After stepping down from all his positions at Nvidia under a cloud and becoming embroiled in multiple investigations, Jensen Huang chose not to passively await the outcome. Instead, he formally launched a legal fight to defend himself and push back.
According to foreign media reports, he has hired two star lawyers from top U.S. law firm Paul Weiss—Melinda Haag and Walter Brown—to represent him in high-stakes legal matters, including government regulatory investigations and internal corporate reviews. This move has also made the seriousness of the situation clear to outside observers.
Paul Weiss is one of the top elite law firms in the United States, renowned for its work in white-collar crime, federal regulatory investigations, and crisis defense for executives.
A longtime adviser to Silicon Valley giants, she specializes in handling major investigations launched by the Department of Justice, Congress, and the SEC.
The two lawyers Huang selected have exceptionally strong credentials. Both have served as federal prosecutors and understand how regulators build their cases, making them top choices for handling cases of this magnitude.
Melinda Haag served as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, spending many years handling cases involving white-collar crime, export controls, securities fraud, and national security.
She personally led dozens of major federal investigations and knows the DOJ’s investigative approach and evidence-gathering priorities inside out.
After leaving public service, she became a defense attorney, specializing in representing corporate executives facing government investigations.
She is regarded in legal circles as one of the country’s top white-collar criminal defense lawyers. She has handled numerous difficult cases and repeatedly helped clients secure dismissals or acquittals.
The other lawyer, Walter Brown, also came up through the federal prosecution system. With decades of courtroom experience, he focuses on criminal defense, trade secret litigation, and executive crisis cases.
He has tried more than 20 felony cases and secured acquittals in multiple trade secret and securities fraud cases.
He is highly skilled at navigating complex situations where civil lawsuits run alongside criminal investigations, and is a familiar presence in Silicon Valley executive crises.
Industry insiders say Huang’s choice of this legal team is not simply about handling civil disputes; it is a targeted effort to guard against criminal liability.

He is now facing mounting pressures on several fronts: Nvidia’s board is continuing an independent internal investigation, while the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust investigation is also underway.
Several congressional committees continue to send letters demanding answers, while investor class-action lawsuits are piling up. Multiple investigations are proceeding at once, with the risks escalating at every turn.
It is worth noting that Nvidia’s board had already hired another law firm to conduct an independent investigation into matters related to Huang. That team is investigating on the company’s behalf.
The Paul Weiss team, by contrast, was hired by Huang personally and represents his interests. The two sides therefore bring opposing legal perspectives, setting the stage for a high-stakes legal contest.
Shortly before his resignation, Huang had seemed to be consumed by self-reproach, admitting, “I’m an asshole,” as if he had already given up fighting.
Hiring top lawyers, however, signals that he is no longer prepared to passively accept every investigative finding and is ready to mount an active defense and protect his legal rights. 
For Huang, the situation is now a dilemma with no easy way forward.
If the investigation finds improper disclosures, export control violations, or other unlawful conduct, he could face not only massive fines but potentially criminal charges as well.
Even if criminal liability is avoided, shareholder class-action lawsuits, damage to his personal reputation, and harm to his industry relationships would all be difficult costs to undo.
The greatest advantage of these two former prosecutors is their familiarity with federal enforcement procedures.
They know how to deal with the DOJ and congressional investigative teams and seek findings favorable to him, while reducing the severity of any subsequent legal consequences.
Viewed against the backdrop of Nvidia’s broader upheaval, this move to protect himself could also indirectly shape the company’s future.
With Kress now at the helm as interim CEO, the company must maintain confidence in its chip development, supply chain, and customers while continuing to respond to the antitrust investigation.
Huang’s personal legal battle is deeply intertwined with Nvidia’s regulatory troubles.
Every piece of evidence disclosed during the investigation could further rattle the capital markets and unsettle expectations for the global AI supply chain. This chain reaction, triggered by a personal scandal, has already grown from a change in leadership into a protracted legal battle.
Source | Jiang Xiaofeng Terry