Thomas Mesereau

Thomas A. Mesereau, Jr. is best known for acquitting the late music legend, Michael Jackson, of all fourteen charges in the most watched trial in legal history. Tom is widely recognized as one of the best trial lawyers in the country. He has been selected by his peers as one of “The Best Lawyers in America” and has been listed as one of the “One Hundred Most Influential Attorneys in California” by the Los Angeles Daily Journal, the leading legal newspaper in California.

Whether he is defending a complex, white collar case in federal court or a non-white collar criminal case in state court, Thomas A. Mesereau, Jr. is a trial lawyer who wins. In 2009, he successfully defended the highest-grossing real estate agent in the country who was facing 21 counts of conspiracy, money laundering, bank fraud, loan fraud, and mortgage fraud in the United States District Court, Central District of California(Los Angeles). After a five week jury trial, his client was not convicted on any of the indicted 21 felony counts (13 acquittals and 8 hung counts). Earlier that year, Mr. Mesereau acquitted his client in a murder case in a state court. Both cases were high profile. Two other jury trials in 2009 (white collar felony embezzlement and alleged rape) ended in hung juries.

Barbara Walters named Tom Mesereau one of the year's “Ten Most Fascinating People,”for his trial excellence and commitment to representing the underprivileged.

Professor Laurie Levenson, a prominent legal analyst and former federal prosecutor, has called Tom Mesereau the “best cross-examiner” she has ever seen. Beth Karas and Jami Floyd, highly regarded attorneys and long-time legal analysts for Court TV (now Tru TV) both say that Tom Mesereau is the best trial lawyer they have ever seen. Rikki Klieman, an award-winning criminal defense attorney and also a noted Court TV legal analyst, once called Mr. Mesereau “...if not the best, one of the best cross-examiners I've ever seen... He deserves all of the praise he gets.”  Judge Lloyd M. Nash of the Los Angeles County Superior Court called Mr. Mesereau “one of the finest lawyers I have ever seen” after watching Mr. Mesereau cross-examine prosecution witnesses in the Robert Blake murder case.

Tom was also named the “Criminal Defense Lawyer of the Year”by the Century City Bar Association, Los Angeles, when he freed actor Robert Blake, from jail. California Lawyer Magazine awarded Tom its highest award for excellence in criminal law when he acquitted pop legend Michael Jackson of fourteen charges of alleged conspiracy and child molestation. Tom's alma mater, the University of California's Hastings College of Law, has named him the “Alumnus of the Year.” He has received the “Jerry Giesler Memorial Award” from the Criminal Courts Bar Association of Los Angeles “. . . in recognition of his outstanding skill, perseverance and achievement in representing his clients in trial.”

Thomas A. Mesereau, Jr. is also widely recognized for his 25 years of pro bono, free legal work for the poor and underrepresented. Mr. Mesereau is a well known presence in the African-American community where he operates a free legal clinic and assists local organizations and churches in drug recovery and youth counseling. For the past twelve years, he has defended at least one death penalty case each year for free in the Deep South.

Attorney Thomas A. Mesereau, Jr. specializes in both criminal and civil trials (state and federal court).

Mr. Mesereau defends corporations and individuals accused of white collar crimes; individuals charged with violent crimes; and professionals, including medical doctors and lawyers, faced with various allegations in the civil, administrative and criminal courts. He also advises companies and individuals regarding regulatory compliance and litigates a wide variety of complex business disputes.

Mr. Mesereau is a partner with the firm of Mesereau & Yu, LLP in Los Angeles. Tom was educated at Harvard University (cum laude), The London School of Economics and The University of California’s Hastings College of Law.

Tom Mesereau is internationally known for having Acquitted music legend Michael Jackson of all counts in a highly publicized trial in Santa Maria, California. Following a five month jury trial, Mr. Jackson was found not guilty of 10 felony counts and 4 lesser included misdemeanors. It was considered unwinnable. This case was covered by more media outlets around the world than any other case in history.

Tom first gained national attention during a three-week televised preliminary hearing in the Robert Blake murder case. Celebrity actor Blake was facing murder with special circumstances, for which he could have faced the death penalty. Mr. Blake was imprisoned at that time with no bail. Bail had never been granted in California in a murder with special circumstances case when opposed by the prosecution. However, not only did Tom obtain bail for Mr. Blake, but also changed public opinion about the case. The hearing resulted in the biggest public opinion switch in Court TV history - from 80% of viewers believing Mr. Blake was guilty to 80% believing he was innocent.

Mr. Mesereau Acquitted the highest profile real estate agent in the United States of numerous counts of mortgage fraud. The client had been indicted by a federal grand jury, and the case was tried in the United States District Court, Central District of California in Los Angeles.

Since the Michael Jackson trial, Mr. Mesereau has also successfully obtained a dismissal in an environmental criminal case on behalf of a publicly-traded Texas corporation; acquitted a prominent physician of various counts of sexual misconduct; and successfully defended an over $1,000,000 embezzlement case (hung jury). He has also acquitted a client in a homicide case. Mr. Mesereau also obtained successful results in four capital murder cases.

Mr. Mesereau's reputation as a trial lawyer is unparalleled. For example, in a one-year period, Mr. Mesereau obtained 7 acquittals and 2 hung juries.

He has won many high stakes criminal, civil and administrative trials before judges and juries involving a wide-range of claims, including securities fraud, complex business disputes, health care fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, murder, sexual assault and the death penalty.

He is continually asked to speak before various organizations about trial strategies and the legal profession. He has lectured at numerous law schools, including Harvard, Stanford, The University of Chicago, U.C.L.A., University of Southern California, Loyola, Pepperdine, Southwestern, Chapman, Thomas Jefferson, Samford University's Cumberland School of Law, and The University of West Los Angeles.