Find Lawyers in District of Columbia, United States for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Practice Area Overview
“White-collar defense” captures a broad set of substantive areas of the law, all of them arising from the myriad ways that local, state, federal, and foreign governments regulate businesses and entrepreneurs — what they say to investors and the general public about their own successes and failures (securities law); how they compete with one another (antitrust law); how they win business, deliver services, and seek payment when governments are themselves the customers (False Claims Act, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act); how businesses treat the environment; and whether they comply with general laws against theft, fraud, bribery, tax evasion and corruption. Public officials must navigate similar rules and thus present similar types of issues included under the broad category of white-collar defense.
The practice demands particularly versatile lawyers who deliver a range of services. White-collar lawyers try cases in court. They also specialize in risk management and compliance, training businesses and their individual employees about ways to minimize potential criminal and civil liability. Corporations engage white-collar lawyers to conduct internal investigations of their own business practices to assess and prepare for the risk of criminal and civil liability. Individuals and corporations demand white-collar representation as much when they are merely witnesses to alleged wrongdoing as when they are accused of it. White-collar litigation also involves assessing victims’ damages and their potential remedies as well as representing those accused of wrongdoing in administrative and court proceedings.
White-collar practices also must anticipate and prepare for the potential trajectory of a white-collar case. For example, an internal investigation identifying potential criminal or civil issues can lead to government enforcement actions and follow-up civil claims by alleged victims or competitors — all arising from the same conduct. The risk of criminal punishment and civil fines and liability potentially running into the billions of dollars, increase the complexity of white-collar matters and the demand for sophisticated counsel.
Criminal defense lawyer and civil litigator Michael Battle is focused on white collar criminal matters. Having previously served as a prosecutor and judge himself, Michael understands their perspectives and designs compelling arguments that have the best chance of defending his clients and mitigating their exposure to prosecution. After leaving public service for private practice, Michael has counseled numerous clients on cases involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), healthcare fr...
Brian Benczkowski is a partner in Kirkland’s Washington, D.C., office. He is a member of the Firm’s Government, Regulatory & Internal Investigations Practice Group. Brian has deep and diverse government enforcement and investigations experience, bolstered by his service in multiple leadership positions at the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and on Capitol Hill. From 2018–2020, he served as the Senate-confirmed Assistant Attorney General for DOJ’s Criminal...
Barry Boss is co-chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations practice group, vice chair of the Commercial Litigation Department and office managing partner of the D.C. office. Prior to joining Cozen O’Connor in April 2004, Barry was an assistant federal public defender in Washington, D.C. Barry focuses his practice on complex criminal matters, particularly involving allegations of white-collar crime in federal court. Barry has extensive jury tria...
Having spent over a decade as a prosecutor in the criminal and civil divisions of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, Michelle Bradford uses her extensive knowledge and skill, coupled with her profound determination and sharp wit, to defend clients in white collar criminal and complex civil litigation matters. Michelle brings considerable value to clients facing complex litigation by thoroughly and efficiently reviewing issues, identifying the heart of a matter and ...
John Brownlee is chair of Holland & Knight's National White Collar Defense and Investigations Team and is a member of the firm's Directors Committee. Mr. Brownlee's areas of focus include white collar defense and securities enforcement — including Grand Jury and Inspector General investigations, and investigations involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), False Claims Act, Food and Drug Administration regulations, complianc...
Reginald “Reg” Brown is a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He has a vibrant and diverse crisis and governmental investigations practice, and regularly counsels financial institutions and other industry-leading clients facing complex and significant regulatory, enforcement and reputational matters. Reg provides investigations-related guidance, strategic counsel and crisis management assistance to a broad range of companies and senior executives c...
Amy Conway-Hatcher is a Partner at Schertler Onorato Mead & Sears in Washington, DC. Amy’s practice focuses on corporate internal investigations, corporate compliance and defending corporate and individual clients in criminal and civil enforcement matters. She has appeared before the Department of Justice, US Attorneys’ Offices, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the US Commerce Department, the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Ne...
The Law Offices of G. Allen Dale, PLLC, is a litigation firm with a national practice in criminal and enforcement matters. Its founder, Allen Dale, has over 45 years of experience in white-collar criminal defense and regularly represents individuals in high-stakes criminal matters. Clients rely on Mr. Dale for his legal expertise and skill, innovative thinking, and zealous advocacy. He is solution oriented and approaches each case with the passion, drive, and tenacity his clients deserve. His...
A former Assistant United States Attorney, Justin Dillon now uses his years of litigation and investigative experience to defend clients in complex, high-stakes white-collar criminal and campus discipline cases. Justin combines a meticulous approach to investigating the facts with a deep knowledge of criminal and administrative procedure to vigorously protect his clients’ futures and reputations. Justin represents people in some of the toughest situations they will ever face. He has gai...
Jonathan C. Drimmer is a partner in the firm's Washington, D.C., office, where he resolves anti-corruption, business and human rights and other complex cross-border challenges with the benefit of having sat in every chair at the table: senior legal officer for a global 500 company, federal prosecutor, and seasoned advocate. He is a frequent speaker, author, and commentator on issues related to anti-corruption and business and human rights, and represents and advises companies, individuals, mu...
