Michael V Schafler

Michael represents clients in high-risk matters involving criminal charges, government enforcement actions, and complex civil litigation. He regularly leads successful defenses against a variety of life-altering allegations, including securities and investment fraud, public corruption, cybercrimes, tax fraud, perjury, money laundering, and identity theft. Clients have described him as "an amazing attorney," "incredibly savvy and thoughtful about strategic decisions," "brilliant at what he does," "a wonderful human being," and "my first call if I needed a lawyer in the white collar area" (Chambers USA).

Over the course of a distinguished two-decade career—including a tenure as a trial deputy in the Federal Defender's office—Michael has obtained favorable outcomes for individuals and entities at all stages of federal criminal proceedings. His recent successes include a declination of prosecution in a high-profile obstruction of justice investigation involving FDA regulations relating to COVID-19 testing, acquittals on federal money laundering and tax charges following a jury trial, a declination of prosecution following federal investigations regarding allegations of conspiring to tout securities without disclosing compensation, and the declination of all healthcare fraud charges against a physician, including the return of over a million dollars' worth of cash and assets seized by the government. A skilled appellate practitioner, Michael has also aided clients in overturning unjust rulings in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Before joining Cohen Williams, Michael was a partner at Boies Schiller Flexner LLP and a shareholder at Caldwell Leslie & Proctor PC, a highly regarded litigation boutique in Los Angeles. Prior to that, he served as a trial deputy in the Federal Defender’s Office, where he secured numerous acquittals at trial in cases charging bank robberies, drug trafficking, firearms offenses, and criminal threats against federal agents. He achieved a slate of victories through creative pre-trial motions and strategic plea negotiations, as well as on appeal, including in a published opinion in a habeas corpus case.