Government Investigations & White Collar Defense

Overview

Government Investigations & White Collar Defense

Our government investigations and white collar defense team is poised to handle virtually every area of criminal and regulatory government enforcement, including, but not limited to, tax evasion, securities fraud and insider trading, antitrust violations, environmental crimes, and OSHA violations. The depth of our collective government experience provides us with a strategic understanding of all levels of government prosecutions, as well as enhanced credibility with government attorneys and officials.

In recent years, our lawyers have represented mutual fund companies, banks, insurance companies, broker-dealers, public companies and their officers and employees in a range of investigations and cases brought by state and federal authorities.

How we can help

Corporate investigations and related crisis management
Corporate and individual defense
Forensic services

We provide representation at every step of a corporate crisis, from the earliest stages of governmental investigations through trial. We also offer advice and counseling to our clients on how to avoid an expensive and distracting governmental investigation before it begins. Our group is made up of top-tier trial lawyers who are not afraid to take a case to trial when the client agrees that it is in their best interest.

Our lawyers conduct internal investigations and defend clients in the riskiest matters and in bet-the-company cases. We excel at advising on corporate governance issues, structuring compliance programs and guiding our clients safely through governmental inquiries.

We work closely with the firm’s other practice groups to ensure that our clients benefit from the breadth and depth of the firm’s expertise.

Experience

An invoicing investigation uncovers widespread fraud

When we were hired by a Massachusetts manufacturer after the HR director of the company realized that invoices were being padded, we investigated who was involved and determined how we were going to prove it. As we proceeded to investigate the client’s allegation of fraudulent invoice and expense practices, we began to unravel a widespread scheme involving several employees. It resulted in several employees being terminated with cause and saved the client hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.

An internal investigation neutralizes federal accusations against a New England business

When the part owner of a business in New England was suspected of money laundering, the federal government went after him hard with a forfeiture petition. We took the time to figure out how our client’s business made money and then sat him down in front of the U.S. Attorney, FBI and the IRS. Our client explained how his business worked, and everybody’s jaw dropped. The matter was resolved favorably for our client.

Other experience

Resolved $2 million “responsible person” assessment for restaurant manager with Department of Revenue at the Appellate Tax Board on the eve of trial for approximately 1.5 percent of total owed.
Local business owners indicted for evading taxes on more than $1 million in revenue. Our clients were involved in parallel white-collar criminal and civil proceedings, where they were the only targets of the investigation, which focused on seven individuals to avoid incarceration.
Investigated and disclosed financial malfeasance by corporate client CFO to IRS and state tax authorities and avoided trust fund penalty assessments. We successfully brought claims against CFO and recovered our client’s costs.
Multi-national financial services company in an investigation by state regulatory agencies and Attorney General into client’s alleged complicity into health care fraud. Client was able to resolve dispute with the Attorney General without any admission of liability.
Investigated national healthcare company in employee-kickback scheme by technology vendor. Investigation resulted in conviction of responsible individuals and avoided additional federal inquiries.
Acquittal of Shearson Lehman Brothers in a criminal money laundering case after a six-week jury trial.
Parties in complex securities fraud claims, breach of contract and 93A where investment advisor and his company defrauded investors of millions of dollars.

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