Nathaniel Edmonds serves as the Co-Chair of the firm’s litigation practice in Washington, D.C., which houses over 100 lawyers handling a variety of litigation matters, including internal corporate investigations, white collar criminal defense, anti-corruption compliance, sanctions and export controls, data privacy and cyber security, intellectual property and patent litigation, international arbitration, and antitrust counseling. Mr. Edmonds focuses on global internal investigations, in...
Neil Eggleston is a litigation partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Neil has a distinguished record of public service, and has held a number of senior government roles. He was White House Counsel to President Obama from 2014 to 2017, and advised the president on all legal and constitutional issues across a broad spectrum of domestic and foreign policy matters. Neil’s practice focuses on enforcement defense including at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)...
Steven D. Gordon practices in the areas of white collar crime and complex civil litigation. He has been lead counsel in more than 100 trials, both jury and non-jury, in federal and state courts. He has argued appeals in most of the federal circuit courts and in the United States Supreme Court. White Collar Defense Mr. Gordon represents individual and corporate clients who are being investigated by inspector generals or other federal and state authorities. He defends clients who are under gran...
Adam Hoffinger's litigation and trial practice focuses on complex civil and white‑collar criminal matters, including securities, health care, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, False Claims Act, export controls, money laundering, antitrust, and bankruptcy. He counsels corporations and individuals in compliance matters, internal investigations, and Congressional and regulatory matters. He also represents corporations and individuals in high stakes civil litigation. Mr. Hoffinger has defended numer...
Matt Kaiser is the founding partner at KaiserDillon PLLC. He represents individual and small business clients in commercial litigation , government investigations , and white-collar cases . Before starting KaiserDillon PLLC, Matt worked at some of the best litigation firms in the country - Williams & Connolly and Zuckerman Spaeder. He also worked in the Maryland Federal Public Defender's Office and clerked for United States District Judge Catherine C. Blake. Matt is an adjunct professor o...
Having tried numerous high-profile fraud and corruption cases as a veteran prosecutor for the DOJ’s Criminal Division, Edward (Ted) Kang brings a thorough understanding of white collar defense and compliance to clients under investigation by federal agencies. He applies a pragmatic, business-oriented approach to the challenging issues that his clients confront in an increasingly complex regulatory environment. Ted is the co-leader of Alston & Bird’s White Collar, Government &a...
Robert Luskin is a partner in the Investigations and White Collar Defense practice at Paul Hastings and is based in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. He is one of the best known and most highly-regarded litigators in Washington, D.C., concentrating in complex criminal litigation at both the trial court and appellate level. Beginning his career in government service, and having later transitioned into private practice, Mr. Luskin has represented clients in virtually every high-profile ...
Kwame Manley is the Global Co-Chair of the Paul Hastings Litigation Department, and the former Chair of the Investigations and White Collar Defense practice at Paul Hastings. Based in the firm's Washington, D.C. office, Mr. Manley focuses his practice on white-collar criminal defense, internal corporate investigations, and complex civil litigation. A former federal prosecutor, Mr. Manley defends individuals and companies before various agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ),...
A former federal prosecutor with extensive trial and appellate experience, Greg Marshall represents companies and individuals defending government enforcement, white-collar criminal, and civil litigation matters. Greg also conducts internal investigations and advises clients on compliance issues. He has assisted clients in the financial services, healthcare, government contracting, technology, export, and education sectors. Greg has defended investigations and cases involving the False Claims...
Billy represents corporations in complex civil and white collar criminal matters in state and federal courts and in administrative hearings and arbitrations. In addition to his high-profile cases, Billy has substantial experience with internal investigations and has worked extensively with integrity and compliance monitors in a number of industries. Prior to entering private practice, Billy served as a local and federal prosecutor in Cincinnati, Ohio, from 1976 to 1980. He then was appointed ...
Jay R. Nanavati is an accomplished litigator, a former federal tax prosecutor, and a founding partner of Kostelanetz LLP's Washington, D.C., office. He has developed an enviable record of success in persuading the government to terminate investigations of his clients and in defeating the government in court. Mr. Nanavati maintains a nationwide practice, focusing on white-collar criminal defense with an emphasis on tax-related matters. He represents individuals and entities facing investigatio...
Danny Onorato is a former federal prosecutor and experienced trial attorney. As a defense attorney, Mr. Onorato has successfully represented individuals in a wide variety of complex criminal and civil matters, including many high profile white collar criminal offenses. Mr. Onorato’s clients have included executives from high profile cases including HealthSouth, Enron, KPMG and Fannie Mae. Mr. Onorato has also represented clients in both civil and criminal securities fraud investigations...
David Schertler is widely recognized as one of the top white–collar criminal defense attorneys in the Washington area and nationwide. He founded Schertler & Onorato, LLP, in 1996 and has built the firm’s reputation as a premier litigation boutique through his broad experience with criminal and civil investigative and trial matters and the results that he has achieved for his clients. Mr. Schertler is known for his skilled and tenacious representation of individuals and entitie...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.