Morrison Foerster

Morrison Foerster has a highly rated white-collar defence and investigations practice, which features numerous native or fluent Spanish and Portuguese speakers. The team includes several former members of the DOJ’s FCPA Unit, including Charles Duross, the former head of the unit, who has extensive experience in Latin America cases. Sanctions expert John Smith is the former head of OFAC and is another key member of the Latin America practice. The firm’s white-collar and investigations work is also complemented by its prominent privacy team and in-house forensic accounting group. The Latin America team remains especially active in internal investigations, government investigations, compliance programmes and transaction due diligence. New York partner Ruti Smithline is co-chair of the Latin America desk and former co-chair of the white-collar defence and investigations practice. James Koukios is another key member of the team. Named individuals are based in Washington DC unless stated otherwise.