CHRISTINE ADAMS
PARTNER
[email protected]
213-408-4082
Christine Adams is a seasoned litigator who handles complex, high-stakes internal investigations, civil litigation, SEC investigations, and white collar matters. She brings wide-ranging experience across the public and private sectors to her work, including a distinguished tenure with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Known for her persistence and persuasive advocacy, Christine has helped individuals and entities—including Fortune 500 companies in the global media and entertainment, gaming, and banking industries—mount effective defenses against all types of civil and criminal claims. When finances, reputations, and livelihoods hang in the balance, clients rely on Christine for representation that delivers results.
During her 11 years as a federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, Christine compiled an undefeated record in jury trials. As Defense Contractor Fraud Coordinator for the Central District of California, she coordinated and directed investigations by federal law enforcement agencies throughout the Central District, including multiple investigations relating to Department of Defense contracts, aircraft testing, trade secrets, and corruption. Notably, she successfully prosecuted a major defense contractor for trade secrets violations in connection with launch services contracts worth billions of dollars, resulting in the largest criminal and civil penalties on record ever imposed on a defense contractor at the time for both the Department of Defense and NASA. Christine also served in the Government Fraud and Public Corruption and, subsequently, the Major Frauds sections of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where she specialized in complex fraud matters such as SEC investigations; tax, bank, and mortgage fraud; and environmental crimes. Her work for the U.S. Attorney’s Office earned commendations from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Army Criminal Investigation Command, Department of Justice’s Environmental Crimes Section, NASA Office of Inspector General, and Internal Revenue Service.
Christine’s success as an advocate stems from her strategic thinking, reputation for integrity, and inside-out knowledge of the federal justice system. Clients facing federal criminal charges—and the accompanying stressors—trust her to guide them through each stage of the process. Christine can step seamlessly into the prosecutorial mindset, anticipating the other side’s next move and crafting a proactive defense in response. At the same time, her credibility among government agents offers a significant advantage at the negotiating table, often resulting in declinations to prosecute, dismissed charges, and reduced sentences.
Christine also thrives on making the complex simple. Whether organizing scattered facts, breaking down expert-level technical concepts, or translating legal principles for a jury, she communicates the essential elements of a case through clear, confident storytelling. Her themes are trial-ready from the start, selected at the outset of the engagement to shape discovery efforts. She continues to develop these themes as the case progresses, strengthening the client’s negotiating position and maximizing their chances of securing a favorable outcome.
In the civil arena, Christine calls on her in-house experience at The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation to provide clients with commercially-minded counsel. Having sat on the other side of the table, she understands the importance of addressing business concerns—and answering to a variety of different stakeholders—when contending with potential litigation. In an uncertain regulatory landscape, Christine’s guidance remains straightforward, focused on charting a smooth path to resolution. With her solutions in hand, clients have overcome significant legal hurdles while protecting their market position and their operation’s future.
When allegations of misconduct arise, entities turn to Christine to mitigate the damage. She has conducted internal investigations for globally recognized companies and municipal entities, supplying findings that clarify complicated decision-making processes. Conscious of the intricacies of institutional dynamics, Christine balances discretion with quick, expeditious action. She works closely with stakeholders at every phase of the investigation—from gathering facts to reviewing evidence to coordinating witness interviews—to ensure that priorities and parameters are aligned. This approach enables her clients to effectively resolve crises, avoid regulatory scrutiny, and safeguard their reputations.
After leaving the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Christine served as Associate General Counsel for The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation. In that role, she advised and represented institutions, including The Broad Center (which trains leaders in public school education) and The Broad (a contemporary art museum) regarding various matters, including negotiations with public entities, litigation involving the museum, and sensitive investigations.
Before she became a federal prosecutor, Christine was a litigator at O’Melveny & Myers, where she defended against claims of securities fraud, antitrust violations, and white collar crimes.
Christine invests substantial time and effort into her communities. While at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, she served as an instructor in fraud training programs for federal prosecutors and for several law enforcement agencies. Currently, her roles include:
Women’s White Collar Defense Association, Thought Leadership Committee Co-Chair
Ninth Circuit Lawyer Representative for the Central District of California
Federal Bar Association, Los Angeles Chapter, Board Member and Programs Committee Member
Yale Law Fund Board, Nominations and Governance Committee Member
Yale Law School Executive Committee, Former Chair and President
The Industry (a nonprofit dedicated to creating and producing diverse and inclusive, site-specific art and music in Los Angeles), Past Chair and Current Member
EDUCATION
J.D., Yale Law School
Yale Law Journal, Symposium Editor
B.A., University of California, Santa Barbara
Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa
EXPERIENCE
The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and The Broad, Associate General Counsel
United States Attorney's Office, Central District of California, Assistant United States Attorney
O'Melveny & Myers, Litigation Associate
United States District Court, Honorable John G. Davies, Judicial Law Clerk
RECENT HONORS
Top White Collar Lawyer, Daily Journal (2025)
500 Leading Litigators in America, Lawdragon (2024, 2025)
-
Complex Commercial Litigation
Representing PetroSaudi Oil Services (Venezuela) Ltd. in a nine-figure federal forfeiture action stemming from allegations pertaining to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal (also known as the “1MDB” scandal) involving the prime minister of Malaysia and others in an alleged multibillion-dollar fraud that occurred in the early 2010s. PetroSaudi won a $380 million award in an international arbitration proceeding against a Venezuelan state energy company. However, the U.S. government sought forfeiture of the award (which is being held in receivership in the UK) on the grounds that it was derived from proceeds of the 1MDB scandal. We are currently fighting the United States in federal court for our client’s right to keep its arbitral award and to prevent the U.S. government, which is doing the bidding of the Malaysian government, from usurping our client’s funds, earned through legitimate oil drilling operations.
