Partner

213-232-5163
rcohen@cohen-williams.com

Reuven L. Cohen brings twenty years of trial experience to the firm. Over the past decade, Reuven has successfully tried some of the most high-profile cases in the Central District of California. He has earned a reputation for integrity and excellence based upon his singular creativity, meticulous attention to detail, and fierce dedication to his clients and his craft.

Prior to co-founding Cohen Williams LLP, Reuven practiced as a civil litigator in the New York office of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and the prestigious trial unit of the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Los Angeles. Having litigated hundreds of complex cases nationwide, he has developed a specialty in high stakes federal commercial and criminal litigation as well as select state and local matters. Reuven tries cases – and gets real-life results for his clients. 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. 

On the criminal side, Reuven has represented individuals and entities at all stages of federal and state proceedings at both the trial and appellate levels. He has defended individuals and businesses in a wide array of white collar criminal matters, including securities and investment fraud, cyber-crimes, healthcare fraud, tax fraud, perjury, immigration and customs fraud, money laundering, counterfeiting, false statements, and identity theft. He has also successfully represented persons charged with other high-liability crimes, ranging from capital offenses to complex environmental crimes involving the Clean Water Act and other environmental statutes.

Reuven also has significant civil litigation experience, having handled SEC and FTC enforcement actions and investigations, tried civil cases, and litigated several bet-the-business disputes. He has represented clients in all manner of civil and administrative proceedings, including numerous complex commercial, environmental, intellectual property, and appellate matters.

Reuven has been honored as a Southern California Super Lawyer by Thomson-Reuters every year upon his return to private practice from government service.  This year, Super Lawyers named Reuven as one of the Top 100 Southern California Lawyers. Reuven shares that honor with six other white-collar crime practitioners.

Education
University of Southern California, J.D., 1998
Brown University, B.A., 1992

Clerkships
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
     Law Clerk, Hon. Kim McLane Wardlaw

Partner

213-232-5162
mwilliams@cohen-williams.com

Marc S. Williams is a civil litigator with extensive experience in state and federal courts. Marc also handles complex white collar criminal cases. Marc has represented clients in all stages of litigation, including trial and appeals, investigations, as well as arbitrations and mediations. He also provides practical advice to assist clients in non-litigation matters.

Before co-founding Cohen Williams LLP in 2014, Marc was a partner at One LLP, an entertainment and intellectual property boutique litigation firm. Previously, he had spent ten years as a litigator at O’Melveny & Myers, LLP in that firm’s Los Angeles and Century City offices.  Marc has been recognized as a Rising Star in Thomson-Reuters list of “Super Lawyers” on four occasions and six times as a Super Lawyer from 2013 to 2018.

Marc has a broad range of complex litigation experience, including in the areas of business litigation, partnership disputes, fiduciary duties, contractual disputes, fraud, securities litigation, unfair competition, business torts, legal malpractice, copyright, trademark, idea submission, rights of publicity, defamation, entertainment, real estate, and healthcare. His representations range from smaller clients, such as individuals and start-up companies, to Fortune 500 corporations.

Education
University of Southern California, J.D., 1998
     Southern California Law Review
Tufts University, B.A., 1992

Clerkships
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 
     Law Clerk, Hon. Kim McLane Wardlaw

Of Counsel

213-232-5166
kerskine@cohen-williams.com

Kathleen M. Erskine is a civil and criminal litigator with a broad range of experience in state and federal courts. Among other areas, Kathleen specializes in business litigation, labor and employment, and complex white collar criminal matters. Prior to joining Cohen Williams LLP, Kathleen was a founding partner of Love & Erskine, LLP, a law firm handling business litigation, employment, and civil rights matters.

Kathleen is a member of the Executive Committee and Saturday Seminar Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Section. She has organized dozens of seminars for labor and employment practitioners, and has moderated and been a featured speaker on employment issues on many occasions for LACBA and other organizations. Kathleen also conducts training on employment issues.

Kathleen was honored as a Rising Star in Thompson-Reuters list of “Super Lawyers” for seven consecutive years, from 2006 through 2012, and has been named a Super Lawyer in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.

Education
UCLA School of Law, J.D., 2002
     Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy
Trinity College, B.A., 1996
     Honors in General Scholarship (Summa Cum Laude)
     Phi Beta Kappa

Counsel

213-232-5160
jresnik@cohen-williams.com

Jennifer Resnik is a skilled attorney with over a decade of experience in sophisticated criminal and civil litigation.  Jennifer has successfully handled a wide variety of cases at all stages of litigation, including health care fraud and other criminal fraud, violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, environmental crimes, and narcotics offenses.

Prior to joining the firm, Jennifer was a prosecutor in the Asset Forfeiture Section of the United States Attorney’s Office where she litigated both criminal and civil forfeiture matters.  She also assisted, and took the lead on, numerous major criminal fraud prosecutions.  Jennifer specialized in complex white-collar fraud and money laundering, recovering millions of dollars in assets and securing many multi-million judgments.  Jennifer is highly adept at tracing, having worked closely with law enforcement to seize an array of assets ranging from securities, to diamonds, to luxury real estate.

Jennifer also has extensive appellate experience, having appeared before the Ninth Circuit on multiple occasions, several of which resulted in published opinions.  Additionally, Jennifer spent almost two years as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes section.  During her tenure in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Jennifer continuously shared her expertise and conducted numerous trainings for law enforcement and colleagues.

