Profile

Sara O'Connell

Partner,
Zhong Lun

My Contact Information

Zhong Lun
1717 Kettner Blvd.
Suite 200
San Diego, CA
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Chapter Location

San Diego

WWCDA Leadership & Committee Roles

Chapter Secretary, Chapter Social Media Coordinator

Bio

Admission & Qualifications

California Bar No. 238328, admitted 2005

U.S. District Courts: Southern District of California; Central District of California; Northern District of California; Eastern District of Texas

U.S. Courts of Appeal: Ninth Circuit; Federal Circuit

Education

Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., May 2005

Boston University, B.A., magna cum laude, May 1997

Representative Matters

Guided multiple corporations navigating internal and government investigations, including potential violations of False Claims Act (FCA), Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and federal securities laws.

USA v. Leonard Glenn Francis, 13‐cr‐03782 (S.D. Cal.). Post‐indictment representation of defendant charged with bribery and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Related indictments of 32 U.S. Navy officers and personnel have resulted in 22 guilty pleas thus far.

Negotiated favorable settlement with SEC on behalf of biotech executive in case alleging insider trading. (S.D. Cal.)

Represented executive witness in DOJ investigation of alleged fraud regarding national health insurer coding and payments. (C.D. Cal.)

United States of America, ex. rel. Javier Lim v. Salient Federal Solutions, Inc., Salient CRGT Holdings, Inc., and DOES 1-100, 16CV740-GPC-AGS (S.D. Cal.). Represented defendant in case regarding FCA claims; favorable resolution achieved.

Receiver v. Catipays, 17CV4347 (C.D. Cal.). Represented Court-Appointed Receiver for PLCMGMT LLC dba Prometheus Law in civil cases stemming from FTC fraud charges.

USA v. Kaplan, 13‐cr‐00377 (D. Nev.). Represented pharmaceutical company in trial regarding conspiracy to commit adulteration with intent to defraud. 

Other Distinctions

2017 “Best of the Bar” by San Diego Business Journal

2019 Wiley W. Manuel Award

Publications

Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Criminal Prosecution of Federal Trade Secret Theft” (Oct. 2019)

Law360, “5 Takeaways from DOJ on Chinese Trade Secret Theft” (July 2019)

Speaker, “Criminal Prosecution of Trade Secret Theft” at Pillsbury’s CLE Marathons in Taipei City, Taiwan and Shenzhen, China (March 2019); Los Angeles and San Diego (Jan. 2019)

Law360, “Pros and Cons of California’s New Corporate Blockchain Law” (Oct. 2018)

Pillsbury Blog: “Artificial Intelligence and Money Laundering: Would AI Catch Marty Byrde?” (Dec. 2018); “Trade Secrets and Theft by Steganography” (May 2019);

Prior Experience

Adjunct Professor, University of San Diego School of Law (2017 – Present)

Litigation Associate, Covington & Burling LLP (2012 – 2016)

Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice (2008 – 2012)

Litigation Associate, Morrison & Foerster LLP (2005 – 2008)

Communications Director, U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee (1998 – 2005)

Practice Areas

  • Anti-Corruption
  • Compliance Counseling
  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
  • Government Investigations
  • Insider Trading
  • Internal Investigations
  • Privacy, Data Security and Information Law
  • SEC Enforcement
  • Trade Secrets
  • White Collar Crime

Law or Graduate School Name

  • Georgetown University Law Center

Law or Graduate School Year

  • 2005