Manuel Abascal is a partner at Latham and Watkins, with a focus on government investigations, internal investigations, and complex business litigation. He focuses on several industries, including healthcare, financial institutions, financial services, investment advisers, accounting, construction, food and agriculture, e-commerce, and technology. Before joining Latham and Watkins, Manuel was an assistant United States attorney in Los Angeles, where he prosecuted major fraud cases. A substantial portion of Manuel’s responsibilities is focused on representing clients in the healthcare industry. He has successfully represented nonprofit hospital systems and free-standing hospitals in complex regulatory matters.

Manuel graduated from Claremont McKenna College magna cum laude, where he was student body president, and from Yale Law School, where he was chair of Articles Committee, Yale Law Journal.

Manuel has also served on the following nonprofit boards and organizations and brings a vast amount of experience and insight to the mission of the MLK-LA Healthcare Corporation:

• Board of directors of Public Counsel, the largest pro bono public interest law firm in the world, providing free legal services to disadvantaged Los Angeles-area residents
• Formerly a board member of Five Acres, a family services agency that provides residential treatment, group home care, education, and other services to child abuse victims and families in need
• Board of directors of the Mexican American Bar Foundation, which provides scholarships to underprivileged Latino law students
• Founded Buildable Hours of Los Angeles, which solicits volunteers and donations from Los Angeles law firms for the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity
• Co-founder of Food from the Bar, which raises money and collects food from Los Angeles law firms in support of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
• Former board member of the Villa Malaga Housing Corporation, which is affiliated with Ability First to build and operate low-income housing for families with disabled children
• Former board member of the Fulfillment Fund, which provides mentoring and college scholarships to promising and underprivileged students in the Los Angeles Unified School District