Thomas S. Brown is of counsel with Foley & Lardner LLP where he counsels and defends clients facing potentially damaging penalties in such areas as international business, securities, antitrust, and health care. He also represents companies and individuals facing potential criminal liability in both state and federal courts, as well as in administrative adjudications and in regulatory investigations and hearings. Mr. Brown’s practice also focuses on complex civil litigation and he has experience defending class actions in matters related to the health care and financial services industries. Mr. Brown is a member of the firm’s Government Enforcement, Compliance & White Collar Defense Practice.
Before entering private practice, Mr. Brown worked for the Marin County District Attorney’s Office where he prosecuted more than 50 jury trials to verdict and prepared over 200 cases for jury trial. His experience includes felony prosecutions of high-profile criminal cases and civil litigation in the areas of consumer protection, insurance fraud and asset forfeiture.
As a consumer protection deputy, Mr. Brown investigated and litigated unfair business practices, false advertising, environmental abuse, the Brown Act, and public corruption cases. Mr. Brown also investigated and prosecuted over 50 insurance fraud cases in coordination with insurance companies and their special investigations units as an insurance fraud deputy. In addition, as an asset forfeiture deputy he negotiated settlements and secured seizure orders in civil asset forfeiture proceedings.
Mr. Brown also served as a felony department trial team coordinator where he managed a trial team specializing in prosecuting serious and violent offenses. He presented cases to criminal grand juries, reviewed law enforcement and investigative reports to determine whether prosecution was warranted, and served as a liaison to local law enforcement agencies.
Mr. Brown earned his law degree from the University of San Francisco, School of Law (J.D., 1995) where he was literary editor for the U.S.F. Maritime Law Journal and participated in the National Admiralty Moot Court Competition. He received his bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley (B.A., 1990).
Mr. Brown is admitted to practice in California and before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Northern, Central and Eastern Districts for the United States District Court of California. He is a member of the Marin County Bar Association and the San Francisco Bar Association. He was also a member of the California Deputy District Attorneys Association (1996 - 2012) where he served on both the Asset Forfeiture and Insurance Fraud Committees.
As an instructor, Mr. Brown presided over mock trials for Psychiatry and the Law at the University of California (2009) and the Marin County Moot Court Competition (2008 – 2009).
Published cases where Mr. Brown was trial counsel:
- People v. Nishi 2012 DJDAR 9687
- People v. Stuart (2007) 156 Cal.App.4th 165
Cases affirmed on appeal:
- People v. Flowers, First Appellate District, Court of Appeals, Case No. A129473 (2012)
- People v. James, First Appellate District, Court of Appeals, Case No. A127534 (2011)
- People v. Lagomarsino, First Appellate District, Court of Appeals, Case No. A122121 (2010)
- People v. Artieres, First Appellate District, Court of Appeals, Case No. A117922 (2008)
- People v. Lewis, First Appellate District, Court of Appeals, Case No. A115107 (2007)
Publications:
- “Skilled or unskilled nursing: Feds ramp up investigations, prosecutions," Long Term Living (2013)
- “A Tale of Snakes, Guns & Money,” CDAA Asset Forfeiture Training Bulletin (2002)
- “Investigation of Insurance Fraud,” Marin Law Enforcement Newsletter (2002)
- “Guide to Seizure and Initiation of Asset Forfeiture Proceedings,” Marin Law Enforcement Newsletter (2000)