A former U.S. District Judge and founding partner of Larson LLP, Stephen G. Larson has spent his career at the center of the most high-profile complex civil and white collar criminal matters in the country. With a national reputation in the courtroom as an "even-tempered litigator with a keen mind," he is recognized annually by the Daily Journal, California’s leading legal newspaper, as one of the "Top 100 Lawyers in California."
Stephen's clients know him as an "exceptionally hard worker" who handles every case on a personal level—the kind of dedicated service and attentive counsel that can be a rare find. Clients turn to Stephen, knowing he will have their best interests in mind as he crafts his approach to the case from the first conversation to the optimal result. He uses his deep knowledge of the law, thorough analysis, and aggressive but cogent strategy to deliver justice for his clients. As a prominent litigator aptly described Stephen, "he can talk a dog off a meat truck."
In his over 30 years of practice as a trial and appellate lawyer, Stephen has been lead counsel in scores of federal and state court jury trials and appeals, including before the California Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court. He serves as a trusted advisor to senior executives, prominent domestic and international businesses, public and private companies of all sizes, and other individuals as plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes civil and commercial disputes. Throughout his broad civil litigation practice, he covers intellectual property, real property and land use, environmental and basic materials, complex contracts and business torts, employment, securities, civil rights, and class action matters across industries ranging from entertainment to technology. In addition, Stephen is frequently engaged as an arbitrator and mediator in complex commercial disputes.
From investigations to trial, Stephen represents companies, executives, lawyers, doctors, actors, public figures and entities, and boards and committees in white collar criminal matters. He skillfully guides clients through government investigations and successfully defends them against prosecutions related to public corruption, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), domestic and international sanctions issues, the False Claims Act (FCA), healthcare laws, and financial controls. His enviable track record includes a mid-trial dismissal of a former agent with the Drug Enforcement Agency charged with conspiracy and fraud, having no charges filed against a doctor following a months-long investigation alleging $30 million in FCA violations, and a favorable disposition and dismissal of all remaining charges for an expert charged with embezzling millions of dollars of NASA funds. Stephen is currently defending the former University of Southern California water polo coach in the highly publicized "Varsity Blues" college admissions case against racketeering and fraud charges. With extensive experience on both sides of an investigation, Stephen's practice also involves conducting internal investigations, among which was his appointment to monitor the Orange County District Attorney’s compliance with a Blue Ribbon commission’s recommendations related to jail informants.
Stephen has made prevailing in high-stakes litigation cases both at trial and on appeal a hallmark of his practice. In 2018, the Daily Journal awarded Stephen the California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year (CLAY) Award for his trial advocacy in People v. Biane et al., which former California Attorney General Jerry Brown touted as one of the most significant public corruption matters in California history. After a 10-month trial, Stephen secured a complete defense verdict for real estate developer Jeff Burum, defeating allegations that three county officials took bribes from Mr. Burum in exchange for their approval for a $102 million settlement of a land dispute. Stephen then filed two civil rights suits on behalf of Mr. Burum and his company for the retaliatory investigation, which resulted in a $65 million settlement between the County, Mr. Burum, and his company in November 2020. Stephen's other recent successes include achieving a $40 million settlement for the States of Arizona and Oklahoma in a consumer protection laws violation suit against Volkswagen AG, affirming on appeal the dismissal of substantive RICO violation claims against his client, and obtaining multimillion-dollar settlements for a Native American tribe in a lawsuit against the government for mismanaging tribal assets.
Stephen is dedicated to furthering the education of and creating better public systems for practicing and aspiring lawyers, governments, and law enforcement worldwide. He is a member of the Inter-American Juridical Committee, one of the principal organs of the Organization of American States which serves as an advisory body on juridical matters to promote the progressive development and codification of international law. He taught law school classes in constitutional law, civil rights law, federal courts, and professional responsibility; and has conducted law enforcement training at the FBI National Academy and overseas on money laundering, asset forfeiture, and U.S. banking regulations. As a member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit’s Jury Instruction Committee while on the bench, Stephen was responsible for drafting and publishing model jury instructions. He was a founding member of the State Department’s Public-Private Partnership for Justice Reform in Afghanistan, and he conducted joint training exercises and investigations with foreign law enforcement agencies in Russia, Kazakhstan, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Ukraine, and South Korea. Locally, Stephen previously served as chair of the Los Angeles County Blue Ribbon Commission on Public Safety and volunteers his time on non-profit boards.
