M. Anthony "Tony" Brown

Tony Brown has represented corporations, boards of directors, management, and individuals in connection with a broad range of white-collar criminal prosecutions, government investigations, enforcement actions, administrative proceedings, and internal investigations arising from whistle-blower complaints.

With hospital systems in particular, Tony has investigated and defended against allegations by federal and state agencies of financial mismanagement; violations of the False Claims Act, the Anti-Kickback Statute, and the Stark Law; and the unlicensed practice of medicine occurring at ambulatory surgical centers.

Tony has also handled a broad range of civil litigation in both state and federal court, as well as numerous appeals before the Ninth Circuit, the California Supreme Court, and the California Courts of Appeal.

Tony’s recent representations include:

• Multiple students in university disciplinary proceedings, including in matters related to the “Varsity Blues” college admissions prosecution.
• A client charged with healthcare fraud and violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute based on allegations of unlawful marketing for a pharmacy.
• A private university in ICE proceedings to withdraw the school’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification.
• A company and its CEO embroiled in civil contempt proceedings arising from an FTC enforcement action.
• Recovery homes and treatment facilities being investigated for violations of the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act of 2018 (“EKRA”).

Tony’s wide-ranging experience in both civil and criminal matters, at both the trial and appellate stages, makes him a uniquely qualified trial attorney, trial consultant, appellate advocate, and advisor for clients and their businesses.

Before entering private practice, Tony served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California for seven years. During his time as a federal prosecutor, Tony investigated and tried cases involving mail fraud, wire fraud, and bank fraud, drug trafficking, human trafficking, child sexual exploitation, and violent crimes. Tony also handled close to 50 criminal appeals and ten oral arguments before the Ninth Circuit, including the only appeal from a federal death penalty conviction in the history of the Central District of California.

Tony received his J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law. He clerked for the Hon. James R. Browning of the Ninth Circuit. Before embarking on his legal career, Tony completed a Ph.D. in English at Berkeley and taught Expository Writing at Harvard University.