A former federal prosecutor, Jenna Williams handles complex commercial litigation and white collar defense and investigations.
Prior to rejoining Hueston Hennigan, Ms. Williams spent six years as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Criminal Division at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, where she represented the United States in criminal matters involving wire fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering, among others. She is an experienced trial lawyer, having brought five felony jury trials to verdict, ranging from wire fraud to drug trafficking. Additionally, during her time in the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force and the Transnational Organized Crime Section, Ms. Williams led complex, long-term investigations that resulted in indictments, including the prosecution of the founder and former board member of a company who defrauded lenders and investors out of $248 million, the prosecution of a defendant for securities fraud for making false statements in the promotion of stocks over Twitter, and the prosecution of a Chinese chemical company and its executives for shipping fentanyl precursors to the United States. These cases involved sophisticated financial investigation and the tracing and forfeiture of substantial assets, including cryptocurrency.
As a prosecutor, Ms. Williams also authored numerous appellate briefs and argued several appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, including briefing and argument for a complex appeal from a nearly month-long international drug trafficking and conspiracy trial.
Prior to serving as a federal prosecutor, Ms. Williams was an associate at Hueston Hennigan, where she handled a range of complex commercial litigation in state and federal court, and represented executives, individuals and public entities in federal investigations.
Experience
Served as co-lead prosecutor in a jury trial against an executive embezzling money from a business and individual victim, who was convicted of wire fraud.
Served as co-lead prosecutor into defendants involved in making false statements to lenders and investors, resulting in $248 million in losses to victims.
Served as co-lead prosecutor in a case charging a Chinese chemical company and its executives with conspiracy to manufacture fentanyl and other offenses for shipping fentanyl precursors to buyers in the United States. The case involved international tracing of assets, including cryptocurrency.
Served as co-lead prosecutor in an indictment charging 10 defendants related to a drug trafficking and money laundering organization involving over a hundred million dollars’ worth of drug proceeds.
Represented an airline company against a suit by a pilot for wrongful termination and defamation.
Represented the Internet Movie Database (IMDb.com) in a successful challenge to the constitutionality of a California statute restricting online speech. Obtained preliminary and permanent injunctions invalidating the statute. (See “California’s IMDb Age Censorship Law Declared Unconstitutional,” The Hollywood Reporter; “California can’t force IMDb to stop publishing actors’ ages, judge rules,” The Los Angeles Times).
Represented a major actuarial firm against claims of actuarial malpractice and negligent misrepresentation.
Represented individuals, executives, and public entities in federal investigations.