Bingham hires Nathan Hochman from Department of Justice
Hochman was the assistant attorney general in charge of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division. As head of the Tax Division, Hochman oversaw the largest tax-litigation body in the country and managed the Tax Division’s $93 million budget. He actively participated in the prosecution of the Tax Division’s most important matters and was part of the government sentencing team in the United States v. Wesley Snipes case, which resulted in Snipes receiving a three-year sentence on three tax convictions. While in private practice, Hochman successfully defended an attorney involved in the high-profile celebrity wire-tapping Anthony Pellicano case, resulting in no criminal or civil charges against the attorney.
“Nathan’s arrival underscores our commitment to strengthening our nationally recognized litigation team and our continuing commitment to building Bingham’s presence in California,” said Bingham chairman Jay Zimmerman. “He’s a great addition to the firm.”
Rick Welch, Bingham’s Southern California managing partner, noted Hochman’s strong ties to the local, regional and national legal communities. “Nathan’s background and deep roots in Los Angeles make him the perfect complement to our strong Southern California litigation group,” said Welch.
Bingham Santa Monica partner Marshall Grossman noted Hochman’s distinguished career both in the private and public sectors as well as his reputation in court.
“Nathan’s outstanding trial and appellate experience will add great value and considerable experience to our regulatory, white-collar and complex litigation practices,” said Grossman. “I have known Nathan and his family for many years, and am delighted that he has joined our litigation team.”
Hochman has been active in the Los Angeles legal and philanthropic community for more than two decades. He has extensive experience with civil and criminal tax litigation matters as well as a wide range of white-collar, regulatory, internal investigation and administrative matters. He was a principal at Hochman, Salkin, Rettig, Toscher & Perez, P.C. from 1997 to 2008. He was an assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles from 1990 to 1997, where he prosecuted more than 180 federal white-collar cases, tried more than 20 jury trials, argued more than 20 appellate cases, conducted more than 30 complex grand jury investigations, and ran the Los Angeles Disaster Fraud Task Force.
Bingham’s national strength and litigation prowess — both in Southern California and nationwide — were key factors for Hochman in selecting Bingham.
“Bingham has an outstanding complex litigation practice and a deep bench of litigators across the country,” Hochman said. “I hope to play a critical role in growing the complex litigation and white collar criminal defense practices, as well as broadening the firm’s practice in tax controversy litigation.”
Hochman received his J.D. in 1988, with distinction, from Stanford Law School, and received his bachelor’s degree from Brown University in 1985, magna cum laude. He clerked for U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson in Los Angeles. He is admitted to practice in the state of California; in the Central, Southern, Eastern and Northern United States District Courts of California; in the Ninth Circuit, Second Circuit and D.C. Court of Appeals; in Tax Court; and in the Supreme Court of the United States.[/private]