After launching his legal career in private practice, Stephen was appointed to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles where he served as chief of the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section. As a prosecutor, he led 24 criminal trials, was responsible for 49 appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and received the U.S. Department of Justice Director’s Award for Superior Performance from Attorney General Janet Reno. Stephen departed the U.S. Attorney’s Office for his judicial service in the Central District of California, first as a Magistrate Judge, and then as a District Judge upon nomination by President George W. Bush.
During his nearly 10 years as a federal judge, Stephen adjudicated over a thousand cases—including a number of high-profile ones such as the "Barbie vs. Bratz" copyright infringement dispute between toymakers Mattel and MGA Entertainment—and was designated seven times to serve on the Ninth Circuit. Other noteworthy cases over which he presided include Siegel v. Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., which determined the ownership of the copyrights to the iconic comic strip Superman; United States v. Nazario, a landmark Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act case involving U.S. Marines accused of manslaughter during the Battle of Fallujah; United States v. Duro, in which Stephen blocked the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs’ decade long effort to close down and expel a major migrant worker camp on the Torres Martinez Indian Reservation; and John Doe v. County of San Bernardino, which resulted in systematic reform of educational and therapeutic services for disabled youths within the county juvenile hall system.
Prior to co-founding the firm in 2016, Stephen was chair of the litigation department at a national Am Law 200 firm and a member of its Executive Committee.
Partner Stephen G. Larson shares a statement with the firm condemning the insurrection in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021.
Jovan Vavic, former USC water polo coach and Larson LLP client, asked a federal judge to clear a slate of new charges against him in the "Varsity Blues" case on Jan. 5, 2021.
Larson LLP client Pepe's Towing Services claims that the city of Rancho Cucamonga illegally favored other tow companies and reduced its profitability.
In an article examining the growing anti-dairy movement and the industry's response, partner Stephen G. Larson is quoted about his representation of Dick Van Dam Dairy in the "animal rights" case which was dismissed in December 2020.
Larson LLP is pleased to announce the elevations of Dana M. Howard and Alex Lowder to partner and Jen C. Won and Emilie J. Zuccolotto to counsel.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Aragon R. Ellwanger, represented by partners Stephen G. Larson and Jerry A. Behnke, was found not guilty on all counts at a general court-martial held at Edwards Air Force Base on Dec. 18, 2020, after a week-long trial.
On Dec. 15, 2020, a federal judge filed a docket entry setting a November 2021 trial date for Larson LLP's client, Jovan Vavic, and his co-defendants in the "Varsity Blues" case.
On Dec. 10, 2020, a lawsuit claiming San Jacinto-based Dick Van Dam Dairy abused its cows was dismissed without leave to amend by a federal judge.
A lawsuit alleging animal mistreatment filed by the Animal Legal Defense Fund against Larson LLP's client, Southern California family-owned Dick Van Dam Dairy, was thrown out by the California Superior Court for the County of Riverside on Dec. 10, 2020.
Larson LLP is pleased to announce that Jennifer Ko joined the firm as an associate on Nov. 30, 2020.
San Bernardino County, Colonies Partners L.P., and Jeffrey Burum reached a $65 million settlement to resolve the First Amendment civil case, retaliation, and malicious prosecution.
San Bernardino County will pay Rancho Cucamonga developer Jeffrey Burum and his Colonies Partners investor group $65 million to settle a lawsuit filed by Mr. Burum in 2018 that alleged malicious prosecution.
Larson LLP is recognized as one of the “Most Admired Law Firms: L.A.’s Top Firms to Work For” of 2020 for consciously working toward creating a diverse, positive, and supportive environment to help drive the firm’s success.
The U.S. Court of Appeals ruled on Nov. 17, 2020, that Larson LLP's client did not waive affirmative defenses when it did not file an answer to the plaintiffs' amended pleadings in KST Data Inc. v. DXC Technology Co. et al.
On Nov. 17, 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed and remanded the district court’s ruling in KST Data Inc. v. DXC Technology Co. et al., a $5.4 million commercial contract dispute, securing another appellate victory for Larson LLP.
