In 2020, Gary Lincenberg received Benchmark Litigation’s award for the California White-Collar Crime Litigation Attorney of the Year. Considered among the most experienced and skilled trial lawyers in the country, Mr. Lincenberg defends businesses and executives facing government investigations in need of a trial-savvy attorney to handle complex civil and white-collar criminal litigation. Many white-collar defense attorneys rarely try a criminal case and have never defeated the government at trial. He has an extraordinary record of success in this realm, including complete victories, or hung juries resulting in dismissals, in five of his last six criminal trials.
Most recently, he won a mid-trial dismissal of all charges against an advertising industry executive in a federal fraud prosecution brought by the DOJ and the SDCal USAO. He won another mid-trial mistrial motion of prosecution brought by the DOJ and the Arizona USAO of a former Backpage.com executive criminally responsible for the publication of content on its website. Last year, he won a highly publicized civil trial against notorious developer Mohamed Hadid for the illegal construction of a $50 million Bel Air mega-mansion, including a multi-million dollar judgment and order for total demolition of the mansion. That same year, he successfully avoided criminal charges for three sets of parents in the Varsity Blues college admission prosecutions. In 2020, Mr. Lincenberg notably provided legal assistance to the United States House of Representatives in the impeachment trial of former President Trump for abuse of power and obstruction.
Mr. Lincenberg has extensive experience in a wide variety of cases, from False Claims Act, FCPA, securities, investment, tax, real estate, banking, money laundering, money remitting, government contractor, economic espionage, trade secret theft, export, health care, environmental, public corruption, and government program fraud. Prior to joining Bird Marella over 25 years ago, he served over six years as an Assistant United States Attorney.
He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and is an instructor at Harvard Law School’s Trial Advocacy Class. He regularly participates in professional activities integral to his success – presenting lectures, writing, and volunteering in the community – along with continually improving his skills in counseling, negotiating, and arguing in court. Mr. Lincenberg is regularly recognized among the top white-collar defense attorneys in all of the leading publications. Chambers USA ranks Mr. Lincenberg in the selective Band 1 group. Chambers describes him as “marvelous,” and “quick to adapt to changing circumstances in the courtroom.” The Daily Journal recognizes him as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in California – one of only five true white-collar crime specialists to be so honored.
Updated Aug 2022
