Goodwin partner Grant Fondo has been recognized as a Top White Collar Lawyer by Daily Journal for the fourth consecutive year. This annual recognition honors California-based practitioners working on the most impactful matters and cases in the white collar field.
A former federal prosecutor and Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of California, Fondo is the founder and co-chair of Goodwin’s Digital Currency & Blockchain practice, co-chair of the firm’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act group, and is part of Goodwin’s Technology Disputes and Investigations team. He is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, and is also a partner in its Security Litigation & White Collar Defense group. Fondo is the former head of Litigation for Goodwin’s Northern and Southern California offices.
Daily Journal noted Fondo’s successful representation of Kraken, a large U.S.-based digital currency exchange, in response to a John Doe Summons from the IRS, in which he contested the IRS’s extensive requests for user information, setting a significant precedent that limits the scope of information the IRS can obtain through such summons. Daily Journal also recognized his successful representation of a physician charged with defrauding Medicare, where all charges against the defendants were dismissed. The publication commended Fondo’s collaborative efforts with other defense counsel and strategic decision-making during the trial, as well as his ability to work effectively in high-stakes, complex litigation environments.
Daily Journal also highlighted Fondo’s commitment to pro bono work and community service. Former pro bono chair for Goodwin’s California offices, he remains the firm’s pro bono expense coordinator and volunteers his time as a Criminal Justice Act panelist for the Northern District of California, representing indigent defendants in federal court. In 2021 he won the Fraser Award, which is Goodwin’s highest honor for pro bono achievement.
Praised by Chambers for being a “fantastic litigator who fights hard for his clients every step of the way,” Fondo has repeatedly been recognized for excellence by leading market commentators such as Chambers USA, Chambers FinTech, Chambers Professional Advisors – Fintech Guide, Am Law Litigation Daily, The Legal 500 US, The Best Lawyers in America and Benchmark Litigation. He has been named a National Law Journal Trailblazer for both White Collar and Cryptocurrency, and was selected as Litigator of the Week by The American Lawyer for his successful defense at trial of Aggarwal.