · · · A. A.· Where? ·9· 9 · · · Q. Q.· Anywhere. 10· · · · A. 10 A.· Did anybody approach me about that? 11· · · · Q. 11 Q.· About your negative reputation because of 12· ·the 12 the news release. 13· · · · A. 13 A.· Did anybody -- I would find that hard to 14· ·believe 14 believe that somebody would come up to me and say, 15· ·"Your 15 "Your reputation's been damaged." damaged."· I do know that 16· ·when 16 when my -- well, no person came up to me in my office 17· ·or 17 or in my community and said, "Your reputation has 18· ·been 18 been damaged." 19· · · · Q. 19 Q.· Ashley Banks is the person you identified as 20· ·the 20 the regional manager for your office? 21· · · · A. 21 A.· Yes. 22· · · · Q. 22 Q.· Did she ever approach you and say, "Hey, you 23· ·need 23 need to do something to repair your reputation here"? 24· · · · A. 24 A.· No. 25· · · · Q. 25 Q.· Did anybody say that to you? Page 137 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· 1 · · · A. A.· I don't know if anybody ever said that to ·2· 2 ·me. me. ·3· 3 · · · Q. Q.· Did you feel like you needed to do anything ·4· 4 ·to to repair your reputation? ·5· 5 · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL: RUEPPEL:· Vague as to time. ·6· 6 · · · · · THE WITNESS: WITNESS:· I was concerned. concerned.· Yeah, I was ·7· 7 ·concerned. concerned. ·8· 8 ·BY BY MS. KIZER: ·9· 9 · · · Q. Q.· You were concerned that you needed to do 10· ·something 10 something -- 11· · · · A. 11 A.· Yeah. 12· · · · Q. 12 Q.· -- to repair your reputation? 13· · · · A. 13 A.· I was concerned. 14· · · · Q. 14 Q.· What did you do to repair your reputation, 15· ·if 15 if anything? 16· · · · A. 16 A.· I don't know what I could do. do.· What Maddie 17· ·did 17 did for me is what she continues to do, but I don't 18· ·know 18 know what I could have done. done.· I wasn't going to write 19· ·another 19 another press release. 20· · · · Q. 20 Q.· Since Maddie's so good at marketing for 21· ·you 21 you -- 22· · · · A. 22 A.· Yeah. 23· · · · Q. 23 Q.· -- isn't that something that you would think 24· ·she 24 she would be good at helping with? 25· · · · A. 25 A.· I do not. not.· I would -- that would mean I Page 138 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· 1 ·would would talk to her about it, and I would not want to ·2· 2 ·talk talk to her about that. ·3· 3 · · · Q. Q.· And why not? ·4· 4 · · · A. A.· Because I -- you know, I just didn't care to ·5· 5 ·go go into this with her. her.· I just don't think it's ·6· 6 ·fruitful.· fruitful. It's negative. ·7· · · · Q. Q.· So you didn't do anything at all to repair ·8· ·your reputation? ·9· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Misstates her testimony. 10· · · · · · THE WITNESS:· Just work hard. 10 11· ·BY MS. KIZER: 11 12· · · · Q. 12 Q.· You were named a top producer in 2022; 13· ·correct? 13 14· · · · A. 14 A.· Yeah. 15· · · · Q. 15 Q.· And again, that's based on meeting a certain 16· ·sales threshold? 16 17· · · · A. 17 A.· Correct. 18· · · · Q. 18 Q.· Okay.· How were you able to be a top 19· ·producer in 2022 if your reputation was so harmed by 19 20· ·the press release? 20 21· · · · A. 21 A.· I worked my ass off harder than I almost 22· ·ever did. 22 23· · · · Q. 23 Q.· And what -- 24· · · · A. 24 A.· I've never had no commissions in one year. 25· ·I knew I had to change something. 25 Page 139 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· · · · Q.· What did -- ·2· · · · A.· And I -- so -- ·3· · · · Q.· Sorry.· What did you change? ·4· · · · A.· I just dug deeper.· Called more people, ·5· ·worked more open houses.· I just -- nose to the ·6· ·grindstone. ·7· · · · Q.· And it worked? ·8· · · · A.· And it did work. ·9· · · · Q.· Because you doubled your commissions in 2022 10· ·compared to the prior year -- 11· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Sorry. 