Partners Steven E. Bledsoe, Stephen G. Larson, and Hilary Potashner are among the 2020 “Leaders in Law” nominees.
After Larson LLP successfully opposed the defendants' appeal, the jury trial for Freeman v. Board of Trustees of the California State University et al. is underway in San Bernardino County.
Larson LLP proudly supports the 2020 Delivering Hope Campaign to raise money for the Hope through Housing Foundation's initiatives.
Stephen G. Larson and Jonathan E. Phillips were selected for the prestigious CLAY Award for California Attorneys of the Year
On Oct. 21, 2020, partner Stephen G. Larson was elected to the Inter-American Juridical Committee, one of the principal organs of the Organization of American States.
Larson O'Brien has been named a “Recommended” firm and partners Stephen G. Larson, Jonathan E. Phillips, and Paul A. Rigali have been recognized as “Litigation Stars” by Benchmark Litigation 2021.
Larson O'Brien client Pepe's Towing has sought a tow contract with the City of San Bernardino for the better part of two decades, to no avail.
The City of San Bernardino has agreed to pay Larson LLP client Pepe's Towing $1.3 million to resolve Pepe's civil rights lawsuit alleging corrupt favoritism and other violations by the City and its officials spanning more than 15 years.
Partner Stephen G. Larson has been recognized as one of the “Top 100 Lawyers in California” for the fourth consecutive year.
Partner Stephen G. Larson is speaking on a panel of fellow judges for FedArb’s “Southern California Webinar on Best Practices for Video Mediation” on Sept. 11, 2020.
Larson O'Brien is pleased to announce that John Lee and Tyler J. O’Brien joined the firm as associates on Sept. 8, 2020.
The Larson O'Brien defense team is undeterred by a new indictment of threadbare allegations against client Jovan Vavic in the "Varsity Blues" case.
Jury finds Rose Bowl Aquatic Center at fault in molestation case, awards family millions.
Four Larson O'Brien partners were recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2021 and one associate was included in the inaugural edition of the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed and remanded the SEC’s $15.5 million judgment on Aug. 6, 2020 in favor of Larson O'Brien’s clients in SEC v. Yang et al.
On Aug. 3, 2020, the California Court of Appeal affirmed the Superior Court of Los Angeles County’s summary judgment order, which Larson O'Brien won for Canyon Water Company and its officers in a complex property and water rights dispute.
San Bernardino County, its former district attorney, and his staff can be sued by Larson O'Brien client Jeff Burum and former county officials for alleged retaliation and malicious prosecution, a federal judge ruled on July 29, 2020.
A federal judge on July 29, 2020 denied a request by San Bernardino County to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Larson O'Brien client Jeff Burum alleging malicious prosecution in a nearly decade-long public corruption case that ended in his acquittal.
A new ruling by a federal judge leaves San Bernardino County facing hundreds of millions of dollars in damages over the politically motivated, 20-year persecution of Larson O'Brien client Jeff Burum and his company, Colonies Partners.
The L.A. County district attorney's office refiled public corruption charges against former assessor John Noguez, top official Mark McNeil, and Larson O'Brien client Ramin Salari.
The national coalition of law firms aims to create large-scale, coordinated pro bono projects that address systemic racism.
Partners Stephen G. Larson and Hilary Potashner were selected to the “Leaders of Influence: Litigators & Trial Lawyers” list for 2020.
Larson O'Brien is proud to announce that associate Angela Makabali has been selected to the NAPABA 2020 Leadership Advancement Program.
Partner Kori L. Bell argued on behalf of Larson O'Brien client Jovan Vavic in a hearing on July 1, 2020, regarding whether conspiracy counts should be dismissed in the "Varsity Blues" case.
Partner Stephen G. Larson's client, Upland Police Chief Darren Goodman, was reinstated to his position on June 29, 2020, following his suspension allegedly due to City Hall politics.
Partner Stephen G. Larson wrote a letter to Upland City Council and Mayor Debbie Stone alleging his client, suspended Upland Police Chief Darren Goodman, is a victim of City Hall politics.
For the fourth consecutive year, the Los Angeles Business Journal has recognized partners Stephen G. Larson and Robert C. O'Brien among the "LA500: Most Influential People in L.A."
