Rasha Gerges Shields

State Attorney General Enforcement, Investigations & Litigation

Los Angeles

With more than two decades of experience, Jones Day partner Rasha Gerges Shields stands as a beacon of justice for companies and organizations, as well as an advocate for diversity, and a staunch supporter of justice.

Johnson is skilled bFacestionest "As a first generation professional, I did not go into law school knowing the type of law I wanted to practice. My first exposure to complex civil litigation and criminal law -- which turned out to be my primary areas of focus -- was during my district court clerkship," Shields said. "That was a formative year, it inspired me to become a federal criminal prosecutor and a civil litigator, and I am so fortunate to have had that experience so early in my career."

Shields has been named by Mayor Karen Bass to the Los Angeles Police Commission, which oversees the Los Angeles Police Department. She has since been named as vice president of the five-member commission. California Supreme Court Chief Justice also named Shields to serve as one of six lawyers on the Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal Prevention of Bias Committee. Shields shared that the tragic murder of George Floyd served as catalyst for her to become more actively engaged in police reform.

"That was what gave me almost license to get very involved in a lot of the police reform efforts," she said.

On occasion, she takes on the role of conducting investigations on behalf of various companies or institutions. She has led internal investigation for a publicly traded Fortune 50 company relating to the misuse of company benefits by dozens of employees, she led a Fortune 500 company's response to governmental inquiries relating to labor practices and she led the representation of multiple third-party witnesses in government investigations and criminal and civil proceeding.

She also played a key role in leading the defense of a company in a significant class action antitrust dispute. The lawsuit involved claims exceeding $30 billion, making it a high-stakes legal battle. Despite the complexity and magnitude of the case, her expertise and strategic approach contributed to a successful outcome for the company and its co-defendants. Cal. Gasoline Spot Mkt. Antitrust Litig., Case No. 20-cv-03131-JSC (S.D. Cal., filed Mar. 29, 2021).

She also leads the diversity, inclusion and advancement committee in the firm's L.A. office and co-chairs its California Lawyers of Color affinity group.