White Collar & Investigations

We conduct internal investigations and represent corporate and individual clients in regulatory investigations worldwide. These matters involve securities and commodities laws and a broad range of allegations, including insider trading, bribery and corruption, money laundering, economic sanctions, wire fraud, cybercrime, economic espionage, embezzlement, the False Claims Act, antitrust and unfair competition, congressional inquiries, and workplace conduct issues. For related capabilities, visit our Securities Litigation and Regulatory Compliance & Disputes practices.

Our team includes former SEC enforcement branch chiefs, former government lawyers, and other experienced practitioners who counsel clients in U.S. Department of Justice and SEC investigations involving complex trading practices and platforms, securities and commodities markets, digital asset and cryptocurrency products, private funds, and related issues. We have also helped shape government regulatory and legislative approaches to blockchain and cryptocurrency. For related capabilities, visit our Securities Litigation practice.

Our international investigation teams partner with clients to analyze bribery and corruption, whether revealed by whistleblowing, an issue spotted through a routine audit, or prompted by a regulator or prosecutor.

Facing a local or cross-border bribery and compliance investigation requires advisers who know the law and can also offer broader reputational and crisis management strategy. Clients turn to us to conduct internal investigations, defend in enforcement proceedings, and resolve government inquiries.

We assist companies with embedding an anti-bribery and corruption compliance culture by designing compliance programs, developing a workable international framework, and providing internal audit and monitoring programs and training. We advise on proportionate, risk-based due diligence of contractual partners and third-party due diligence, and the inclusion in contracts of tailored anti-bribery and corruption warranties and indemnities as well as audit, investigation, and termination rights.

Our team represents clients in matters before OFAC, OFSI, HMRC, and the U.K. National Crime Agency, including both voluntary disclosures of breach and investigations. We monitor legal and political developments to provide up-to-date responses to help navigate the continually changing sanctions framework. We work with clients from diverse sectors, including financial services, retail, commodities, oil and gas, infrastructure, transport, telecommunications, and media. For related capabilities, visit our Regulatory Compliance & Disputes practice.

We advise on the complex issues these matters present, including large-scale document collection and production, witness preparation, hearing strategy, and the political and reputational risks that often accompany them.

Our experience includes advising clients on the strategic, substantive, and procedural issues that commissions, inquiries, and investigations raise for organizations and their personnel. We also assist with detailed document collation, coordination with counsel, preparation of witnesses for difficult appearances, attendance at hearings, media-related considerations, and advice on the consequences of inquiry findings and outcomes.

We understand the complexity of independent evaluation and oversight and the importance of maintaining credibility throughout the process. Courts, federal agencies, and state bars have recognized our firm for trusted, ethical counsel and selected our team for high-profile monitorships, compliance consulting engagements, and receivership assignments. We approach each matter with independence, efficiency, and practical coordination with company management, while fulfilling government expectations.

In the digital age, fraud risk has accelerated, and it is critical to have fraud mitigation measures and continuous monitoring in place to address new challenges successfully.

We represent clients in investigations involving fraud and advise on practical solutions. Our work includes counseling multinational corporations, financial institutions, and government entities on internal investigations into suspected fraudulent activity, defending clients in criminal fraud matters before enforcement authorities, and advising on litigation strategy in related civil actions. We are adept in developing litigation and other strategies to remediate complex fraud schemes. We routinely handle high-stakes disputes, pursuing strategic remedies such as significant damages, injunctive relief, and independent oversight measures.

Our global fraud and asset recovery team can assemble an experienced team at short notice to conduct a fraud investigation or obtain urgent injunctive relief in jurisdictions all over the world.

We assist immunity applicants in global cartels, help clients minimize follow-on litigation and class-action liability, and advise executives and boards on responding to whistleblowers and investigations. For related capabilities, visit our Antitrust & Competition practice.

We execute remediation efforts when investigations reveal the need for action and identify trends that may call for changes to internal systems and controls. For related capabilities, visit our Antitrust & Competition practice.

With a team that includes former U.S. Department of Justice national security officials, cybercrime prosecutors, and a member with the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) credential, our bench includes lawyers with knowledge relevant to every stage of an incident response, from preparation to lessons learned, as well as post-breach regulatory inquiry and litigation. While not every breach requires notification or disclosure, each one requires an individualized response tailored to the facts and an evaluation to minimize the risk of future breaches. For related capabilities, visit our Regulatory Compliance & Disputes and Privacy & Security practices.

Our services cover issues related to water and air quality, hazardous substance management, and compliance with permits. Our lawyers are well-versed in compliance and enforcement strategies and have significant experience negotiating with agencies like the U.S. Department of Justice, Environmental Protection Agency, and other federal, state, and local bodies. We also defend clients against enforcement actions under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and other laws.

Businesses face evolving anti-money laundering enforcement across jurisdictions, driven in part by the growing influence of international and supranational bodies. Our team advises clients on anti-money laundering and terrorist financing requirements, with a practical focus on industry-specific risks, program design, training, and controls testing. We also counsel clients in domestic and cross-border money laundering investigations and prosecutions, with careful attention to the strategic and commercial implications of each matter. For related capabilities, visit our Financial Regulations practice.

We handle bet-the-company cases involving billions of dollars in claims. We also have significant depth in FCA counseling for defense contractors, healthcare companies, and individuals. For related capabilities, visit our Regulatory Compliance & Disputes practice.