Irell Adds Trial Lawyer Alex Romain

Irell & Manella LLP announced that leading national trial lawyer Alex Romain is joining the firm’s Los Angeles office as a partner in the Litigation practice group. With nearly 20 years of experience in high-stakes complex commercial litigation and white-collar criminal defense, he will focus his practice on trials, complex commercial litigation, and investigations.

“Alex has demonstrated himself to be an extraordinarily gifted trial lawyer with the capacity to handle the largest and most complex disputes. His clients admire his dedication to understanding their business and achieving outcomes that seem unreachable. We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome him to the firm’s partnership,” said David Gindler, Irell’s managing partner. “He’s a great fit to expand our already leading litigation practice, and his diverse skill set and background perfectly complement several other practice areas.”

Recognized as a Benchmark California Litigation Star, one of Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Lawyers in America,” one of Savoy Magazine’s “Most Influential Black Lawyers” and a Law360 “Minority Powerbroker,” Romain’s advocacy has led to exemplary results for his clients. He was a member of the trial team that exonerated the late Sen. Ted Stevens, playing a key role in pursuing the exculpatory evidence that ultimately led to the senator’s victory. The American Lawyer described his team’s work on the case as “one of the best criminal defense performances in memory, resulting in a heightened scrutiny of prosecutors that will affect the Justice Department for years to come.”

Among his other high-profile matters, Romain successfully represented the Baltimore Ravens in connection with the independent investigation conducted by former FBI Director Robert Mueller into the National Football League’s handling of the Ray Rice domestic violence controversy. As lead counsel, Romain represented a leading global professional services company in an $830 million malpractice lawsuit brought by the city of Houston in connection with the city’s $6.2 billion pension crisis. Romain successfully represented the former chairman and CEO of Fannie Mae against securities fraud claims in which the plaintiff sought more than $2 billion in damages, and the court awarded his client summary judgment on all counts. Romain has also defended individuals and corporations against allegations of bribery, campaign finance violations, obstruction of justice, bank fraud, environmental pollution, fraudulent misappropriation and attempted murder.

“Irell is one of the best law firms in this country,” Romain said. “Its lawyers are completely devoted to their clients and have achieved extraordinary results under the most challenging circumstances. They love being trial lawyers, as I do, and I am thrilled to join this team.”

Before joining Irell, Romain was a litigation partner at firms in Southern California and Washington, D.C. He clerked for the Hon. Sandra L. Lynch for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and the Hon. Reginald C. Lindsay of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Romain earned his J.D. from University of Michigan Law School, serving as executive notes editor of the Michigan Law Review, and his B.A. from Yale University. During law school, he worked at the Department of Justice in the Office of the Attorney General for Civil Rights, where he received the U.S. Attorney General’s Special Commendation Award for Outstanding Service.

Romain serves on the board of directors of the Alliance for Children’s Rights in Los Angeles, is a co-chair of American Bar Association White Collar Crime Section Diversity Subcommittee and is a member of the Entertainment Law Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association.