Jeffrey Tsai > DLA Piper LLP (US) > San Francisco, United States > Lawyer Profile

DLA Piper LLP (US)
555 MISSION STREET, SUITE 2400
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105-2933
CALIFORNIA
United States

Work Department

Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations; State Attorneys General; White Collar and Corporate Crime

Position

Partner; Managing Partner, San Francisco Office; Co-Chair, State AG Group

Career

Jeff Tsai is a leading attorney in criminal and civil enforcement matters brought by state and federal regulators. He is the managing partner of the firm’s San Francisco office.

As co-chair of DLA Piper’s State Attorneys General practice, Jeff is nationally recognized by Chambers and Partners. He represents companies subject to investigative scrutiny by individual and multistate attorneys general and related federal regulators such as the Federal Trade Commission. Jeff’s matters have focused on issues ranging from consumer protection (unfair/deceptive trade practices) to antitrust to healthcare. His clients cover industries that have been the subject of recent state attorney general enforcement, including e-commerce, fintech, daily fantasy sports, travel/hospitality, and online higher education.

Jeff also actively defends white-collar matters in investigations and trials, including representations involving trade secret theft and economic espionage, complex frauds, and public corruption. He has tried more than 20 federal trials, including the prosecution of former US Senator John Edwards for violations of federal campaign finance laws in connection with his 2008 primary campaign for president and another prosecution that became the subject of a non-fiction book and television documentary program. Jeff served as first-chair counsel in one of the few federal criminal trade secret prosecutions to proceed to trial in the United States.

Jeff was a special assistant attorney general of California and principal advisor to former Attorney General Kamala D. Harris on issues related to criminal justice, corporate accountability, and intellectual property enforcement. He also supervised high-profile enforcement actions involving California’s False Claims Act, Unfair Competition Law, environmental regulations, and campaign finance laws.

In the federal government, Jeff served as a federal prosecutor and senior policy official at a US Attorney’s Office, as well as at Main Justice in Washington.

Jeff is frequently called upon for legal commentary and analysis, and he has been featured on news networks such as CNN and MSNBC.

Memberships

Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law, University of Texas at Austin, Senior Fellow (Former)

Education

J.D., Georgetown University; B.A., University of Texas at Austin

Lawyer Rankings

United States > Government > State attorneys general

(Next Generation Partners)

Jeffrey Tsai – DLA Piper LLP (US)

With a team of experienced lawyers and former elected officials, DLA Piper LLP (US) launched its state attorneys general practice in May 2021 under the leadership of San Francisco-based Jeffrey Tsai  and Scott Wilson in New York. With strong national coverage, the group is especially skilled at handling investigations and lawsuits in key areas such as environmental law, consumer protection, crypto and antitrust. Tsai is the key contact for multistate investigations and enforcement actions on issues related to unfair trade practices, antitrust and healthcare. Wilson is experienced in representing Fortune 100 and other major companies in regulatory investigations and white-collar crime matters, often with a cross-border element.