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Danny S. Ashby

Partner at O’Melveny Law Firm. Dallas, TX

Danny S. Ashby's profile photo
LocationDallasTexas, United States
Current rolePartnerO'Melveny · since Mar 2025
Government service1yrU.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) · U.S. Attorney’s Office · Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

About

Danny Ashby advises clients in federal white-collar criminal matters, class action securities litigation, securities enforcement, and corporate internal investigations. He represents numerous public and closely held companies and trade associations in federal courts throughout the United States. Danny has tried more than 25 cases and has argued more than a dozen matters before federal appeals courts across the country. He routinely defends issuers, officers, and directors in class action and other private securities litigation brought under the 1933 Securities Act and the 1934 Securities Exchange Act. He also represents corporations and individuals in SEC investigations, False Claims Act matters, and parallel civil/criminal investigations and proceedings.

Ranked among The Best Lawyers in America for white collar criminal defense and commercial litigation, Danny’s criminal experience includes pre-indictment counseling and grand jury practice, as well as full-fledged jury trials of lengthy and complex criminal cases. Danny also devotes a substantial part of his litigation practice to federal appellate work, handling both civil and criminal appeals throughout the country. Past federal appeals have included federal securities fraud, intellectual property, and federal taxation matters, and issues involving the First, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments.

Prior to joining O’Melveny, Danny was a Partner at another international law firm. Before entering private practice, he served under Attorney General William Barr as a trial attorney (Honors Program) in the criminal division of the US Department of Justice. He also served as a special assistant US Attorney in the Alexandria Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Danny also served as a law clerk to Judge Edith Jones of the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Roles

Mar 2025–Present
Current role

Partner

O'Melveny

Dallas, Texas

Civil LitigationSecurities LawWhite Collar CrimeLitigation Support Specialist
Mar 2025–Mar 2025
Former role

Trial Attorney

U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Criminal Division

(appointed)Texas

Legal AssistanceGovernmentCriminal Law

Honors Program

Mar 2025–Mar 2025
Former role

Special Assistant

U.S. Attorney’s Office

(appointed)Virginia Eastern

AttorneyGovernment
Feb 2024–Dec 2024
Former role

Clerk

Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

(appointed)

AttorneyCivil LitigationSecurity and Law EnforcementEnforcementSecurities LawWhite Collar CrimeCriminal LawCorporate Law

Served as judicial law clerk to the Honorable Edith Jones, researching and drafting opinions, orders, and bench memoranda.

Representative matters

White Collar, Government Enforcement, and Private Securities Litigation

March 2025

Large government contractor in US$1.2 billion False Claims Act case in the Eastern District of Virginia. Major telecommunications provider in US$850 million False Claims Act case in the Southern District of New York. Large corporate conglomerate in a federal criminal tax matter involving the alleged failure to report and pay income taxes on more than US$60 million in revenues. Senior Enron executive in connection with federal civil and criminal charges of insider trading and securities fraud. Former executive in a United States Senate Subcommittee and federal grand jury investigation involving alleged offshore tax shelter abuses. The world’s second largest pipe manufacturer against charges of criminal OSHA violations. Major pharmaceutical company in a US$400 million securities fraud and antitrust case. A leading financial institution in multiple class action securities fraud cases alleging damages in excess of US$2 billion.

Corporate Internal Investigations

March 2025

Advanced Neuromodulation Systems, now a wholly owned division of St Jude Medical, in connection with a Federal healthcare fraud and anti-kickback investigation. Former director of Michaels Stores in connection with an SEC investigation of Michaels’ executive stock option backdating practices. Executive and non-executive employees in an SEC and federal grand jury investigation involving i2 Technologies. ReadyOne Industries, the world’s largest manufacturer of chemical warfare suits for the US military, in a federal grand jury investigation of ReadyOne’s former officers and directors.

Recognition

Honors

Commercial Litigation and Criminal Defense: White Collar in Dallas, TX

Best Lawyers in America

Dallas, TX | March 2025

Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (2022-2024)

Chambers USA

March 2025

Client Service All-Star

BTI Consulting Group

January 2014

Also 2016 & 2019

Texas Super Lawyer

Texas Monthly

Texas | January 2006

Through 2012

Best Lawyers in Dallas

D Magazine

Dallas, TX | March 2025

Through 2012

Publications & speeches

"2 FCA Settlements Highlight Gov't Cyber Liability Focus"

Law360

January 2022

Link

“Investigations and the Independent Auditor”

Bloomberg BNA

June 2015

“False Claims Act Developments”

University of Texas School of Law’s 10th Annual Government Enforcement Institute (UTGEI) — Texas

September 2024

Panelist

“Government Investigations and the External Auditor”

University of Texas School of Law’s Annual Government Enforcement Institute (UTGEI) — Texas

May 2015

Moderator