Tom Jones | Associate

About

Tom Jones represents clients in high-stakes investigations, trials, and complex proceedings in both criminal and civil matters. His practice includes serious felony offenses, multi-agency investigations, and white-collar cases that often attract significant public attention.

Tom has represented high-profile clients in delicate matters involving public figures in the entertainment industry, high-net-worth individuals, and professional athletes. His work includes coordinating defense investigations and presentations that have resulted in the rejection of criminal charges, as well as advising clients in state and federal investigations involving fraud and cyber-related issues.

Before practicing in the United States, Tom gained significant courtroom experience as a barrister (specialist trial attorney) in England, where he appeared as sole counsel in more than 100 criminal cases. His courtroom practice comprised complex hearings and jury trials involving serious offenses, including cases at England’s historic Central Criminal Court, the Old Bailey.

Tom also practiced as a litigation associate at Shearman & Sterling LLP in London and Brussels, where he worked on commercial litigation, international arbitration, and cross-border regulatory investigations involving allegations of bribery, corruption, and antitrust violations. His unique background allows him to combine rigorous legal analysis of difficult matters with practical and persuasive courtroom advocacy, regularly achieving successful results for his clients.

Representative Cases:

• Successfully obtained a mental health diversion for a real estate billionaire facing felony charges after a 9-mile police chase through Hollywood carrying a loaded handgun.
• Persuaded the government to return all 110 Bitcoin (approx. $12 million) seized from a client based on links to the Silk Road dark web marketplace, following detailed blockchain analysis and a presentation of exculpatory evidence to federal authorities.
• Obtained the dismissal of 11 felony counts against a Grammy award winning music producer for possession of assault weapons and silencers, after successfully challenging the police raid on the client’s home and music studio for violation of Fourth Amendment rights.
• Separately represented three individuals, including a well-known actor, being investigated by the DOJ Tax Division for winnings from ultra-high stakes poker games involving a defendant federally indicted for massive tax evasion, including complex analysis of staking arrangements, tax structures, and financial records, and conducting interviews and presentations with federal prosecutors and IRS agents, resulting in no action being taken against any of the three individuals.
• Represented Monica Sementilli in her highly publicized trial for first-degree murder, including cross-examining all four of the People’s expert forensic data witnesses, exposing the faulty conclusions drawn from their Cellebrite data extractions, and introducing a defense expert witness last minute to shut down a highly prejudicial but erroneous data record produced during trial without notice. Interviewed by the A&E Network and appeared on the TV documentary produced about the trial.
• Acted for a high profile actor involved in a case relating to the misappropriation, embezzlement, and laundering of billions of dollars from a foreign state-owned investment fund, including preparing the client to testify in the federal trial of one of the perpetrators, and negotiating with the government on the forfeiture of significant high value items that had been gifted to him.
• Represented pre-charge an actor from several major TV shows facing a rape allegation investigated by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, for which all charges were rejected/declined following an extensive defense investigation and presentation to law enforcement.
• Defended multiple high-profile clients in relation to the promotion of various NFTs and cryptocurrencies, including successfully preparing those clients for interviews with the SEC, FBI, and other federal authorities, securing that no further action was taken in each case.
• Appeared in several extradition proceedings for a rapper and reality TV star, negotiating a favorable plea deal for pending charges in LA, while handling extradition to Oklahoma.
• Achieved favorable outcomes, including multiple complete dismissals, in a variety of DUI and driving related cases, including a Watson murder case, and a vehicular manslaughter case representing a prominent rock musician.
• Protected the interests of several well-known clients who were the victims of crime, including a renowned baseball player when he was defrauded by his interpreter, a prominent actress when targeted by a violent stalker, and a famous MMA fighter when over $500,000 was stolen from her by a personal assistant, including liaising with law enforcement and the DA’s office to coordinate investigations and take effective court action.

Education

Professional Memberships

• American Bar Association
• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• California Attorneys for Criminal Justice
• Los Angeles County Bar Association
• The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn, London

Bar Admissions

• U.S. District Court for the Central District of California – 2024
• State Bar of California – 2022
• England and Wales, United Kingdom
  • Barrister – 2020
  • Solicitor Advocate (Civil Litigation) – 2017