Brian Heberlig is a first-chair white-collar criminal defense lawyer with more than 25 years of jury trial experience in complex, high-profile criminal cases nationwide. Like many “real” trial attorneys, he has lost his fair share of cases. But, he’s won more than most – including a recent trial victory against the DOJ on behalf of his client, billionaire Dr. Michael Lynch, CEO and founder of Autonomy Corporation (who was once dubbed “Britain’s Bill Gates”). Dr. Lynch, a British technology entrepreneur, was charged with artificially inflated the value of Autonomy prior to its sale to Hewlett-Packard in 2011 for $11.7 billion. The trial commenced in March 2024 and Dr. Lynch was found not guilty of all charges in June 2024. Dr. Lynch testified during the trial, which many believe was pivotal in the outcome.
Brian led the Steptoe trial team in representing Dr. Lynch, along with Clifford Chance. Among other things, Brian sits down with Athena Rising to tell us how he (and the greater team) worked to build a strong defense of Dr. Lynch and ultimately achieve victory. Brian also discusses why having a diverse legal team, including women, is crucial in providing stellar representation and results for clients.
More about Brian can be found here: https://www.steptoe.com/en/lawyers/brian-heberlig.html
Episode links (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/athena-rising-the-power-of-the-female-lawyer-collective/id1679384822?i=1000664400839
Some key timestamps from this episode are:
2:12: overview of the Dr. Lynch case
4:30: how HP’s civil accusations led to a criminal complaint
13:00: how to build a strong legal team when there are many cooks in the kitchen
13:48: why Dr. Lynch was a pivotal player in structuring the defense
17:04: what it is like to work “with” the client in building the defense
25:10: how to manage a client’s expectations when going into a tough trial
32:40: how to make a wealthy client relatable to a jury
50:10: how to keep a jury’s attention span when the trial runs very, very long
52:51: making the decision to “put” the defendant on the stand
1:04:03: strategic choices Brian made during the closing argument
1:11:15: Brian’s secret to federal jury trial victories
1:13:35: why Brian has stayed at Steptoe for 28+ years
1:17:04: why Brian became a white-collar criminal defense attorney
1:19:09: how the legal profession has changed for women since Brian entered the game
1:23:00: why clients expect diverse litigation teams to represent them
1:24:08: how Brian managed to “balance” his life during trial
1:26:50: Brian’s latest fictional reads – and insights into what he does during downtime
1:28:34: qualities that Brian perceives to be his greatest strengths and weaknesses
1:29:35: what Brian would be doing if he wasn’t a lawyer
1:31:03: the best advice Brian has ever received
1:33:13: the legacy Brian hopes to leave