San Diego Attorney Gregory A. Vega Elected President of the National Association of Former United States Attorneys
SAN DIEGO – Gregory A. Vega, an attorney with the San Diego law firm of Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek, has been elected president of the National Association of Former United States Attorneys (NAFUSA) at the organization’s annual conference held earlier this month in Scottsdale, Arizona. Vega served from 1999-2001 as United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, the seventh largest office in the nation at the time. Today his private law practice focuses on business litigation, white collar criminal defense, cross border international transactions and advising corporate clients in regulated industries.
During his time as U.S. attorney, Vega prioritized improving bi-national cooperation between the United States and the Republic of Mexico in attacking the Tijuana drug cartel. Several successes that resulted from his efforts were the first extradition of a Mexican citizen to the United States (United States v. Arturo Paez) and the arrest in Mexico of Ismael Higuera, a leader of the Tijuana Cartel. An account of the cooperation can be found in the New York Times article “New Web of Trust Topples a Mighty Mexican Cartel” (April 26, 2002).
Vega began his legal career as a trial attorney for the Office of Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service in Chicago, Illinois. In that position, he tried numerous tax cases before the United States Tax Court. Vega joined the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana in 1983, where he handled federal jury trials including the prosecution of a 32-defendant drug distribution organization (United States v. Zambrana, et al) and judicial corruption cases (United States v. Christakis, et al). In 1987, Vega joined the United States Attorney’s Office in San Diego, California where his work focused on major frauds and economic crimes.
During his time as U.S. Attorney, Vega was selected by Attorney General Janet Reno to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC). He co-chaired the White Collar Crime Subcommittee of the AGAC with current Attorney General Loretta Lynch and also served on the organization’s Southwest Border Subcommittee.
In 2001, Vega joined Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek.
He is a past president of the Hispanic National Bar Association (1997-1998); a past member of the City of San Diego Ethics Commission (2001-2005); a past member of the Board of Directors of the National Conflict Resolution Center (2006-2014); and currently is a member of the Federal Judicial Advisory Committee of United States Senator Barbara Boxer, assisting her in making recommendations to President Obama for U.S. District Judge and U.S. Attorney positions.
A native of East Chicago, Indiana, Vega received his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Indiana University in 1975 and his Juris Doctor degree from Valparaiso University School of Law in 1980. He is a member of the state bars of California, Illinois and Indiana.
Vega is married to Dr. Sue A. Farus, Ob/Gyn, and they are the parents of three adult children. They reside in San Diego.