​James L. Zelenay is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher where he practices in the firm’s Litigation Department.

Mr. Zelenay has extensive experience in defending clients involved in white collar investigations, assisting clients in responding to government subpoenas, and in government civil fraud litigation.  Mr. Zelenay has represented clients in connection with alleged violations of environmental regulations, regulations governing trade with sanctioned countries, Department of Education rules and regulations, Food and Drug Administration regulations, Federal Emergency Management Agency regulations, government construction contracting matters, patent and telecommunication proceedings, and other administrative matters.

Mr. Zelenay also has substantial experience with the federal and state False Claims Acts and whistleblower litigation, in which he has represented a breadth of industries and clients, including educational institutions, financial institutions, insurers, pharmaceutical companies, construction companies, telecommunication clients, emergency services personnel, and accounting firms, among others.  He is a recipient of the prestigious Burton Award for Distinguished Legal Writing and has written extensively on the False Claims Act.

In addition to his white collar and False Claims Act practice, Mr. Zelenay has assisted clients in defending against class action complaints and legal malpractice claims, served as plaintiff’s counsel in actions alleging fraud and breach of contract, assisted clients with patent and other intellectual property matters, and advised and assisted clients in matters involving claims asserted under the First Amendment and other constitutional provisions.

Mr. Zelenay graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 2004, where he served as an Editor of the Harvard Journal on Legislation.  In 2000, Mr. Zelenay graduated summa cum laude from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and received Phi Beta Kappa honors.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Zelenay served as a law clerk to The Honorable Nora M. Manella in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

Mr. Zelenay was recently named as one of the Top 50 Litigators in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal in 2018, a list that highlights “50 of the very best litigators in the business.”  He was also selected three times by Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star” in the area of Business Litigation.  Mr. Zelenay serves on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for Pasadena Heritage, California’s second largest historical preservation organization.

Mr. Zelenay has also been recognized within Gibson Dunn for his pro bono work, including the work performed on assisting the California Science Center Foundation with the acquisition and transportation of the Space Shuttle Endeavour.

Mr. Zelenay is a member of the California Bar.