Stanley L. Friedman
Stanley L. Friedman is a preeminent criminal defense lawyer who represents celebrities, business owners, politicians, corporations and healthcare professionals in complex, high-dollar, federal cases throughout the United States and in State Courts in California and Nevada. He has had an extraordinary and unparalleled legal career.
Mr. Friedman received his Bachelor of Arts from UCLA (cum laude) and his Juris Doctor from USC School of Law.
Early in his 37-year career Mr. Friedman served as a Law Clerk to a prominent Federal Judge in Los Angeles in which, from the Judge’s vantage, he worked on some of the major cases of the day – from the effects on the United States of the 1970’s oil embargo to prosecution and defense of major organized crime figures in California and Hawaii.
After his Federal Court Clerkship, Mr. Friedman worked at a major law firm in Los Angeles representing securities firms, banks, healthcare organizations and entertainment outlets in investigations, litigation, trial, and federal appeals. It was at this firm that he was recognized in his first published and successful Ninth Circuit decision involving securities fraud.
After three years as a litigator in this major law firm, Mr. Friedman was appointed an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in the Criminal Division in Los Angeles, California. Because of his background and legal ability, Mr. Friedman was assigned to the Major Frauds Section in which he investigated and prosecuted high-dollar and complicated fraud cases on behalf of the United States government. In two separate instances, he was also appointed a Magistrate for France and British Hong Kong and conducted investigations on their behalf.
During much of his time as an AUSA, the United States Department of Justice emphasized the investigation and prosecution of healthcare fraud. Mr. Friedman investigated and criminally prosecuted many of these healthcare fraud cases. Additionally, he investigated and prosecuted cases involving: Bank Fraud; Bankruptcy Fraud; Customs Violations; Insurance Fraud; Securities Fraud; Commodities Fraud; Investment Fraud; Embezzlement; Tax Crimes; Money Laundering; Credit Card Fraud; Counterfeiting of United States Currency and Securities; and Advance Fee Schemes. Mr. Friedman also initiated and prosecuted extradition cases involving United States citizens and residents. He was recognized by a Congressional Commission for successful prosecution of a complicated nationwide insurance fraud.
In 1995, Mr. Friedman founded his own criminal defense law firm and represents clients in investigations, extradition matters, Grand Jury proceedings, search warrants, asset forfeitures, court cases and appeals. He has been a Board-Certified Criminal Law Specialist since 2005 and served as Chairman of the California State Bar Commission which tests, vets, certifies and re-certifies the comparatively few lawyers certified in the State of California as Criminal Law Specialists.
In what are termed “parallel proceedings,” which are civil or administrative proceedings pursued concurrently with criminal investigations or prosecutions, Mr. Friedman has defended clients in cases brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodities Future Trading Commission, and the California Fair Political Practices Commission.
Mr. Friedman is listed as counsel in United States Supreme Court, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, United States District Court, and California Court of Appeal published decisions.
Regarding his own cases, and in commenting on other cases of interest to the media, Mr. Friedman has been referenced and quoted over 200 times, including appearances on Good Morning America and The Today Show. On a variety of subjects, he has lectured to law classes at the USC School of Law.
Mr. Friedman has been recognized as a “Super Lawyer” every year since 2012 by Thompson Reuters which reserves this designation for the top five percent or less of lawyers in each state and also received the “AV Preeminent” rating by Martindale-Hubbell in every year since 2006 based on the general recognition that Mr. Friedman has achieved the highest levels of skill, integrity and overall professional excellence.
Mr. Friedman has also been recognized by many other rating organizations, such as:
- The National Trial Lawyers, Top 100 Criminal Defense Trial Lawyers.
- U.S. News & World Report: Best Law Firms in California for White-Collar Criminal Defense.
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America.
- National Association of Distinguished Counsel.
- 10 Best in California, American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys.
- Top 10 Criminal Defense Attorney, American Association of Attorney Advocates.
- Los Angeles Business Journal 2019 Healthcare Leadership Award, Trusted Advisor of the Year (first place).
- Los Angeles Business Journal 2012 Healthcare Leadership Award, Lifetime Achievement Award (finalist).
Mr. Friedman has been married for 33 years, is a father and grandfather. Mr. Friedman has received many community-service awards. He has been a Board Member and/or Officer of a Jewish parochial school for 22 years.
One of Mr. Friedman’s passions is prosecuting public interest healthcare lawsuits. In 2023, he successfully concluded a 15-year public-interest lawsuit against the State of California. In that lawsuit, during the nadir of the Great Recession, Mr. Friedman procured a $3 Billion benefit to Medi-Cal beneficiaries. In 2022, recognizing his efforts, successes and accomplishments, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals awarded Mr. Friedman the largest public-interest attorney fee ever awarded.
Mr. Friedman is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and in all federal and state courts in California and Nevada. He maintains offices in Beverly Hills, Downtown Los Angeles, and Las Vegas.
