Stephen A. Mansfield
Partner Emeritus
- Expert legal consultant, Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group supporting Ukraine’s Office of the Prosecutor General.
- Defended companies, officers, directors and employees against Department of Justice (DOJ) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigations and prosecutions.
- Lead internal corporate investigations and defended against civil fraud claims and enforcement actions.
- Served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles for 11 years specializing in corruption prosecutions.
- Served as Head of U.N. War Crimes Investigations Unit for Rwanda.
Steve Mansfield retired from the partnership in 2019. An accomplished jury trial lawyer, he defended clients in a wide range of high stakes enforcement actions by the DOJ and SEC, as well as state and local prosecutions and enforcement agencies. He also served as managing partner of the San Francisco office for 16 years as well as a member of the firm’s Management Committee for 12 years.
A former federal prosecutor, Steve developed cost-effective, strategic compliance and defense plans of action based on his understanding of the inner workings of enforcement authorities. He persuaded the government to decline to bring charges and reached favorable results through agreement or trial.
- Serves as strategic advisor in joint initiative of the US, EU and UK supporting Ukraine authorities in the investigation and prosecution of war crimes and crimes against humanity arising from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
- Served as Head of the U.N. War Crimes Investigations Unit for Rwanda and successfully persuaded the U.N. to establish a war crimes tribunal for Rwanda. Currently provides strategic counsel to the Center for Justice and Accountability and Civitas Maxima in pending Liberian war crimes investigations and prosecutions.
- As lead defense counsel, won dozens of dismissals and prosecution declinations and the return of millions of dollars in improperly seized funds.
- Served as lead prosecutor in a complex finance fraud investigation that resulted in the conviction of a U.S. congressman, a campaign committee, a campaign treasurer and five multinational corporations.
- Defended clients in congressional investigations and testified before Senate Judiciary Committee regarding campaign finance fraud prosecutions.
EducationJ.D., University of Maine School of Law, 1982
B.A., University of Rhode Island, summa cum laude, 1977
J.D., University of Maine School of Law, 1982
B.A., University of Rhode Island, summa cum laude, 1977
ClerkshipsU.S. Court of Federal Claims
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Bar AdmissionsCalifornia
California
- Chambers USA, leading practitioner in Litigation: White Collar Crime and Government Investigations, 2007 to 2019.
- Who’s Who Legal 100, Business Crime Defense, 2014 and 2016.
- Who’s Who Legal—Compendium Edition, Business Crime Defense, 2017.
- Best Lawyers in America, Criminal Defense: White Collar, 2013 to 2019.
- Recipient, U.S. DOJ Director’s Award.
- Recipient, DOJ Special Achievement Award.
- Instructor, Rule of Law Programs, Lawyers Without Borders.
- Board member, Civitas Maxima, Geneva, Switzerland, bringing fugitive war criminals to justice.
- Advisory board member, Operation Encore, supporting veterans pursuing songwriting careers.
- Northern California Committee, Human Rights Watch.
- Rampart Independent Review Panel member investigating Los Angeles Police Department corruption.
- Former board member, Legal Aid Society of San Francisco.
- Former board member, Guide Dogs for the Blind.
