Reuven L. Cohen
Partner

Reuven is a renowned first-chair trial lawyer who represents clients in high-stakes criminal and civil litigation across the United States. Over the past two decades, he has successfully tried scores of nationally significant cases to verdict in federal and state courtrooms across the country, often prevailing in adverse circumstances against the government or the world's largest law firms. This track record has earned him a reputation as go-to counsel for clients seeking to win the unwinnable case. According to Chambers USA, he is "at the top of the white collar practice in Southern California," as well as a "dynamic leader" and a "great human being with incredible experience." Companies and individuals also enlist Reuven to represent them in investigations, pre-trial negotiations, and other forms of dispute resolution, relying on his creativity, meticulous attention to detail, and intellectual firepower to resolve matters quickly and efficiently. 

Whether advocating on behalf of clients in court or constructing solutions to make them whole, Reuven brings to bear a fierce dedication to his clients and his craft. Individuals who find themselves indicted, targeted by an investigation, or embroiled in life- or business-altering lawsuits trust Reuven to plot a clear path through any crisis. He serves as a calm voice in the storm of litigation, providing practical guidance and time-tested insights that protect clients' rights, interests, and reputations. 

On the criminal side, Reuven represents individuals and entities at all stages of federal and state proceedings at both the trial and appellate levels. Rare is the white collar attorney who has tried cases to verdict; rarer still is the white collar attorney with Reuven's track record of actually beating the government. His capabilities include securities and investment fraud, cybercrimes, healthcare fraud, tax fraud, perjury, immigration and customs fraud, money laundering, counterfeiting, false statements, and identity theft. In addition, he represents individuals charged with other high-liability crimes, ranging from capital offenses to complex environmental crimes involving the Clean Water Act and other environmental statutes.

During the course of his career, Reuven has achieved numerous complete acquittals for clients facing seemingly insurmountable allegations. In one notable trial victory, Reuven represented a California landowner charged with two Clean Water Act violations and two counts of criminal contempt in a case that, according to the Daily Journal, "featured an array of eyebrow-raising situations." The landowner had previously been found civilly liable in federal court for the very same violations. During the two-week trial, the government called 21 expert and lay witnesses, including the Honorable Lourdes G. Baird, the judge who presided over the federal civil matter. Reuven's respectful, incisive cross-examination of Judge Baird effectively closed the books on nearly a decade of litigation brought by the Civil and Criminal Divisions of the U.S. Attorney's Office against Mr. Appel. After less than an hour of deliberation, the jury returned a "not guilty" verdict on each of the four criminal counts. 

In the civil arena, Reuven handles bet-the-business litigation, as well as DOJ, SEC, CFTC, FTC, IRS, and other government enforcement actions and investigations. His experience extends to all manner of civil and administrative proceedings, including complex commercial, environmental, intellectual property, and appellate matters. While Reuven works to negotiate a favorable resolution as early as possible, he prepares each case as if it were going to trial—a strategy that pays dividends when his clients are denied a fair resolution. In a recent case, a closely watched trade secrets dispute between two biotechnology companies, he litigated against one of the largest law firms in the world in a four-day jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. He convinced the jury to dismiss all trade secret claims brought by the opposing side, securing a favorable verdict for his client as well as an award of punitive damages. 

Prior to co-founding Cohen Williams LLP, Reuven practiced in the trial unit of the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Los Angeles. In this capacity, he tried some of the most high-profile cases in the Central District of California over the past several decades, including the prosecution of Charles C. Lynch, a medical marijuana dispensary owner whose trial and stand against the federal government attracted national media attention. Reuven also formerly practiced as a civil litigator in the New York office of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.