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Stephanie Yonekura

Stephanie Yonekura

Partner
Los Angeles

Email [email protected]​hoganlovells.com

Phone +1 310 785 4668

Fax +1 310 785 4601

LanguagesEnglish

Practice groupLitigation, Arbitration, and Employment

"Stephanie is excellent at conducting white-collar investigations, particularly those involving high-profile or sensitive matters."

Chambers USA

Global head of the Investigations, White Collar, and Fraud practice, Stephanie Yonekura brings a unique perspective to any internal investigation. Having served as the Acting U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles, Stephanie knows the hot-button issues that are considered in every stage of any government investigation.

As the Acting U.S. Attorney of the largest office outside of Washington, D.C., Stephanie was an active participant in the larger Department of Justice community, serving on nationwide committees on white collar fraud, cybercrime, and intellectual property. Stephanie interacted with corporations when they were under investigation as well as when they were victims of crimes.

Stephanie worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and various inspectors general as a prosecutor for more than 14 years, on issues including financial institution fraud, government fraud, securities fraud, and cybercrime. She developed a strong reputation with the court, defense counsel, and investigating agencies for digging into the facts and collaborating with law enforcement agencies and victims. She was also known for her ability to streamline investigations and make fair and equitable charging and sentencing decisions. In the courtroom, Stephanie exudes confidence, knowledge, and integrity.

In private practice, Stephanie uses her extensive experience in the trenches, in the courtroom, and as the chief law enforcement officer in Los Angeles to help clients understand the key issues and investigate matters strategically and surgically.

Awards and recognitions

2019-2022

Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (California)
Chambers USA

2022

Top 100 Lawyers
Los Angeles Business Journal

2020

Leaders of Influence: Top Litigators and Trial Lawyers
Los Angeles Business Journal

2021

Top 100 Women in Investigations
Global Investigations Review

2021

International Litigation, Recommended
Legal 500 US

Education and admissions

Education

J.D., University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, 1996

B.A. Political Science, magna cum laude, University of California, Los Angeles, 1992

Memberships

Board Member, Library Foundation of Los Angeles, 2016

Board Member, Japanese American Bar Association, 2015-2016

Member, Los Angeles Police Commission's Advisory Committee

Bar admissions and qualifications

California

Related industries

Financial Institutions Life Sciences and Health Care Technology and Telecoms Sports, Media and Entertainment

Related practices

Gaming Law Investigations, White Collar, and Fraud Litigation Services Privacy and Cybersecurity Crisis Leadership Team

Related areas of focus

Bribery and Corruption Financial Services Regulatory Investigations and Enforcement Anti-money Laundering False Claims Act and Qui Tam Risk Management, Governance, and Compliance Breach Preparedness, Response, Investigation, and Communications Esports and Gaming Media and Entertainment Sports State Attorneys General

Representative experience

Represented a tech company in a False Claims Act case and advocated for DOJ and California not to intervene. The court dismissed the case with prejudice and awarded attorney's fees.

Conducted an internal investigation for a food company involving potential Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations in Thailand.

Represented a casino in an anti-money laundering investigation by DOJ.

Conducted an internal investigation for a Fortune 500 company involving potential FCPA violations in the United Arab Emirates.

Represented a Fortune 500 health care company in arbitration contract dispute. Obtained judgment in client's favor and award of attorney's fees.

Represented a software developer in connection with alleged fraud scheme investigation by DOJ.

Represented a university in connection with a National Science Foundation - Office of Inspector General (NSF-OIG) and DOJ investigation relating to alleged grant fraud.

Conducted an internal investigation for a university relating to alleged health care fraud violations.

Represented a medical device company in a U.S Food and Drug Administration and OIG investigation.

Represented a Fortune 500 life sciences company in connection with a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) insider trading investigation.

Represented a Fortune 50 health care company in connection with DOJ health care fraud investigation.

Represented a private investment firm in connection with an SEC fraud investigation.

Advised media companies on cybersecurity incident response preparation and planning.

Oversaw a DOJ investigation of the hacking of one of the world's largest entertainment companies reportedly by a foreign government.

Supervised a DOJ residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) investigation into a major financial institution, resulting in a record billion-dollar settlement.

Oversaw a DOJ investigation of a national rating agency's rating of RMBS and collateralized debt obligations leading to a multimillion-dollar settlement.

Authorized every qui tam intervention decision in Los Angeles as Acting U.S. Attorney and First Assistant U.S. Attorney.

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