Janet I. Levine

Early this year, Levine’s highest-profile recent case closed when former Los Angeles city councilmember Mitchell Englander was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison for obstructing an investigation into City Hall corruption.

That was more than the probation she sought but less than the two years prosecutors wanted. “Any time you get less than the government asked for, it’s a good result,” she said. U.S. v. Englander, 2:20-cr-00035 (C.D. Cal., filed Jan. 16, 2020).

She believes humanizing Englander was key. The defense submitted evidence to demonstrate her client was a multidimensional person who had overcome hardships and contributed to the community.

As a highly experienced trial lawyer, however, her feelings about the sentencing hearing itself were not good. “I hated it, I really hated it,” she said.

That’s because it was a hearing over Zoom. “You don’t get the same feedback that we’re used to getting. … You can’t see the whole picture. You can’t see how a remark you’re making is hitting a prosecutor across the room.”

But the past year had some positives, too. “We got really good dispositions that kept the clients’ names out of the news,” she said.

Levine can’t discuss her pending cases because none are public. This year, she has held meetings with prosecutors and regulators on investigations involving allegations against high-level financial executives, a medical professional and an international businessman suspected of currency violations. And she represents the target of an international money laundering investigation that has seen multiple grand jury subpoenas, even of her client’s attorney. That case is being run by the Justice Department’s Kleptocracy and Money Laundering Task Force.

“I’m expecting to have more interactions with that unit” in the future, she said.

— Don DeBenedictis