Before serving in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Jennifer gained state court experience and tried more than 20 cases to verdict at the City Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles, ranging from domestic violence to DUIs.  She also helped that office form an animal cruelty practice.

Education
Columbia Law School, 2004
     Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
     Environmental Law Review
University of California, Berkeley, 2000

Counsel

213-232-5164
gpardo@cohen-williams.com

Gabriel Pardo is an experienced attorney who brings a combination of criminal trial and civil litigation experience to Cohen Williams LLP.  Gabriel represents his clients with creativity, diligence, and dedication.  He has achieved remarkable results for his clients at all stages of a criminal case, including favorable pre-indictment resolutions, dismissals following motions litigation, and multiple jury acquittals.

Prior to joining Cohen Williams LLP, Gabriel served as a trial attorney in the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Central District of California for over three years.  At the Federal Public Defender’s Office, Gabriel successfully handled a wide variety of federal criminal cases, including fraud, narcotic, firearm, counterfeiting, bribery, and tax offenses.

Prior to the Federal Public Defender’s Office, Gabriel was an associate at O’Melveny & Myers LLP, where he worked on a variety of criminal and civil matters.  On the criminal side, Gabriel represented companies and individuals in antitrust prosecutions, internal investigations, and special litigation committee investigations.  On the civil side, Gabriel represented public and private companies as both plaintiff and defendant in fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and antitrust matters.

Education
Stanford University, J.D., 2008
Stanford University, B.A., 2002

Counsel

213-232-5171
dsutton@cohen-williams.com

David Sutton is an accomplished trial lawyer.  He represents his clients with smarts, diligence, and tenacity in both federal and state courts.  He has secured numerous federal and state jury-trial acquittals, negotiated scores of favorable pre-indictment dispositions, and effectively litigated dispositive pre-trial motions.  Over the past decade, David has developed a reputation for his sound judgment and ability to connect with clients, judges, and juries.

David's practice is diverse.  On the federal side, he represents persons charged with complex federal crimes, including cryptocurrency offenses, financial fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, structuring, insider trading, health care fraud, and FCPA violations.  Prior to joining Cohen Williams, David served as a supervising trial attorney in the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Central District of California.  In that role, David mentored, trained, and tried cases with some of the best young federal defense attorneys in the nation.  On the state side, David draws upon his broad experience in California courtrooms, having started his career as a trial deputy at the Marin County Public Defender's office.  He now represents clients in an array of local matters -- from complex white-collar cases to DUI misdemeanors.  

David is a member of both the University of San Francisco School of Law’s Board of Governors and the Los Angeles County Bar Association's Judicial Appointments Committee. 

Education
University of San Francisco School of Law, J.D., 2008
     Student Bar Association President
     Negotiations Advocacy Competition Captain
     Pro Bono Publico Recipient
San Francisco State University, B.S., 2003
     Cum Laude

Counsel

213-232-5144
abell@cohen-williams.com

Alyssa Bell is a seasoned criminal defense attorney and appellate specialist.  Alyssa brings extensive federal litigation experience at all stages of proceedings and wide-ranging expertise in criminal matters, including extradition, financial fraud, RICO conspiracy, narcotics offenses, and Fourth and Fifth amendment challenges to government overreach.  She is particularly known for her creative and intelligent approach to complex litigation.

Prior to joining CW, Alyssa spent six years at the Office of the Federal Public Defender, where she attained a coveted position in the prestigious Appellate Unit.  She has appeared numerous times before the Ninth Circuit, where she is well-recognized as a fierce and persuasive oral advocate.  Alyssa also served as the Office's impact litigation coordinator, spearheading a strategy to challenge corrupt police practices in a high-profile series of cases.  Her work vindicating her clients’ rights has been recognized in the L.A. Times.  As a Trial Deputy, Alyssa garnered a track record of achieving impressive results for her clients, ranging from the successful negotiation of pre-indictment dispositions to victory at trial.

Prior to the Federal Defender's Office, Alyssa served as a law clerk to the Honorable Richard A. Paez of the Ninth Circuit, and the Honorable Margaret M. Morrow (ret.) of the Central District of California.  She is an alumna of the New York University School of Law, where she was a Root-Tilden-Kern scholar and the recipient of three graduation prizes recognizing her academic achievement and legal scholarship.  She was awarded first place in the venerated UVA Journal of International Law and Human Rights writing competition and published in the NYU Review of Law and Social Change, where she also served as Senior Articles Editor. 

Education
New York University School of Law, J.D., 2010
     Magna Cum Laude
     Order of the Coif
Swarthmore College, B.A., 2003
     High Honors

Clerkships
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 
     Law Clerk, Hon. Richard A. Paez 
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
     Law Clerk, Hon. Margaret M. Morrow

Associate

213-232-5165
blane@cohen-williams.com

Brittany L. Lane is an experienced litigator who counsels and represents clients through all stages of criminal and civil matters.  Prior to joining Cohen Williams LLP, Brittany worked as an associate in the New York and Washington, D.C. offices of Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP, where she represented both entities and individuals in criminal trials and appeals, civil disputes and arbitrations, internal investigations, and regulatory examinations.

Brittany earned her J.D. from Columbia Law School, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and the Production Editor for the Columbia Journal of Law & the Arts.  During her time at Columbia, Brittany prosecuted domestic violence misdemeanors as an extern with the Queens District Attorney’s Office.

Brittany is admitted to practice law in New York, and her application to practice in California is pending.

Education
Columbia Law School, J.D., 2014
University of Southern California, B.A., 2011
     Magna Cum Laude
     Phi Beta Kappa