Joshua M. Robbins
Partner
Overview
Josh Robbins is a first-chair trial lawyer and former federal prosecutor who represents clients in high-stakes fraud litigation and investigations, primarily in the health care and life science industries. He has been lead counsel in dozens of trials and arbitrations, dozens of appeals, and hundreds of investigations, acting for both plaintiffs and defendants in federal and state courts and in domestic and international arbitrations, and involving subject matter ranging from health care fraud to antitrust to patents.
Career & Education
- U.S. District Court in the Central District of CaliforniaAssistant U.S. Attorney, 2009–2016
- U.S. District Court in the Central District of California
Professional Activities and Memberships
- Instructor on Trial Advocacy, U.C. Irvine Law School
- Expert witness on health care anti-kickback law
- Harvard Law School, J.D., cum laude, 2004
- Tufts University, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, M.A.L.D., 2004
- Harvard College, A.B., magna cum laude, Awarded the John Harvard Scholarship, 1999
- California
- District of Columbia
- New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
- Law clerk for the Honorable Stanley Marcus of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- President, Harvard Law School Association of Orange County
- Member, Merit Selection Panel, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- Ninth Circuit Lawyer Representative
- Volunteer Judge, U.C. Irvine Law School Moot Court Competition
- Spanish
Josh is an exceptional attorney. He combines an extraordinarily brilliant legal mind and sharp analytical skills with remarkable ability to tailor his approach to meet the specific needs of clients.
— Chambers Guide to the USA, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations respondent, 2025
Representative Matters
Business Trials
- Obtained complete defense jury verdict for multinational water attraction manufacturer in $200 million federal antitrust and RICO lawsuit; named by the Daily Journal as one of California’s Top Defense Verdicts of the year.
- Obtained complete defense jury verdict and affirmance on appeal for behavioral health company in bet-the-company whistleblower retaliation lawsuit alleging termination for reporting fraud.
- Obtained complete defense win and complete win on counterclaims (with attorney fees) in international arbitration involving cross-border biotech licensing agreement.
- Obtained complete defense award (with attorney fees) for auto dealership executive in multi-million-dollar arbitration against leading national dealership chain.
- Obtained complete claimant award (with attorney fees) for multinational technology company in international arbitration against Pakistan contractor regarding theft of trade secrets, breach of contract, and employee raiding scheme.
- Obtained favorable defense jury verdict and dismissal of 96% of claims in patent lawsuit between world’s largest waterslide manufacturers.
- Defended semiconductor company in arbitration relating to sales representative agreement.
Civil RICO, Fraud, and Antitrust
- Defended telecom startup in RICO and fraud lawsuit brought by major international telecom provider.
- Obtained favorable settlement for health care network as plaintiff in antitrust lawsuit against major competitor.
- Represented sports equipment retailer in RICO and fraud lawsuit against resellers
- Represented plaintiff in RICO lawsuit against global religious organization for human trafficking and forced labor violations.
- Represented plaintiffs in RICO lawsuit against city government and officials for public corruption in municipal real estate transaction.
- Represented major national marketing company as plaintiff in $100 million arbitration involving fraud in M&A transaction.
- Defended artificial intelligence company in RICO and computer fraud lawsuit regarding alleged hacking and harassment campaign against opposing counsel in patent litigation.
- Represented Maltese investment company as claimant in $200 million international arbitration against the government of Austria involving allegations of money laundering.
Government Investigations and Enforcement
- Defended one of the nation’s largest COVID-19 testing services companies, which was raided by federal agents in a high-profile DOJ investigation covered by national press, as well as related state Attorney General enforcement actions, involving allegations of over $150 million in fraudulent testing claims.
- Defended a major northern California government contractor in a high-profile DOJ public corruption investigation.
- Defended a national behavioral health care provider, which was raided by federal agents in a high-profile DOJ investigation, involving allegations of more than $80 million in kickbacks and fraudulent claims.
- Defended the former CEO of a leading international environmental services company in a DOJ investigation, involving allegations of fraud and FCPA violations.
- Defended a national medical supply company in a DOJ investigation, involving allegations of kickbacks and fraudulent claims.
- Defended the CEO of a national diagnostic laboratory in a DOJ investigation, involving allegations of more than $150 million in kickbacks and fraudulent claims.
- Defended the CEO of a California-based COVID-19 testing services company in a DOJ investigation, involving allegations of more than $75 million in fraudulent claims.
- Defended the former CEO of a lobbying organization in a DOJ investigation, involving allegations of fraud, tax evasion, and public corruption.
- Defended a behavioral health company in investigation by a state attorney general, involving allegations of kickbacks and fraudulent claims.
- Defended the COO of an auto equipment importer in a DOJ investigation, involving allegations of customs fraud.
Recognition
- Chambers USA, Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations, 2025
- The Los Angeles Business Journal, Leader of Influence: Litigators & Trial Lawyers, 2025
- Benchmark Litigation, Litigation Star, 2022 - 2026
- Daily Journal, Top Defense Verdict of the Year, 2024
- Daily Journal, Top White-Collar Lawyers, 2021 - 2023
- Best Lawyers in America, Criminal Defense: White Collar, 2022 - 2026
- U.S. Department of Justice’s Director’s Award for Superior Performance, 2015
