Jeffrey Rutherford

Jeffrey H. Rutherford, a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL), is recognized as one of the region’s top criminal and civil defense attorneys. His practice focuses on white collar criminal defense, complex civil litigation, and civil and criminal trial work.

Mr. Rutherford has represented individuals and entities in high-profile, high-stakes political corruption/public integrity, criminal antitrust, health care fraud, money laundering/Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), and civil and criminal False Claims Act/qui tam matters.

He also has represented individuals and entities in a wide array of other complex civil and white collar criminal litigation matters, including tax, securities, procurement fraud, entertainment, theft of trade secrets, campaign finance, off-label marketing, cybercrimes, and environmental crimes.

In addition, he has tackled matters involving conflicts of interest (Cal. Gov’t Code § 1090), the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) violations, and International Extradition and Financial Institutions Reform, and Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) proceedings.

Education:

• University of Minnesota Law School, J.D., 1995
  • Graduated with honors
  • Articles Editor, Minnesota Law Review
• University of Michigan, B.A., 1989

Representative Matters:

• Defended an international seafood company executive against criminal charges of importing and distributing mislabeled seafood products.
• Represented the regulatory affairs director of a medical device company in connection with an off-label marketing investigation.
• Represented a U.S. citizen in extradition proceedings involving allegations of attempted murder and assault charges in the Netherlands.
• Defended an international aerospace corporation in connection with a federal qui tam action. Obtained a complete defense verdict against the plaintiff’s claim for damages in excess of $1 billion for the client’s alleged fraudulent billing and retaliatory discharge.
• Represented a bank director in connection with a civil Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) investigation of alleged Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and money laundering violations.
• Defended multiple other individuals against allegations of bank fraud, wire fraud, and narcotics distribution, along with passing counterfeit instruments and money laundering.
• Represented the executive of an investment firm in connection with an investigation into the alleged of theft of trade secrets.
• Defended a high-profile public official and health care executive in litigation that was alleging charges of bribery, embezzlement, tax fraud, and conflict of interest.
• Represented the vice president of an investment advisory firm who was facing allegations of antitrust bid-rigging and fraud in connection with their bond investment work.
• Represented a recycling company in connection with a dispute regarding a criminal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) prosecution of a workplace fatality.
• Represented multiple physicians in connection with DOJ investigations and prosecutions of health care fraud and violations of the False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute.
• Represented a health care executive in connection with litigation regarding allegations of federal health care fraud and public corruption investigations.

Bar and Court Admissions:

• California, 1996
• U.S. District Courts
  • Central, Eastern, Northern, and Southern Districts of California
  • Western District of Michigan
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• U.S. Supreme Court