Carmen A. Trutanich

He offers Tucker Ellis clients a unique blend of legal skills and experience in the areas of governmental regulations, land use and environmental law, business litigation, and white collar criminal defense.

To date, Nuch has tried more than 100 jury trials in addition to hundreds of court trials in his primary areas of focus. He tried and won the first environmental felony jury trial in California. During his tenure as the elected Los Angeles City Attorney from 2009 to 2013, the city experienced an unprecedented 92% success rate in civil matters brought to trial, saving taxpayers over $400 million. In addition, Nuch improved and streamlined the city’s workers’ compensation process, and established a reserve deputy city attorney program which served as a nationwide model for prosecutorial programs. He effectively partnered with the Los Angeles Police Department to reduce the city’s crime rate to levels as low as those recorded in the 1950s.

Nuch began his legal career as a deputy district attorney in Los Angeles County where he was assigned to handle hardcore gang cases before being selected for the county’s new environmental crimes/OSHA divisions. While there, he was lead trial counsel for the Los Angeles County OSHA/Environmental Crimes Strike Force. He is experienced in defending and prosecuting cases for companies charged with OSHA violations, including those involving asbestos exposure and a workplace death resulting from the cleaning of a large lube oil storage tank.

As City Attorney of Los Angeles, Nuch handled all airline and OSHA violations and compliance for Los Angeles International Airport, and was responsible for OSHA compliance and supervision for the Port of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. All told, Nuch handled the compliance responsibility for a total of 100,000 employees across these three Los Angeles entities. His capabilities include compliance advice and assistance with respect to specific industry standards and general duty requirements; reporting and recordkeeping requirements; developing required safety plans, manuals and training; defending enforcement actions; and conducting investigations under the auspices of attorney-client privilege. Nuch tried the very first environmental crime in California, and has lectured up and down the state as well as overseas.

From 1988 to 2009, Nuch worked in private practice, where he managed two successful private law firms.

Nuch has been active in civic affairs and youth sports programs in the community of San Pedro, California, where he has served on a number of boards and commissions over the years. He possesses a life credential to teach college level courses, and he has taught in business schools at the community college level for over 20 years.

A life-long runner, Nuch has completed more than two dozen marathons and numerous triathlons. He has been married to his wife Noreen for 36 years, with whom he has four children: Kristin, a deputy district attorney; Nicholas, an assistant United States Attorney; Kimberly, a special education teacher in San Marcos; and Caitlin, an elementary schoolteacher in Long Beach. In addition, Nuch and Noreen have four grandchildren.