Richard E. Drooyan

02 Feb Richard E. Drooyan

RICHARD DROOYAN is a partner in the Los Angeles firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP. After graduating from law school, Mr. Drooyan joined the law firm of Kadison, Pfaezler, Woodard, Quinn & Rossi in November 1975 as a litigation associate.

From October 1978 to September 1984, Mr. Drooyan was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles where he tried numerous criminal cases, including racketeering (RICO), securities fraud, murder, bank robbery, extortion, bank fraud, mail and wire fraud, and obstruction of justice cases. He also argued numerous cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. From June 1982 to December 1982, Mr. Drooyan was the Chief of the Criminal Complaints Unit, which handled the intake and filing of approximately 50 percent of the cases filed by the office. From December 1982 to September 1984, he was the Chief of the Major Frauds Section, which consisted of six senior Assistant U.S. Attorneys responsible for handling the most complex and sensitive white collar matters in the United States Attorney’s Office.

From September 1984 to January 1988, Mr. Drooyan was the Chief Assistant United States Attorney under United States Attorney Robert C. Bonner. As Chief Assistant, Mr. Drooyan supervised over 105 Assistant United States Attorneys in the Criminal, Civil and Tax Divisions and the Administrative Office. He also conducted an extensive political corruption investigation and tried six criminal cases, including four corruption cases arising out of the political activities of W. Patrick Moriarty, the owner of Red Devil Fireworks.

From January 1988 through December 1993, Mr. Drooyan was a partner in the Los Angeles office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, where his practice involved civil litigation, internal investigations, and white collar defense matters. From 1989 through June 1992, he represented Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank and Mitsubishi Bank and served as lead counsel for 10 international banks (represented by nine firms) in an action in United States District Court arising out of a massive default in the servicing of federally insured student loans. Aside from the litigation, the matter involved substantial work-out and settlement negotiations among the parties and with state guaranty agencies, the United States Department of Education and the United States Department of Justice.

From January 1993 through December 1996, Mr. Drooyan was the Chief of the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles, where his responsibilities included the supervision of approximately 165 Assistant United States Attorneys and the review and approval of prosecutive decisions in all significant criminal cases. He also had direct supervisory responsibility for a number of priority criminal matters, including the investigation and prosecution of the Mexican Mafia, Arizona Governor J. Fife Symington, III, United States Congressman Walter Tucker, former Compton City Councilwoman Patricia Moore, and Los Angeles Kings owner Bruce McNall. He also personally tried two criminal cases, including a civil rights beating case, and argued three criminal appeals.

From January 1997 to January 1999, Mr. Drooyan served as the Chief Assistant United States Attorney under United States Attorney Nora Manella. In addition to general oversight responsibility over 235 Assistant United States Attorneys, he had direct supervisory responsibility for certain priority criminal investigations and cases, including the investigation and prosecution of United States Congressman Jay C. Kim for election violations. His responsibilities also included interfacing with the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. on sensitive investigations, personnel issues, Congressional inquiries, and Department policies. Mr. Drooyan also tried two criminal cases, including the prosecution of Congressman Kim’s campaign treasurer for election crimes, and argued two criminal appeals.

Mr. Drooyan has served on the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Board of Trustees and the LACBA committees on professionalism and sentencing, and as President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. Mr. Drooyan has also taught trial advocacy at the University of Southern California Law Center, advanced criminal procedure at Loyola Law School, and has participated in numerous panels on internal investigations.

In 1991, Mr. Drooyan served as a Deputy General Counsel for the Independent Commission on the Los Angeles Police Department (the “Christopher Commission”). In 2000, he served as General Counsel of the Rampart Independent Review Panel. From 1994 to 2009, he served on the Board of Trustees for the Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times. Mr. Drooyan is currently on the Board of Trustees of the Children’s Law Center of Los Angeles. Since April 2010 he has served as Commissioner on the Board of Police Commissioners for the Los Angeles Police Department and in 2011 he was elected to the post of President of the Police Commission. Since joining Munger, Tolles & Olson, Mr. Drooyan’s practice has involved civil litigation, white collar defense, and securities enforcement matters. He has handled several qui tam lawsuits and represented major law firms in connection with civil litigation. Mr. Drooyan successfully obtained a defense verdict for Northrop Grumman Corporation, formerly known as TRW, in a federal false claims act wrongful termination lawsuit tried before a jury in December 2004. Mr. Drooyan has tried over forty criminal and civil jury trials.

Education
Harvard Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1975)
Claremont Men’s College (B.A., summa cum laude, 1972)