Mr. Ross has 32 years’ experience as a trial and appellate lawyer in federal and state court. He tried business, constitutional, employment, False Claims Act, partnership dispute and criminal cases. He argued successfully before the California Supreme Court and the California Courts of Appeal in precedent-setting cases involving unfair business practices, First Amendment rights, and the California Constitution.

Mr. Ross conducts internal investigations for corporations in the energy, healthcare, and banking industries and represents clients in connection with grand jury proceedings. He has defended criminal cases running the gamut from environmental, false claims, perjury, false statements, tax fraud and RICO, to grand theft, molestation and murder. His unfair business practice litigation includes the wine, banking and telecommunications industries. He defends False Claim Act and qui tam cases for mining and pharmaceutical companies and banks.

He is co-leader of the Corporate Investigations & White Collar Defense Practice Team and co-leader of the  Health Care Practice Team.

Mr. Ross has extensive experience in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and serves as a mediator for the United States District Court for the Northern District of California and the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District. He has been both a party and a neutral arbitrator in disputes involving telecommunications, healthcare, and real property.

Prior to joining Pillsbury, Mr. Ross was the President of the Friedman, Ross & Hersh, P.C. law firm and head of its litigation practice group. Mr. Ross was the 1997 President of the Bar Association of San Francisco, Lawyer Representative for the United States District Court for the Northern District of California to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference and has been involved in professional and civic activities throughout his career.

Education

J.D., Stanford Law School, 1975

A.B., University of Michigan, 1972
with high distinction, highest honors in History, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Eta Sigma, James B. Angell Scholar, University of Michigan Class Honors

University College London, University of London, 1970-1971

Admissions

State of California

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, U.S. Supreme Court

Affiliations

Lawyer Representative for the United States District Court for the Northern District of California to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, 1998 – 2001

Bar Association of San Francisco: President, 1997; Chair, Judicial Review Committee, 1989 – 1993; Member, Board of Directors, 1986 – 1988; Criminal Justice Advisory Council, 1978 – 1985; State Bar Conference of Delegates, 1979-1997; Executive Committee, 1981

National Association of Bar Presidents, Metropolitan Bar Caucus Executive Committee, 1995 - 1997

Bar Association of San Francisco Endowment: Treasurer, 1989; President, 1992 - 1993

San Francisco Barrister Club: President, 1983; Member, Board of Directors, 1981 – 1983

Awards

BTI Client Service All-Star Team for Law Firms, 2006
Named one of 134 attorneys nationwide

Bar Association of San Francisco Award of Merit, 1990 and 1998

Select Presentations

State Qui Tam Enforcement; ABA’s  6th Annual National Institute on Civil False Claims Act and Qui Tam Enforcement; Washington, D.C. June, 2006

Competing More Effectively Through Effective Corporate Compliance MCLE Marathon, San Francisco, January 2006

Sarbanes-Oxley: Applications for Financial Institutions, FBI Financial Institution Fraud Seminar, Los Angeles, 04-Mar-2004

Handling Governmental Investigations, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, January/March 2004

The Brave New World of Corporate Criminal Enforcement: Sarbanes-Oxley, San Francisco, 16-Jan-2003