Nikhila Raj

Nikhila Raj counsels corporate and individual clients on managing complex, multijurisdictional enforcement issues, handling internal and regulatory investigations, building and evaluating compliance programs, implementing creative risk solutions, addressing rapidly evolving tariffs and emerging trade enforcement, and overseeing voluntary and regulator-imposed monitorships.  

With deep knowledge of trade, anticorruption, and antibribery issues, Nikhihas successfully represented clients before domestic and international regulators and in criminal and civil litigation across jurisdictions in Latin America, the European Union, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region. 

Before joining Ashurst Perkins Coie, Nikhi served as deputy general counsel for a billion-dollar fintech company, where she oversaw all litigation and compliance issues and advised the C-suite. She was also a trial lawyer with the DOJ's Fraud Section, FCPA Unit, and Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Bank Integrity Unit. At the DOJ, she  investigated and prosecuted high-profile bribery and money laundering cases spanning the biopharmaceutical, construction, aviation, defense, and financial services industries. 

Nikhi was also one of the lead prosecutors in the DOJ’s landmark FCPA case against a prominent global investment bank and financial services firm headquartered in New York City, which resulted in a $2.9 billion penalty and the bank's first-ever guilty plea. . 

*Admitted in California, District of Columbia, New York, and Washington