James Bowman

James A. Bowman is a skilled litigator with experience trying cases involving complex financial crimes, including securities fraud, health care fraud, money laundering, tax evasion, and art theft. Jim is a former federal prosecutor who served as a Deputy Chief in the Major Frauds Section and as the Securities Fraud Coordinator in the US Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles.

During his eight years as a federal prosecutor, Jim served as the lead prosecution in numerous high-profile cases, tried several cases as lead counsel, and argued numerous appeals.

Jim also supervised a team of prosecutors in the Major Frauds Section (one of the largest white collar prosecution units in the country), and oversaw the investigation and prosecution of dozens of cases in the Section. He also served as a mentor to several new prosecutors during trial.

Jim received awards from the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Los Angeles Police Department, and other federal and local agencies. He also received the USDepartment of Justice’s prestigious Director’s Award for Superior Performance, which was presented by the Attorney General at a ceremony in Washington, DC in 2012.

Before becoming a federal prosecutor, Jim spent six years as an associate and counsel at O’Melveny, where he worked on complex civil litigation and white collar criminal defense.

Education :

• University of California at Los Angeles, J.D., 2000: Order of the Coif; Managing Editor, UCLA Law Review
• Stanford University, B.A., Political Science, 1995

Admissions : California

Professional Activities : Hon. Irma E. Gonzalez, US District Court, Southern District of California.

Experience :

• Prosecution of an insider trading ring that illegally generated more than $3 million in profits. All five defendants were convicted and sentenced to federal prison.
• Prosecution of con artist, dubbed the “Hispanic Madoff,” who carried out a predatory fraud scheme that defrauded hundreds of families out of more than $40 million. Defendant was convicted after trial and sentenced to 22 years in prison.
• Investigation involving largest art heist in Los Angeles history. Oversaw sting operation that led to the recovery of paintings worth more than $10 million.
• Represented former CEOs in stock options investigations by the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission.
• Represented a developmentally-disabled prisoner serving a life sentence for murder. Drafted and argued habeas petition that resulted in published opinion vacating client’s sentence and remanding case for a new trial. (Holguin v. Harrison, 399 F.Supp.2d 1052 (N.D. Cal. 2005).)