12· ·BY MS. KIZER: 13· · · · Q.· -- compared to 2020? 14· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Compared to 2020, the year 15· ·2020? 16· · · · · · MS. KIZER:· Yeah. 17· ·BY MS. KIZER: 18· · · · Q.· You more than -- you about doubled your 19· ·commissions from 2022 to -- compared to 2020? 20· · · · A.· It was something like that.· I know you -- 21· ·we looked at the numbers earlier.· It was something 22· ·like that. 23· · · · Q.· And in -- there's an organization -- the 24· ·last page of the compilation of your Instagram posts, 25· ·you make note of the 2023 REAL Trends America's Best. Page 140 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· ·What is that recognition? ·2· · · · A.· Yeah.· That's a -- and I'm not completely ·3· ·familiar, but it is a rating organization ·4· ·nation-nal -- nation-nal -- national, REAL Trends. ·5· ·So. . . ·6· · · · Q.· And it says you're in the top 1.5 percent ·7· ·nationwide.· Do you know what that is a top ·8· ·1.5 percent of? ·9· · · · A.· Without knowing exactly, I think it's all 10· ·agents that are active agents in the country. 11· · · · Q.· Is it also just hitting a threshold?· Is 12· ·there a specific threshold or. . . 13· · · · A.· I don't know.· That's a good question. I 14· ·don't know how they -- 15· · · · Q.· Would you agree that the fact that you're in 16· ·the top 1.5 percent nationwide, that that shows your 17· ·reputation is just fine in the real estate world? 18· · · · A.· You know, it's a really -- it's a little bit 19· ·of a misnomer when they say 1.5 when we're speaking 20· ·of the whole country because we're talking also about 21· ·home values that are far less than they are here in 22· ·the Bay Area. 23· · · · · · So you'll find most likely -- like, I can't 24· ·say exactly how many transactions I did, but let's 25· ·say eight or ten.· It would take somebody in another Page 141 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· ·area of the country 40 transactions to do that.· So I ·2· ·don't know if it really -- anyway, shows, you know, ·3· ·that I'm all that much better than that person that, ·4· ·you know, lives someplace else and works just as ·5· ·hard. ·6· 6 · · · Q. Q.· But you would agree with me that your ·7· 7 ·reputation reputation in the real estate market in Silicon ·8· 8 ·Valley Valley where you work is just fine, that you're doing ·9· 9 ·just just fine? 10· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· It's vague as to time.· You're 10 11· ·talking about -- 11 12· · · · · · MS. KIZER:· Right now. 12 13· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· -- present day? 13 14· · · · · · THE WITNESS: 14 WITNESS:· I think reputation is a bit 15· ·different 15 different than production. production.· So I was able to produce 16· ·a 16 a lot more in 2022 'cause I worked for it. 17· · · · · · Now, there are agents that are top, top 17 18· ·producers 18 producers that have horrible reputations. reputations.· So I can't 19· ·say 19 say -- so it's really not an equatable term 20· ·"reputation" 20 "reputation" and "production." "production."· All I know is I 21· ·worked 21 worked really hard, and I know that there was a 22· ·negative 22 negative press release about me. me.· So. . . 23· ·BY MS. KIZER: 23 24· · · · Q. 24 Q.· And you -- 25· · · · A. 25 A.· Those are the facts. Page 142 www.aptusCR.com YVer1f Lisa Keith vs. Lisa Keith Celeste White, et al. ·1· 1 · · · Q. Q.· And you have no way of connecting that ·2· 2 ·negative negative press release to the fact that you earned no ·3· 3 ·commissions commissions in 2021, you don't know that there's any ·4· 4 ·causal causal relationship there? ·5· · · · · · MR. RUEPPEL:· Misstates her testimony. ·6· ·BY MS. KIZER: ·7· 7 · · · Q. Q.· But that's correct; right? right?· You can't prove ·8· 8 ·that