David H. Chao

Government Investigations & Enforcement

• Represented executive of a Chinese public company charged with theft of trade secrets. Obtained dismissal of all federal criminal charges.*
• Represented major pipeline operator and executives charged with environmental violations. Obtained dismissal of all criminal charges, including a judicial finding of factual innocence.*
• Represented pharmacist in $250 million healthcare fraud criminal prosecution.*
• Represented executive in multi-million enforcement action by Internal Revenue Service.*
• Conducted internal investigations on behalf of various corporate and non-profit clients relating to potential violations of federal and state laws.*
• Represented an immigration attorney charged with fraud by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission relating to his legal work on behalf of EB-5 visa applicants.*

Complex Civil Litigation

• Represented a major PVC-pipe manufacturer in civil RICO actions against plaintiffs’ firms alleged to have engaged in fraudulent asbestos litigation.*
• Represented a major consumer electronics company and won summary judgment on breach of contract claims.*
• Represented a major airline in trademark litigation and obtained a favorable settlement after defeating summary judgment.*
• Lead appellate counsel for former public school employee pursuing discrimination claims against largest school district in California. Argued and won appeal, reversing the dismissal of claims and prompting favorable settlement.*

Federal Prosecution Experience

• Obtained jury conviction of the owner of a healthcare enterprise that submitted $120 million in false claims for Lap-Band surgeries, resulting in a 7-year sentence.*
• Obtained jury conviction of the owner of a durable medical equipment company for a $24 million fraud scheme against Medicare and Medi-Cal, resulting in a 15-year sentence.*
• Obtained mid-trial guilty plea from the owner of a family planning clinic for submitting $5 million in fraudulent claims to Medi-Cal, resulting in a 10-year sentence.*
• Obtained conviction of pharmacy owner, marketers, and physician for conduct relating to scheme involving kickbacks and billings to Tricare for compounded medications.*
• Obtained conviction of mastermind of $650 million investor fraud involving sham Hollywood investments, the largest Ponzi scheme in the history of the Central District of California.*

*Denotes an attorney’s experience prior to joining Leech Tishman

California
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Court, District of Central California
U.S. District Court, District of Northern California

J.D., Yale Law School
A.B., magna cum laude, Harvard University

Mandarin

Buchalter LLP
United States Attorneys’ Office for the Central District of California
Bird, Marella, Boxer, Wolpert, Nessim, Drooks, Lincenberg & Rhow, P.C.
Irell & Manella LLP

Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association (Vice President)
Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Pro Bono Advisory Counsel (Past Member)

Super Lawyers
Rising Star, Southern California Super Lawyers Magazine (2015-2016)

Best Lawyers
Ones to Watch, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
(2024-2027), The Best Lawyers in America

Chambers USA
Member of Leech Tishman’s Healthcare Practice Group, ranked Band 5 for Healthcare in California, Chambers USA Guide (2026)

Additional Accolades
Pro Bono Advocate of the Year, Bet Tzedek (2016)
Pro Bono Award, Public Counsel Appellate Law Program (2015)

“California AG’s Aspen Dental Settlement Is a Warning Shot on the Urgency of Operationalizing CPOM Compliance” (2026)

“California Medicaid Deferral Signals More Aggressive Federal Scrutiny” (2026)

“The Frontier of FCA Enforcement: DOJ Launches New Initiative to Coordinate with Data Miner Whistleblowers” (2026)

“Bifurcated Review of Interpreter Determinations Under the Court Interpreters Act,” 10 Conn. Pub. Int. L.J. 171 (2010)