April 14, 2025 – Buchalter is pleased to announce that Ashwin J. Ram, one of the country’s leading defense attorneys and a former federal prosecutor, has joined the firm as a shareholder in its White Collar and Investigations and Litigation groups in Los Angeles. Ram brings with him a team of experienced attorneys— David Chao, Sonja Arndt-Johnson, and Evan Goldstick—which will enhance Buchalter’s capabilities in white collar defense, investigations, and high-stakes disputes.
“Ashwin has earned a national reputation as one of the most dynamic, effective and creative defense attorneys – someone that you want by your side when the chips are down,” said Adam Bass, President and Chief Executive Officer of Buchalter. “Ashwin brings with him a uniquely experienced and talented team that will add to the capabilities of our firm.”
Ram has nearly two decades of experience as a seasoned trial lawyer and legal strategist representing both corporate and individual clients in complex criminal, civil, and regulatory matters. His practice features high-stakes disputes, typically with a fraud or RICO component, including securities litigation, class actions, False Claims Act matters, and “bet-the-company” litigation. He also advises on crisis management, corporate governance, and regulatory compliance. As a former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Major Frauds Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles, he handled high-profile investigations, including “Operation Spinal Cap,” one of the largest healthcare fraud cases in California history.
Ram and his team’s recent high-profile representations include: America’s largest plastics and PVC pipe manufacturer in RICO and fraud litigation in the Northern District of Illinois; Vertex Energy in a series of securities class actions and shareholder derivative lawsuits in Texas, Alabama, and Nevada following the company’s acquisition of a Shell refinery; a high-profile and first-of-its-kind criminal expatriation tax case based solely on alleged Bitcoin holdings; a mineral extractives company in connection with DOJ, Congressional, and SEC inquiries, as well as a securities class action following the public release of surreptitious recordings dubbed the “Pebble Tapes”; and an international vape and lifestyle company and certain executives in an SEC enforcement proceeding in New York and a criminal indictment in Los Angeles.
“Buchalter’s platform, culture, and aggressive plans for growth are a perfect fit for our team as we continue to grow our national practice from our home base in California,” Ram said. “The move is additive to client relationships across the board and, with the addition of our team, Buchalter boasts a ‘Top 3’ White Collar and Investigations practice in California, with a bench of approximately a dozen former AUSAs.” “The Firm’s strategic expansion and overall growth strategy will allow for zero conflicts on existing and expected new client matters. We’re looking forward to continuing to lead the pack in representing clients in white collar investigations and high-stakes litigation.”
Also joining the Firm is Sonja Arndt-Johnson, who will operate out of the firm’s San Francisco office. Arndt-Johnson spent the past three years in private practice after serving with the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., where she worked at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Office of International Affairs (OIA), and the Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS). Arndt-Johnson has handled complex litigation and internal investigations, mediated with both private and governmental entities (including DOJ, SEC, IRS, FTC, DOD, and OII with the IMF), and brought more than a dozen trials to verdict. Arndt-Johnson also has significant experience advising corporations on data privacy and breach response, having completed a secondment at a Fortune 500 company. Her work includes defending companies and individuals facing fraud, money laundering, wiretap, RICO, CPRA/CCPA allegations, and more.
Chao joins the Firm from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, where he served for more than seven years, most recently as a Deputy Chief. As a member of the Major Frauds section, Chao specialized in investigating and prosecuting healthcare fraud, securities fraud, and procurement fraud. He prosecuted the largest Ponzi scheme in Hollywood history and recently completed a trio of jury trials involving health care fraud claims of approximately $150 million.
Goldstick maintains a broad-based commercial litigation practice, representing public and private companies in state and federal courts. His experience includes antitrust and securities matters, as well as civil class actions. He has also handled white collar criminal defense work and internal investigations. In his active pro bono practice, he has previously represented a successful habeas corpus petitioner and tenants in a housing action.
Later this month, the group will welcome former Senior Assistant Attorney General Daniel Pietragallo in Denver. His arrival underscores the group’s continued momentum and its strategic expansion into key markets nationwide.
Buchalter’s White Collar & Investigations group has quickly developed into a nationally recognized practice. The team now includes 11 former federal prosecutors, along with former SEC attorneys, state attorney general attorneys, prosecutors, and industry compliance professionals. The group is known for its government experience, in-depth knowledge, sound judgment, and ability to handle high-stakes matters with discretion and skill.
“The addition of Ashwin and his team deepens our White Collar Group’s bench as they handle the most sensitive and sophisticated investigations and prosecutions our clients face,” added Bass. “Their collective knowledge and courtroom experience are a great fit for our nationally recognized practice.”
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Buchalter is a full-service business law firm representing local, regional, national, and international clients in a multitude of practice areas and their subspecialties, among them: Bank and Finance, Corporate, Health Care, Litigation, Insolvency and Financial Law, Intellectual Property, Labor and Employment, Real Estate, and Tax and Estate Planning. Buchalter has approximately 550 attorneys with offices in California, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, and Washington. For more information about the firm, visit: buchalter.com.
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