Ortega brings first-chair trial experience at the highest levels to one of California's premier litigation boutiques

LOS ANGELES, April 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Stris & Maher LLP today announced that Cuauhtémoc Ortega, the Federal Public Defender for the Central District of California, will join the firm as a partner, effective June 1, 2026.

For the past six years, Ortega has led the largest federal defender office in the nation, overseeing approximately 220 employees and managing some of the most complex and high-profile criminal matters in the country. Over a 16-year career in that office, he built a reputation as an aggressive, creative, first-chair trial lawyer, handling white collar fraud, national security, public corruption, and high-notoriety homicide matters, and securing acquittals in a system where such outcomes are exceptionally rare.

Most recently, Ortega tried the first case involving an immigration raid protester to reach jury trial in the Central District of California, securing an acquittal after cross-examining the chief of Border Patrol and exposing inconsistencies in the government's theory. The trial drew national attention and reflected Ortega's approach to difficult cases: take them to trial and test the government's evidence in the courtroom. 

When Ortega was appointed Federal Public Defender in 2020, he made history as the first Mexican American to lead a federal defender office anywhere in the United States. He was later reappointed by the Ninth Circuit, whose judges praised his "remarkable leadership" and strongly supported his continued service. Over the course of his tenure, Ortega not only tried major cases and led one of the most sophisticated trial offices in the country, but also worked closely with circuit, district, and magistrate judges on issues affecting the administration of justice at the local, regional, and national levels.

He joins Stris & Maher at a moment when clients increasingly require trial-ready counsel capable of handling sensitive, high-exposure disputes across civil, criminal, and regulatory fronts.

"Stris & Maher has built something rare—a firm with an elite litigation practice, composed of lawyers with a stunning array of both private sector and government expertise in trials, appeals, and Supreme Court litigation—and the experience and judgment to handle and win matters that are both high stakes and highly sensitive," Ortega said. "The powerhouse talent the firm can offer its clients is exactly what drew me here. After years litigating against the federal government in the courtroom, I'm excited to join the team and bring that same intensity and focus to an entirely new set of clients and challenges."

Peter Stris, founding partner of Stris & Maher, called Ortega's decision to join the firm a transformational moment for the practice. "Cuauhtémoc is exactly the kind of lawyer this firm was built to attract," Stris said. "He walks into any federal courtroom in Southern California with earned credibility that simply cannot be manufactured. His record at trial is extraordinary, his relationships are unmatched, and the fact that he chose this firm out of every option available to him speaks volumes about where Stris & Maher stands today. We couldn't be prouder to welcome him."

At Stris & Maher LLP, Ortega will represent clients in high-stakes trials, investigations, and other sensitive matters where strategic judgment and courtroom performance are paramount. He will also lead the firm's criminal defense and investigations practice while bringing his trial experience to its most complex civil matters.

About Stris & Maher LLP

Stris & Maher LLP is a nationally recognized trial and appellate litigation boutique. The firm represents a wide range of clients in difficult and high-stakes business disputes in state and federal courts throughout the country, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

For press inquiries, please contact firm partner Victor O'Connell at voconnell@stris.com.

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SOURCE Stris & Maher LLP