Meet the team

Government Investigations, Enforcement, and Compliance Practice

Winston & Strawn LLP

Washington DC, United States
+1 other location
  • New York, United States
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Named a National Tier 1 firm in Criminal Defense: White Collar by U.S. News – Best Lawyers® in 2022, Winston & Strawn’s Government Investigations, Enforcement, and Compliance Practice assists individuals and companies with government investigations and enforcement matters; related criminal and civil trials, litigation, and appeals; internal investigations; and the development and enhancement of compliance programs. Our team is comprised of 60 attorneys, with more than a dozen former prosecutors with United States Attorneys’ Offices around the country, including three former U.S. Attorneys, and prides itself on zealously protecting and defending our clients with legal acumen that’s second to none.

We have substantial experience representing clients in connection with a broad range of proceedings and related needs, including:

GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATIONS

Winston attorneys routinely handle highly sensitive government investigations on behalf of companies, board committees, senior management, and individuals around the globe. With our deep understanding of government strategies and approaches, our attorneys manage the investigative process in a manner that puts our clients in the best position to assess potential exposure and present strong defenses, while promoting and protecting our clients’ multi-faceted interests at all phases of a government investigation.

CRIMINAL AND CIVIL TRIAL DEFENSE, LITIGATION, AND APPEAL

We defend individuals and companies at trials against federal and state authorities involving a wide range of criminal and civil allegations, including those related to the substantive matters listed below, among others, as well as related litigation and appeals.

INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS

Winston attorneys regularly conduct thorough, reliable, and cost-effective internal investigations, advising on potential exposure and liability and strategies for mitigating risk.

COMPLIANCE COUNSELING

We routinely assist companies with the development and enhancement of compliance programs in order to prevent wrongdoing in the first place, ensure compliance with the ever-changing regulatory landscape in diverse industries, and meet government expectations so as to secure leniency should actions ensue.

CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATIONS AND OVERSIGHT

Our attorneys have served as counsel to congressional committees and represent our corporate and individual clients in a wide range of investigation and oversight proceedings in Congress.

We routinely handle matters involving the following:

ANTITRUST/COMPETITION

We work alongside the firm’s Antitrust/Competition lawyers to defend clients facing allegations of criminal and civil wrongdoing under U.S. and other jurisdictions’ antitrust and competition laws.

CRIMINAL TAX

Winston has decades of experience representing clients facing governmental investigations involving tax and financial matters, multi-jurisdictional investigations, and litigation conducted jointly by the U.S. and foreign governmental agencies.

ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT DEFENSE

Our attorneys represent companies and individuals in investigations, enforcement actions, and criminal and civil proceedings brought by state and federal agencies under all major environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (known as Superfund), the Clean Water Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), and other environmental protection statutes.

FINANCIAL SERVICES REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT

Our team represents banks, funds, investment advisers, broker-dealers, insurers, servicers, and credit card companies in a range of regulatory compliance and enforcement matters, including government and whistleblower actions, brought under a wide array of legislation including Sarbanes-Oxley, Dodd-Frank, and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) and related whistleblower and qui tam complaints. We counsel clients on inspections, examinations, regulatory inquiries, and other proceedings commenced by virtually every major enforcement and regulatory body, including the SEC, CFTC, FINRA, NFA, OCC, CFPB, and state regulatory agencies.

GOVERNMENT PROGRAM FRAUD AND FALSE CLAIMS ACT MATTERS

We defend companies, boards, management, and other individuals facing investigations and litigation brought under the federal False Claims Act and similar state statutes, including related whistleblower and qui tam complaints.

HEALTHCARE FRAUD

We represent clients in connection with federal and state civil, criminal, and regulatory investigations and litigation involving a wide-variety of health care related matters, including the Anti-Kickback Statute, the False Claims Act, the Medicare Secondary Payer Act, Medicare/Medicaid fraud, and related whistleblower and qui tam actions.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE: FCPA, SANCTIONS, MONEY LAUNDERING, CFIUS

We routinely assist domestic and international clients with ensuring compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), UK’s Bribery Act, various sanctions laws and orders, the Bank Secrecy Act, anti-money laundering requirements, and the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States (CFIUS) and navigating related investigations and actions.

PUBLIC CORRUPTION AND ELECTION LAW VIOLATIONS

Our attorneys regularly defend companies, organizations, elected officials, political appointees, and other individuals in matters related to the alleged misuse of government power or public money.

SECURITIES FRAUD AND SEC ENFORCEMENT

We defend companies and individuals in SEC enforcement and regulatory matters related to allegations involving securities fraud, insider trading, financial disclosure failures, and market manipulation, as well as counseling with respect to compliance matters.