Larson O'Brien welcomes high-profile defense attorney and former Federal Public Defender for the Central District of California
The Daily Journal recognized partner Stephen G. Larson for third consecutive year as one of the "Top 100 Lawyers in California."
The Larson O'Brien defense team for Jovan Vavic filed a brief arguing that the Bridgegate ruling closes the "Varsity Blues" case, along with the lawyers for four other defendants.
On June 2, 2020, the California Court of Appeal affirmed the Orange County Superior Court’s order denying attorneys’ fees sought against Larson O'Brien client O Properties, Inc. in a San Juan Capistrano real estate dispute.
Partner Stephen G. Larson shares his words of strength, sadness, and support with the firm and our community.
For the fifth consecutive year, partner Stephen G. Larson has been selected as one of the "Most Influential People in L.A."
Larson O'Brien's writ of mandate petition on behalf of client Ramin Salari was granted on May 22, 2020, directing the charges to be dismissed.
The U.S. Court of Appeals found that a lower court made the right call when it awarded California-based lawyer $2.88 million in fees plus interest.
Mayor Eric Garcetti's pro bono initiative is composed of top Los Angeles law firms providing free legal services to residents facing hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A judge ruled that the former San Bernardino County District Attorney acted in bad faith by deleting text messages and emails sought as evidence in support of Larson O'Brien’s clients during the Colonies Partners corruption case.
For the fourth year, the Los Angeles Business Journal has recognized Stephen G. Larson and Robert C. O'Brien among L.A.'s Most Influential People.
A group of former GM and Chrysler auto dealers will make their case in the Court of Federal Claims that the U.S. government owe them $1B for rejecting their franchise agreements.
U.S. District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez granted Live Nation's motion to dismiss producer Darryl Payne's copyright claims
Larson O'Brien counted among elite firms that make up the "Varsity Blues" defense team
Larson O'Brien set to begin two month trial of Chrysler dealers' claims in Court of Federal Claims.
Ex-judge, Stephen G. Larson, hired to represent water polo coach in college admissions scandal
Jury finds Rose Bowl Aquatic Center at fault in molestation case, awards family millions
For the second consecutive year, The Daily Journal named Stephen G. Larson to its prestigious list of the Top 100 lawyers in California
Stephen G. Larson and Robert C. O'Brien have been named among Benchmark Litigation's California Litigation Stars for 2019.
The U.S. Court of Appeals found that a lower court made the right call when it awarded California-based lawyer $2.88 million in fees plus interest.
Eleven lawyers have jumped ship from Arent Fox to start a litigation boutique in Los Angeles. Larson O'Brien LLP will focus on high stakes matters, including commercial litigation, internal investigations, appellate work and international arbitration.
Prime Healthcare Services, one of the nation's largest hospital systems, agreed to pay $65 million to settle allegations of Medicare overbilling in California.
The Los Angeles Business Journal has recognized Stephen G. Larson and Robert C. O'Brien on its list of Top Litigators in Los Angeles.
Colonies bribery case ends with all charges dismissed against last defendant Jim Erwin.
Three of the four defendants in the San Bernardino County Colonies corruption case were found not guilty of all charges after a marathon trial that lasted nearly eight months.
Larson O'Brien welcomes veteran trial awyer Koren L. Bell as partner and Dana M. Howard and K. Darcy Elgin as associates.
Founding partners Stephen G. Larson and Robert C. O'Brien were again named on the Los Angeles Business Journal's list of the "500 Most Influential People in Los Angeles."
Colonies Partners LP filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against San Bernardino County District Attorney and former state Attorneys General, seeking $80 million in damages following a bungled bribery case.
Los Angeles County Supervisor has appointed Larson O'Brien partner, Stephen G. Larson, to the county's newly-formed Blue Ribbon Commission on Public Safety.
Larson O'Brien partner Stephen G. Larson has been named to Daily Journal "Top 100 Lawyers in California."
Larson O'Brien LLP partners left big law to focus on building a broad but potent litigation boutique.
University of Southern California Gould School of Law, J.D.
Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service, B.S.F.S.
California
District of Columbia
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
U.S.D.C. Central District of California
U.S.D.C. Eastern District of California
U.S.D.C. Northern District of California
U.S.D.C. Southern District of California
U.S.D.C. District of Columbia