The Facts About White Collar Lawyers

Companies and their executives now face increased scrutiny wherever they have interests and operations. Whistleblower lawsuits are growing at an unprecedented rate. Clients need legal advisors who can help identify and address potential compliance risks, respond in the event of a government investigation, and defend qui tam actions, criminal charges, and parallel proceedings.

How Can White Collar Lawyers Help?

But white-collar lawyers from law firms like McDermott can provide skilled legal counsel to assist clients facing scrutiny by government agencies over their business practices.

The white-collar and securities defense team includes highly experienced lawyers in offices throughout the United States and abroad. have tried hundreds of cases in federal and state courts, earning us consistent recognition by legal and industry directories such as Chambers USA, US News-Best Lawyers, Benchmark Litigation, and The Legal 500.

What Sets Them Apart?

What differentiates McDermott is a team steeped in knowledge gained from prior service as senior federal prosecutors, enabling us to provide a unique perspective to counsel and advise clients facing criminal investigations or indictments.

The group includes former senior prosecutors from US attorney’s offices and the US Department of Justice, including professionals who have advised the US attorney general and other high-ranking officials.

In addition, they can provide lawyers from nearly every US federal agency active in white-collar activities, including the Federal Trade Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Commerce, Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, and Environmental Protection Agency.

Clients appreciate the efforts of white-collar lawyers who demonstrate success advising on various white-collar criminal matters, including financial institutions, health care, securities, environmental, tax, antitrust, public corruption, government contracting, commodities, and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigations.

However, what clients appreciate even more is that the most valuable work often goes unnoticed by the public. By proactively addressing concerns raised by prosecutors and regulators, white collar lawyers routinely persuade the government not to proceed with costly and reputation-damaging criminal charges or public lawsuits.

Related Capabilities

Government Investigations

White-collar lawyers have extensive practice experience in a wide variety of government investigations into alleged white-collar criminal matters. Drawing on their wealth of experience in numerous industries, they have a practical understanding of how businesses operate, their enforcement concerns, and their industry standards and practices.

The lawyers’ business acumen, combined with their experience as former prosecutors, ensures that they effectively communicate our clients’ perspectives to prosecutors and regulators. White collar lawyers also advise clients in corporate internal investigations and parallel proceedings in multiple forums.

Anti-Bribery

With white-collar criminal defense lawyers in the United States, experts assist clients in ensuring compliance with the UK Bribery Act, the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and related anti-bribery statutes worldwide.

They provide effective crisis-management advice, help clients cooperate with regulatory and law-enforcement officials, and mount a rapid, effective defense in agency investigations and at trial. Among recent anti-bribery matters, they have represented multinational technology, chemical, aerospace, agribusiness, and other companies on investigations relating to their activities in China, India, Korea, Equatorial Guinea, and numerous other countries in Africa, the Middle East, South America, the Caribbean, and Europe.

Compliance

Increased government and law-enforcement oversight, growing shareholder activism, and an aggressive plaintiffs’ bar are just a few of the reasons businesses, boards of directors, and individual executives need effective, comprehensive corporate compliance programs.

White-collar lawyers deliver tailored compliance programs that can minimize the costs and penalties associated with compliance failures, reduce the likelihood of investigations, and protect hard-won personal and corporate reputations.

When compliance challenges do arise, the lawyers mount an immediate response before regulatory agencies and officials and, if necessary, in court. The compliance solutions include key components such as compliance auditing, the development of clear policies and procedures, ongoing monitoring, and reinforcement through effective training of key personnel.

CFTC

With dozens of former federal prosecutors, and lawyers formerly with the SEC and other federal agencies, McDermott provides a broad-reaching defense of energy, agriculture, metals, and other commodities, derivatives, and interest-rate market clients.

The white-collar lawyers regularly represent clients in matters before the US Department of Justice (DOJ), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as well as in investigations and litigation involving foreign regulators.