Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass LLP

Rees Morgan is a trial attorney with a practice focusing on white collar criminal defense, SEC and other regulatory enforcement actions, and the trial of business disputes in federal and state courts. His clients include individuals, directors, and companies in a variety of industries, including technology, telecommunications, health care, venture capital, financial services, and government. He has tried to verdict multiple matters, including as first chair in five federal jury trial victories. Rees has litigated more than a dozen writs and appeals, and argued before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Prior to joining the firm, Rees served as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in the Southern District of California, where he prosecuted cases involving fraud and identity theft, organized crime and racketeering, and narcotics and firearms trafficking conspiracies. While serving as a federal prosecutor, Rees tried to verdict and won nine federal felony cases and served as lead prosecutor in a fraud investigation involving over 200 victims in three states and millions of dollars in losses. He was specially designated as an Anti-Gang and Violent Crime AUSA tasked with developing and implementing gang eradication efforts on behalf of the office and served as co-lead AUSA in a federal RICO investigation resulting in the indictment of 38 members and associates of a criminal enterprise engaged in the sex trafficking of minors. Before becoming an AUSA, Rees was a litigation associate with Latham & Watkins LLP in San Francisco, where his practice focused on securities fraud and white collar criminal defense.

Rees is a member of the California State Bar, the American Bar Association, and the Bar Association of San Francisco. Rees was appointed to the Northern District of California’s Criminal Justice Act Panel, a panel of attorneys serving indigent defendants charged with federal crimes, and was named by the City Council of Lafayette, California as Chair of Lafayette’s Crime Prevention Commission. He serves on the Pro Bono Advisory Board of Swords To Plowshares, an organization dedicated to assisting military veterans, and serves on the management committee of the Firm.

Rees earned his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2003 where he was inducted into the Raven Honor Society and served as President of the Student Bar Association. Prior to law school, he graduated with honors from the College of William & Mary (1999), where he majored in political science and history. Between undergraduate and law school, Rees served for a year as an Americorps volunteer assisting residents of federally-subsidized housing throughout the Central Valley of California.