Indra J. Cameron-Banks, Esq.: Principal Attorney & Chief Investigations Counsel, Cameron | Jones LLP

 

Indira partners with clients who want to take aim and slay giants. A passionate advocate and compassionate ally, Indira believes in the ability of individuals to speak truth to power.

​

With a reputation for never backing down from a challenge, Indira is experienced as an aggressive trial-ready attorney, detailed and discreet investigator, creative problem-solver, and formidable negotiator who honed her skill over two decades of seeking truth and championing justice.

​

She brings her insight and ability to see the forest through the trees – helping clients see the big picture and navigate obstacles to their goals. Skillful and strategic when it comes to sensitive fraud and misconduct investigations and claims, as well as complex high-stakes litigation, Indira makes sure every move counts.

​

As an Assistant United States Attorney in Los Angeles for over thirteen years, Indira worked tirelessly for federal crime victims and everyday consumers, recovering hundreds of millions of dollars in restitution and federal penalties. She directed large federal investigations into the fraudulent mortgage lending and securitization practices at the root of the 2008 financial crisis resulting in multi-million dollar settlements. Indira’s leadership at the U.S. Dept. of Justice (DOJ) — including as a member of the senior management team in the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles as Chief of the Financial Litigation Section and as Special Counsel to the United States Attorney —  led to her appointment on national DOJ working groups focused on financial fraud and financial recovery, internal auditing teams, and as faculty at the DOJ’s national training center.

​

During the global pandemic, she left her federal appointment to serve the most vulnerable members of our community by assuming the direction of a Los Angeles County-funded, County-wide legal services program dedicated to the most vulnerable tenants and those experiencing homelessness.  During her tenure, Indira grew the program’s funding and resources and implemented novel ways to address tenant harassment, street outreach, and court access.

​

Over the course of her career, Indira has investigated, litigated, and resolved civil matters (including financial fraud, constitutional violations, torts, employment discrimination, administrative actions, consumer protection, and immigration), and prosecuted criminal matters (including illegal firearms and drugs, child pornography, assault, identity theft, and financial fraud).

​

Indira’s broad experience with complicated legal, enforcement, and regulatory schemes, along with her deep commitment to vindicating her clients’ rights, makes her uniquely suited to resolve some of the most difficult cases.  She brings a sophisticated and nuanced eye to her representation of individuals and entities in complex high-stakes civil litigation.  Additionally, Indira represents clients in civil or criminal matters pending in state or federal court.  Since starting her own practice, Indira has been helping clients — individuals, private entities and nonprofits — navigate the intersection of criminal and civil liability by conducting complex and discreet internal investigations, and representing them in parallel civil and criminal matters, including as crime victims.

​

Indira was recently appointed to the California State Board of Pharmacy, tasked with protecting the health and safety of California consumers by ensuring high-quality pharmacy care and the appropriate use of pharmaceuticals.  Indira is serving on the Enforcement and Standard of Care subcommittees.

​

Indira is also a member of the Sedona Conference’s Brainstorming Group on Ethical Issues in Trade Secrets Litigation.  She is a member of the Sedona Conference, along with the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), the Women’s White Collar Defense Association (WWCDA), the Association of Workplace Investigators (AWI), the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), and the Association of Anti Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS).

​

Professionally, Indira remains committed to working towards increasing equal access to justice and the promotion of women in the legal profession. In addition to volunteering time with Los Angeles Superior Court programs, Indira volunteers on the Board of the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles (WLALA) and the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Constitution Society (ACS), along with being a member of the Prosecutors Alliance of California (PAC) and the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Presidential Advisory on Women in the Legal Profession (LACBA-PAC), where she serves as the co-chair for the subcommittee dedicated to Gender Bias.  Indira has been appointed a member of the Sedona Conference WG 12 Ethical Issues in Trade Secrets Brainstorming Group. She also dedicates a portion of her time to representing individuals as part of the federal court’s pro bono panel, and provides strategic legal consulting to nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles.

​

Indira has called Los Angeles her home for over fifteen years, but she began her career in courtrooms across New England defending clients in professional liability and toxic tort matters.  She is a proud graduate of the University of Chicago (B.A., 1999) and of Boston University School of Law (J.D., 2003).  In addition to being licensed to practice in California state and federal courts, she is also currently licensed to practice in Massachusetts state and federal courts, and Connecticut state courts.