Representing Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna in a lawsuit brought against the County’s Civilian Oversight Commission (COC), which provides oversight of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD). As part of that oversight function, the COC requested confidential deputy records concerning deputies alleged to have committed various misdeeds. LASD refused to comply with the subpoenas, unsure whether state laws that keep most police personnel records secret would conflict with legal requirements to obey the commission’s subpoena. We filed a suit on behalf of LASD asking the court to declare the parties' respective rights and obligations with respect to the records. See press coverage from the L.A. Times.
Representing the County of Los Angeles in multiple cases involving allegations of civil rights violations, with approximately $50-100 million in potential liability per case. In these cases, the plaintiffs were convicted of murder and given lengthy prison sentences, which were later overturned. Now, they are suing the county and several of the investigating deputies for various civil rights violations.
Secured a winning ruling on behalf of a group of defendants—the County of Los Angeles, the City of Los Angeles, former L.A. County Deputy District Attorneys, and former law enforcement officers—in a case brought by an individual who was previously incarcerated for 41 years, including 32 years on death row. After the individual’s convictions were vacated in 2016, he brought multiple civil rights claims against our clients in the Central District of California, alleging they had violated his constitutional rights in investigating and prosecuting his convictions. In light of prior jury awards, our clients faced potential exposure of $80 million. We advocated on their behalf through multiple rounds of briefing, culminating in a motion to dismiss that was granted by the judge without leave to amend.
White Collar Defense & Government Investigations
Representing a Los Angeles deputy district attorney in an investigation by the California Attorney General’s Office that has resulted in numerous felony charges against the client’s supervisor.
Represented a witness in a federal bribery case associated with a Hawaii-based engineering and architectural firm. The government had subpoenaed the witness to testify at trial, which could have violated her Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination. When ADK informed the government that the client would assert her privilege, the government brought a motion to compel testimony. We opposed the motion and requested an ex parte hearing by the court to evaluate the validity of the witness’s assertion of the Fifth Amendment privilege. While the court granted our request for the ex parte hearing, the government ultimately declined to call our client to testify.
Represented the CFO of a Los Angeles company who was served with a target letter by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. We made a presentation to attorneys from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division, the Department of Justice Criminal Division Fraud Section, and the FBI. Not long after, the government informed us that they declined to bring criminal charges against our client.
Internal Investigations
Leading an investigation on behalf of an independent private school into allegations of an inappropriate teacher-student relationship in the high school and any reports of potential other related failures in the school’s historic and current systems.
Led an investigation into allegations of the State Bar of California’s former Deputy Executive Director’s improper administration of the State Bar’s Rule 2201 program from 2010-2015. This program governs the handling of allegations of attorney misconduct when the State Bar’s internal investigators may have a conflict of interest and provides for the appointment of external, independent investigators. The investigation report concluded that in various instances, the external investigations and reports lacked independence and were, in fact, “ghostwritten” by the former State Bar Deputy Executive Director. ADK investigated the allegations and issued a final report to the State Bar, which made the findings public.
Co-led an investigation on behalf of a nationally known public university system into allegations of racial and gender discrimination, retaliation, bullying, and abuse of authority.
Led dozens of investigations on behalf of a Fortune 500 company, including those with allegations of discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and a hostile work environment.
Led an investigation on behalf of the State Bar of California into an alleged conflict of interest concerning a former chair of the State Bar’s Board of Trustees.
Led multiple investigations on behalf of a Fortune 500 company concerning corporate governance and white collar matters.
Led multiple investigations on behalf of a leading global financial services company concerning whistleblower claims, discrimination, retaliation, and executive malfeasance.
Led multiple investigations on behalf of a global conglomerate in the beverage industry concerning allegations of racial discrimination, bullying, and abusive conduct in the workplace.
Led multiple investigations on behalf of a world-renowned university concerning allegations of fraud, discrimination, sexual harassment, and hostile work environment.