Brian Hennigan is a partner of Irell & Manella LLP. He is co-chair of the firm's white collar practice in the Los Angeles and Newport Beach offices and is a member of the firm's Executive Committee.

Brian Hennigan's practice specializes in complex litigation, with emphasis on white collar criminal defense. For over twenty years, he has successfully represented individuals and corporations in criminal, civil, and administrative matters, including complex tax investigations, insider trading and backdated option investigations, and financial frauds.

 He has also maintained a successful civil litigation practice, having recently obtained summary judgment on behalf of two clients  and a favorable verdict at trial for another client.  As a specialty of the civil practice, he has represented law firms in connection with claims of legal malpractice.

Over the past few years, he has represented corporations and individuals in securities fraud investigations, the head of a religious group in connection with allegations of tax fraud and money laundering, the founder of a multi-billion dollar corporation on charges of obstruction of justice and tax fraud, and a corporate executive of a multi-billion dollar internet company on charges of market manipulation and insider trading.

He currently represents an individual targeted with violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the founder of one of the largest sub prime lenders in connection with SEC and grand jury inquiries. He recently completed the successful representation of  the former Administrator of the San Diego Employees' Retirement System in a case charging "honest services" mail fraud. In that matter, all charges against his client were dismissed by the district court.

In his civil practice, Mr. Hennigan currently represents a Fortune 150 company  in a pending antitrust and business tort case pending in the Northern District of California. He has successfully represented law firms and individual lawyers on malpractice claims with regard to complex tax and securities matters.

 He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Attorneys.

Before entering private practice, Mr. Hennigan served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California, where he was an assistant division chief of the Criminal Division of that Office. In that position, he conducted numerous grand jury investigations, prosecuted over thirty matters at trial, and successfully represented the United States in numerous arguments before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. For his work at the U.S. Attorney's Office, he was awarded commendations from the Department of Justice, the FBI, the IRS, the DHHS, the Dept. of Labor, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service.

Awards

• Named to the list of "Top 100 Attorneys in the State" by the Daily Journal, September, 2009 and 2010
• Included in Los Angeles Magazine's "Super Lawyer" edition, 1995-present
• Identified as One of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in Southern California, Los Angeles Magazine, 2007-2010
• Featured in The Best Lawyers in America, 1998-present
• Named Best Lawyers’ Los Angeles Criminal Defense: White-Collar Lawyer of the Year, 2010
• Named in Chambers USA America's Leading Lawyers for Business (Top Ranking), 2003-present

Professional Activities

• Co-Chair, American Bar Association, White Collar Crime Committee of the Criminal Justice Section (Vice-Chair, 2007-2009)
• President, Federal Bar Association (Los Angeles), 2004-2005
• Board of Governors, Federal Bar Association (Los Angeles), 1998-present
• Co-Chair, American Bar Association, White Collar Crime Committee, West Coast Region, 2004-2006
• Attorney Delegate, Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, Chairman of the Pro Bono Appeals Section
• Attorney Member, Disciplinary Committee, U.S. District Court, Central District, 2005 - present

Publications

"Obstruction of Justice and Making False Statements:  Where the Cover up is Worse than the Crime",  ABA-National Institute, White Collar Crime, March 2010, by Brian Hennigan and Katherine McKeon

"What To Do When the Wolf Is Pounding At Your Door," Los Angeles Lawyer, October 2003, by Brian J. Hennigan

"Reliance On Outside Experts:  Negating Proof of Scienter Under the False Claims Act," ABA/CLE – Criminal Justice Section, Health Law Section, May 2002, by Brian J. Hennigan and Alan Heinrich

"Litigating Whistleblower Cases Under the Qui Tam Provisions of the False Claims Act," Mealey Publications, June 2001, by Brian J. Hennigan

Seminars & Speeches

• "Trends in Enforcement and Prosecution of Ponzi Schemes", ABA-National Securities Fraud Conference, October 2010
• "Obstruction and False Statements: the Cover-Up is Worse Than the Crime", ABA-National Institute, WCC, March 2010
• "Ethical Issues in White Collar Crime", ABA - National Institute on White Collar Crime, March 5, 2009
• "Current Issues in White Collar Criminal Enforcement", Criminal Law Seminar, Loyola Law School, September 2008
• "White Collar Criminal Law Enforcement and Defense"  Judge Fidler Institute, Loyola Law School, April 2008
• "DOJ and SEC Enforcement: Back-Dated Options", ABA- West Coast Region - White Collar Crime Section, January 25, 2007
• "Back-Dated Options, Lessons from the Field," California CPA - Education Foundation, April 19, 2007
• "Recent Developments with the SEC", California CPA - State Fraud Section, July 25, 2007

Bar & Court Admissions

• 1976, Illinois
• 1979, California