Bienert Katzman Littrell Williams LLP

09/03/2025

For the latest updates on Bienert Katzman Littrell Williams LLP, please visit our blog at bklwlaw.com/insights/ or follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/bklwlaw

08/18/2022

We’re proud to announce the inclusion of nearly three-quarters of our attorneys in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Additionally, partners Whitney Bernstein, Tony Bisconti, and John Littrell have been named “Lawyers of the Year” in Orange County for Criminal Defense: General Practice, Litigation – Bankruptcy, and Criminal Defense: White Collar, respectively.

Lawyers named to the respected lists are divided by geographic region and practice areas. BKLW attorneys were recognized for White Collar Criminal Defense, Commercial Litigation, Bankruptcy Litigation, and Insolvency and Reorganization Law.

See the full list here: https://bklwlaw.com/blog/bklw-demonstrates-excellence-as-11-attorneys-named-2023-best-lawyers-in-america/

08/10/2022

We're happy to announce that Sandra C. Lechman has joined BKLW as our newest associate attorney! Sandra is an accomplished trial and appellate lawyer who focuses on criminal defense.

“Sandra is a smart, experienced trial attorney, and we are thrilled to be able to offer clients her wealth of courtroom experience and zealous written and oral advocacy.” - BKLW Partner Whitney Bernstein

As a private practitioner and former trial lawyer for the Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc., Sandra has tried numerous felony and misdemeanor cases. She has represented clients charged with multimillion-dollar healthcare fraud conspiracies, other forms of fraud, arms dealing, cross-border smuggling, and other criminal offenses.

Read more about Sandra: https://bklwlaw.com/our-team/sandra-c-lechman-criminal-defense-attorney/

01/21/2022

We're proud to announce that five of our attorneys have been named to the 2022 Southern California list. Please help us in recognizing Thomas Bienert, Steven Katzman, John Littrell, Michael Williams, and Jim Riddet.

12/01/2021

Thanks to the outstanding advocacy of John Littrell, Ryan Fraser, and Elizabeth Garcia, the defense team secured for our client a sentence that is less than one-third the time prosecutors sought.

"[Our client is] a loving mother and devoted wife who has tirelessly supported not only her three children, but also her parents, mother-in-law, and sister," Ryan said. “Judge Wilson recognized this in his sentence...”

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/18/us/covid-relief-fraud-scheme-cec/index.html

11/04/2021

BKLW has ranked Tier 1 in four practice areas in the 2022 U.S. News - Best Lawyers® "Best Law Firms" list for Orange County: Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Litigation - Bankruptcy, and Bet-the-Company Litigation

This is the 12th year BKLW has achieved this recognition for professional excellence. Read more: https://bit.ly/3wul1bb

10/21/2021

Johnson & Johnson transferred its talc liability claims to a newly created subsidiary in North Carolina, then filed for Chapter 11 protection last week.

“This could be deemed a bad faith bankruptcy filing,” said BKLW Partner Steven Katzman, “but since it looks like they’ve funded the entity to pay for victim claims, Johnson & Johnson may be trying to mitigate the chances of dismissal.”

There is also potential venue shopping, Steve said. Johnson & Johnson is incorporated in several other states and incorporated the North Carolina entity the same week as seeking protection likely for purposes of availing themselves to what they perceive to be a better venue.

Johnson & Johnson on Thursday put into bankruptcy tens of thousands of legal claims alleging its Baby Powder and other talc-based products caused cancer, offloading the potential liabilities into a newly created subsidiary.

10/13/2021

Judge praises BKLW for securing misdemeanor deal for medical professional charged with ten felonies alleging insurance fraud. The client, who was facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution plus jail time, pled to two unrelated misdemeanors with summary probation and no jail time. Read more: https://buff.ly/3mMkP2f

10/08/2021

The Supreme Court returned to the bench this week. Keep an eye on United States v. Tsarnaev, which the Court will consider next Wednesday. The case looks, in part, at sentences being vacated on the grounds that potential jurors were not asked during jury selection about pretrial media coverage they had been exposed to.

This question is particularly important in highly publicized cases where jurors have likely been exposed to media reporting, which was an issue in United States v. Lacey et al during voir dire.

https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/united-states-v-tsarnaev/

07/20/2021

BKLW announces the addition of Alexis Federico. Alexis is a passionate litigator and appellate attorney experienced in complex civil litigation and criminal defense and investigations.

“Her inspirational background of service, experience making decisions during military operations, and extensive work in complex litigation make her a unique person from whom all of us can learn. She will be a terrific advocate for the firm’s clients.” - Partner Tom Bienert

Read more: https://bklwlaw.com/blog/bklw-newest-attorney-alexis-federico/

07/14/2021

New lawsuits for Google, Facebook, and Twitter mean growing problems for Big Tech. BKLW analyzes current antitrust and censorship actions, proposed legislation, and what it all means for our clients and Big Tech.

BKLW analyzes antitrust and free speech actions against Google, Facebook, and Twitter along with proposed legislation to see what it all means our clients’ interest and for the future of Big Tech.

06/10/2021

Partners Whitney Bernstein and Tony Bisconti have again been named Southern California Rising Stars by Super Lawyers for the second and seventh consecutive years, respectively. Read more about their selections: https://bklwlaw.com/blog/bklw-partners-whitney-bernstein-and-tony-bisconti-named-2021-rising-stars/