John Rice, a former federal prosecutor, represents both individuals and corporations in a wide range of complex white collar matters, including SEC enforcement actions, anti-money laundering and bank secrecy act compliance matters, and foreign corrupt practices act investigations.

Mr. Rice is an experienced litigator who has tried numerous cases to verdict, including dozens of federal jury trials, and argued cases before federal appellate courts. His practice focuses on white-collar criminal defense, internal investigations and complex civil litigation.

Before entering private practice, Mr. Rice spent more than 15 years with the U.S. Department of Justice, most recently as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of California specializing in public corruption cases. In addition to his work in the Southern District of California, he served in the organized crime and terrorism section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and served as branch chief for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern Mariana Islands. He has received numerous awards from various federal law enforcement organizations during his career.

Mr. Rice served a judicial clerkship with the Honorable Judith N. Keep, of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California from 1987 to 1988.

Representative Matters

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Defended executive in Anti-Money Laundering/Bank Secrecy Act investigation which led to declination of charges by the United States Department of Justice.
• Defended real estate investment fund and owners in multi-year Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation and secured a declination.
• Defended a doctor charged with narcotics trafficking and secured a dismissal of charges.
• Defended a doctor in multi-count felony insurance fraud and labor fraud case and obtained a reduction to a single misdemeanor charge.
• Defended an accountant in tax and currency structuring investigation.
• Defended financial professional in insider trading matter including trial.
• Defended medical testing lab in a multi-year criminal investigation that led to a declination of charges.
• Defended multiple doctors in Medicare, anti-kickback and drug distribution matters.
• Defended numerous individuals in SEC enforcement investigations.
• Defended company in FINRA matter.
• Defended individual in OCC enforcement action.
• Defended targets in cryptocurrency investigations.
• Defended company in investigation involving the DOJ, FDA and Customs.
• Defended individual in insider trading and foreign corrupt practices investigation.
• Represented individual witnesses in criminal antitrust trial.
• Represented individuals and class members in complex securities litigation.
• Conducted internal investigation involving allegations of theft of intellectual property and unfair competition.
• Represented company in employee and contractual dispute and related arbitration.
• Represented family and estate in civil rights action.
• Represented private detention facility related to individual and class action claims.
• Represented companies in various civil litigation.

Teaching

• University of San Diego School of Law, Federal Criminal Law
• Lecturer, various law enforcement and corporate governance seminars

PUBLICATIONS

• FamilyLawyerMagazine.com, Child Abduction Cases Under the Hague Convention, July 31, 2018