Although prosecuting criminals for the U.S. Department of Justice was Little's first job out of law school, the Keker partner insists she now has a soft spot for defendants.
"I think it's more of a challenge and sometimes more rewarding to help someone stand up against the government and fight to protect them," she said. "I think the odds are often stacked against a criminal defendant, and to be able to help such a person is very rewarding."
Over the past year, Little has been busy defending English national Sushovan Hussain, the former chief financial officer of British software company Autonomy. Hussain faces federal criminal fraud charges here in the U.S. relating to Autonomy's 2011 $11 billion acquisition by Hewlett-Packard. He's also facing a civil suit back in Great Britain as well as problems with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
"That's the kind of case I like the best frankly," Little insisted, "where it's a three- or four-ring circus with a lot of different components you have to fit together. It's like a three-dimensional chess game. Every move you make in one arena has an impact in another."
Hussain is facing serious prison time, according to Little, and the typical strategies for the civil suits may not jibe with those for criminal cases. Hewlett Packard is claiming Hussain was involved with cooking the books at Autonomy prior to the 2011 acquisition. Little expects the case will likely go to trial later this year.
"I love doing criminal work, because you are standing next to someone who has the weight of the government coming down on them," she said. "And that person in that situation really needs a champion by their side to try and protect them from that very powerful force."
Meanwhile, the prospect of heading to trial always appeals to Little.
"Being in trial is hard," she said. "It requires a lot of planning, a lot of work, a lot of passion, and a lot of commitment. The hardest, most challenging, most rewarding thing for a trial lawyer is to actually try cases."
— Shane Nelson
For reprint rights or to order a copy of your photo:
Email
Jeremy_Ellis@dailyjournal.com
for prices.
Direct dial: 213-229-5424
Send a letter to the editor:
Email: letters@dailyjournal.com