Bienert Katzman Littrell Williams LLP

Bienert Katzman Littrell Williams LLP (BKLW) is a prominent boutique litigation law firm headquartered in California, with offices in Orange County and Los Angeles County. Founded in 2000 by Thomas H. Bienert, Jr., a former federal prosecutor who served as Chief of the Orange County office and Chief of Criminal Complaints in the Los Angeles office for the United States Attorney’s Office, BKLW has grown to a team of 17 attorneys renowned for their expertise in handling complex and high-stakes legal matters.

BKLW distinguishes itself by offering big firm talent with a client-centered approach. The firm emphasizes agility, leveraging cutting-edge technology and a dedicated litigation support team to manage complex cases efficiently. Our attorneys have extensive experience in both government service and private practice, providing a deep understanding of the business environments in which clients operate.

• Number of partners: 10
• Number of associates/of counsel: 7
• Number of litigation support staff: 8
• Managing Partner: John L. Littrell
• General Counsel: Michael R. Williams

BKLW specializes in several key practice areas:

• • White Collar Criminal and Regulatory Defense: Defending businesses and individuals in criminal investigations, regulatory enforcement actions, and white-collar prosecutions.
    • Representing Tim Ballard, founder of an anti-child trafficking organization, in multiple criminal investigations and related civil cases involving his anti-trafficking work.
    • Secured non-custodial sentence for an individual accused in a 34-count indictment of international product diversion
    • Represented a former Qualcomm vice president in a complex five-week trial regarding his role in a $180 million wire fraud and money laundering scheme.
    • Secured a non-custodial sentence for one of nine individuals accused in a 42-count indictment of conspiracy to commit trafficking with respect to forced labor, money laundering, and visa and marriage fraud, and other related offenses in the highly publicized matter involving the Kingdom of Jesus Christ church that claims six million followers across the world.
    • Secured a single misdemeanor and no jail time resolution for client facing wire fraud felony charges in one of the first federal prosecutions under the CAN-SPAM Act.
  • Complex Civil Litigation: Resolving high-stakes disputes across various venues and stages of litigation.
    • Represented a corporate shareholder and three of his companies seeking seven-figure relief in a complex case involving conduct spanning over a decade and various multi-national entities and multiple applicable contracts.
    • Secured a defense verdict for a client accused of conspiring to steal biomedical trade secrets in a federal civil RICO case.
    • Secured a zero-dollar settlement agreement in favor of Elizabeth Flynt, widow of media mogul and First Amendment defender Larry Flynt, after a successful motion to dismiss that significantly narrowed claims in a high-stakes estate dispute with Mr. Flynt’s estranged brother.
    • Secured a defense verdict in one matter and a walkaway settlement in a separate matter for a high-profile athlete accused by a paparazzo of assault and battery.
  • Bankruptcy Litigation: Prosecuting and defending issues arising during bankruptcy cases or adversary proceedings.
    • Secured a $219 million judgment in favor of the liquidating trustee in a chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding following a successful motion for summary judgment in a case pursuing fraudulent transfer and preference claims exceeding $50 million.
    • Represented a creditors committee and then liquidating trustee of a bankrupt hospital and successfully objected to or otherwise reduced claims against the estate by approximately $16 million, allowing creditors to receive a substantially higher distribution.
    • Secured $200 million in damages plus sanctions for the liquidating trustee of a luxury resort asserting claims for fraudulent transfer.
  • Whistleblower Claims: Representing clients in whistleblower investigations and prosecution.
    • Secured a $280 million settlement for a client in a pharmaceutical industry whistleblower/qui tam action under the False Claims Act.
  • Class Actions: Representing both plaintiffs and defendants in consumer protection and financial fraud matters.
    • Represent plaintiffs in an antitrust suit against American Express related to anti-steering rules in merchant agreements.
    • Secured a favorable settlement (pending approval by the court) for Hustler Hollywood in a class action suit alleging violations of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act.
  • Internal Investigations: Conducting expedient and comprehensive internal investigations to address potential problems.
  • Appeals: Challenging errors by state and federal trial courts leading to ground-breaking published opinions, million-dollar recoveries, and life-changing reversals.

Orange County

903 Calle Amanecer, Suite 350, San Clemente, CA 92673

Tel: (949) 369-3700

Inquiries: [email protected]

Los Angeles

360 E. 2nd St., Suite 625, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tel: (949) 369-3700

Inquiries: [email protected]