Latino Lawyer Omar Ochoa Helps Win More Than a Billion Dollars in Settlements

Knowing the signs of a winning case is key. Being able to make these judgments, he says, is necessary to forge a successful legal career.

Even if a case looks promising at the outset, there could be little things about it that make you think this is not the kind of case you can bring value to, he said.

Humble Beginnings

Ochoa credits his parents for instilling him with the work ethic required for this cut-throat industry. His father was the Mayor of Edinburg, Texas, from 1993 to 2003 and again from 2006 to 2009. His mother grew up as a migrant laborer but went on to become a certified public accountant.

Like many parents in the Rio Grande Valley, Ochoa said, they raised their children to value education and hard work.

He attended the University of Texas at Austin on a full scholarship and earned degrees in business administration, accounting, and economics. He graduated from the prestigious Business Honors Program. After completing his master's degree in professional accounting, he decided to pursue law as his new career path. Returning to the University of Texas Law School, he served as Editor In Chief of the Texas Law Review, becoming its first Latino leader. Before starting his own law firm, he worked as an attorney at Susman Godfrey LLP.

I jumped in both feet first and basically tried to take on as much responsibility as I could, he said. And luckily I handled it well enough that I was trusted with more cases as time went on. So I got to work on a variety of legal matters.

Ochoa also completed federal clerkships with two notable legal figures: Judge Amul Thapar of the Eastern District of Kentucky (now a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit) and Judge Raymond Kethledge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

High-Stakes Cases

Despite Ochoa's impressive catalog of legal successes, he insists that working with such a large volume of high-stakes cases is not typical in every legal career. He emphasizes that some lawyers might spend a decade on one case and make their name solely through it. Ochoa has worked with various clients, helping mid-sized business owners and multinational companies alike while maintaining consistently high standards.

His track record at such a young age has earned him international recognition. One significant case involved recovering hundreds of millions of dollars for car buyers who were victims
of a global conspiracy within the automotive parts industry. This conspiracy involved manufacturers rigging bids and artificially raising prices for various auto parts like radiators and seat belts, which were then sold to major car companies. As a result, car buyers ended up paying more than they should have for their vehicles.

The settlement from this case resulted in the largest amount ever recovered for indirect purchasers in U.S. history. Consequently, Ochoa's groundbreaking work received recognition from the American Antitrust Institute, which awarded him with the "Outstanding Antitrust Litigation Achievement by a Young Lawyer" award.

Having What It Takes

Ochoa has won other major cases as well; successfully prosecuting anti-kickback and Medicare/Medicaid fraud claims against providers and medical equipment suppliers while also recovering millions for taxpayers and whistleblowers whom other lawyers turned down.

You have to be incredibly detail-oriented throughout, Ochoa said. You need to meet all the legal requirements of your case but also be able to anticipate what the other side is going to argue as their defense and be able to shoot that down right away.

For some, the promise of financial rewards draws them into the legal industry. For others, it might be the thrill of arguments or courtroom drama. But for Ochoa, it's a genuine passion for law and justice.

tearing into the facts of the case is one thing, but dealing with all of the issues of law that come up along the way, you better be prepared for it, he said. And if you don't love the legal process and all of its work, it just won't be fulfilling.

Find out more about Omar Ochoa Law Firm here.