Find Lawyers in Chicago, Illinois 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.
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Sergio Acosta is Co-Chair of Akerman’s White Collar Crime and Government Investigations Practice. A former federal prosecutor and Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers with over 70 jury trials to his credit, he has extensive experience defending companies and individuals in criminal and regulatory proceedings, conducting internal investigations, and counseling clients on compliance programs and related issues. Sergio represents companies and individuals in regulatory, civil, a...
A highly skilled civil, criminal, and appellate litigator, Joel Bertocchi handles appeals in state and federal courts and represents clients in connection with criminal and regulatory investigations and proceedings, providing counsel on compliance policies and related issues. He has argued cases in the U.S. Supreme Court and multiple federal Circuits and state appellate courts, and served as Illinois’ Solicitor General, the chief appellate lawyer for the State. A former federal prosecut...
Joshua (Josh) T. Buchman focuses his practice on white-collar criminal defense, internal investigations and complex commercial litigation. He represents corporate clients in the healthcare, manufacturing and defense contracting industries, in civil litigation and in corporate internal investigations. Josh has deep knowledge of False Claims Act litigation, and obtained a complete victory for a defense contractor client in a case involving $600 million in single damages exposure. He also repres...
Jack Carriglio represents clients in commercial disputes, including the prosecution and defense of cases relating to contracts, business torts, bankruptcy, securities, product defects, patents, copyrights, trade secrets, partnership disputes, malpractice and professional disciplinary matters, and real estate litigation. In addition, Jack has a substantial practice in representing corporations and individuals at the federal grand jury, trial, and appellate courts in various criminal matters in...
Joe Duffy is an accomplished and resourceful trial lawyer who focuses his national practice on white collar criminal defense and complex business litigation. He handles all aspects of federal and state criminal prosecutions through the investigative, prosecutive and appellate stages. He has extensive experience representing individuals and corporations in internal and government investigations as well as civil and criminal jury trials and appeals. Joe has successfully represented clients in c...
Mark Filip, a former federal judge and high-ranking Justice Department official, helps to lead Kirkland’s government enforcement defense and internal investigations group, and serves as a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee. As a partner in the Firm’s Chicago and Washington, D.C. offices, Mark has successfully guided numerous Fortune 100 companies and financial institutions through complex mission-critical moments, counseling leaders and Boards of Directors on high-stak...
John F. Gibbons has more than 25 years of experience handling a broad range of civil and criminal matters for national corporations, financial institutions, brokerage houses, pension funds, real estate entities, and individuals, including fraud, breach of contract, trade secret, class action, RICO, civil rights, commercial and criminal securities cases, grand jury investigations, white collar defense, FCPA issues, corporate internal investigations and appeals. He has advised many corporate cl...
Asheesh Goel is a one of the leaders of Kirkland’s government & internal investigations practice and serves on the Firm’s Executive Committee. Asheesh advises clients on securities enforcement matters, including internal investigations, government investigations and enforcement actions. Asheesh has developed substantial depth on enforcement matters and transactional issues involving the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other related laws, financial statement and disclosu...
RSHC Managing Partner Patricia Brown Holmes practiced law on both sides of the bench in courtrooms at every level, serving as Associate Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, assistant U.S. attorney NDIL, assistant state's attorney for Cook County, and Chief Assistant Corporation Counsel for the city of Chicago. Patricia is the first African-American woman to manage and have her name on the door of a major law firm that is not women- or minority-owned. Patricia is one of a handful of Illi...
Christopher Hotaling is a member of the Government Investigations & White Collar Defense practice group. After 16 years as a federal prosecutor at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago, Chris focuses his practice on representing entities and individuals in all types of government investigations, criminal prosecutions, and regulatory enforcement actions. A seasoned trial attorney, clients also come to Chris for their most significant complex commercial litigation. What do you focus o...
Jonathan Marks helps clients — often large insurers — develop investigation, claims handling and litigation strategies to detect, prevent and deter fraud. As an Assistant US Attorney, Jonathan tried numerous federal jury trials and argued appeals before the US Court of Appeals. As a lawyer in private practice, Jonathan has handled hundreds of insurance fraud investigations and dozens of fraud litigation matters. At every stage of counseling, investigation, litigation and in court,...
Scott Mendeloff combines an 11-year tenure as a former federal prosecutor with more than 19 years of experience in private practice. He focuses his practice on commercial trials and white collar criminal litigation. Scott has been consistently recognized by Chambers USA in the area of commercial litigation and by Leading Lawyers in the areas of commercial and white collar litigation. Scott has tried to conclusion more than 50 cases in a wide array of areas in both the civil and criminal arena...
Kim Nemirow is a partner in the Government & Internal Investigations Group in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Kim has nearly 20 years of experience advising multi-national organizations advising clients on highly sensitive and complex matters, including U.S. DOJ and SEC investigations, internal investigations and compliance matters. She had led countless investigations for private equity, pharmaceutical, medical device, technology and other clients into potential violation...
Ronald Safer manages complex, high-stakes cases with a focus in civil litigation. Ron has successfully represented companies and individuals in federal and state court involving matters such as commercial disputes, accounting fraud, tax fraud, anti-kickback violations, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), environmental violations, and securities fraud. He represents clients before the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Financial Industry Regulatory Au...
Mark Schneider is a partner whose practice focuses on representing businesses, their boards and executives in complex criminal, civil, and administrative investigations, government enforcement proceedings, and related litigation, often in highly regulated industries and international contexts. Recognized by Chambers as a leading lawyer, Mark's clients include notable multinational companies in the financial services, life sciences, healthcare, and manufacturing industries, as well as private ...
Steven (Steve) S. Scholes is the global head of McDermott’s Litigation Practice Group. His practice focuses on SEC investigations, shareholder litigation, including class and derivative actions, and internal investigations. Steve is an experienced trial lawyer, and he has tried civil, criminal and administrative cases in federal and state courts. He regularly represents clients before the Securities and Exchange Commission, state securities regulators and self-regulatory organizations, ...
Gil Soffer, managing partner of Katten's Chicago office, has made his mark on both sides of white-collar actions. As a former federal prosecutor and senior Department of Justice (DOJ) official, he thoroughly understands the government's enforcement strategies and tactics. As an experienced white-collar defense lawyer and national co-chair of the firm's litigation practice, he devotes his practice to keeping clients out of trouble and navigating them safely through government investigations an...
Partner at McDermott Will & Emery -- 1991 - present Co-chairman at McDermott Will & Emery -- 2010-present Previously, head of Trial Department and head of White Collar Criminal Defense Practice Group. Served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois from 1986-1991 focusing on the prosecution of white-collar crime.
Drawing on nearly 40 years of combined experience as a federal prosecutor and defense attorney, Sheldon Zenner expertly navigates his clients through high-stakes matters, including government and internal investigations, regulatory proceedings, all phases of criminal matters and related civil litigation. Sheldon's diverse client base is made up of corporations, high-ranking executives and company owners across a wide range of industries, including financial services, health care and entertain...
John Adams is a stakeholder at Eimer Stahl in the firm’s Chicago and Madison offices. He focuses his practice on appellate and complex litigation in a variety of areas, including antitrust, constitutional law, and complex civil and commercial litigation. He also has substantial experience with government investigations. During his time in practice, he has argued critical motions and briefs at the trial and appellate courts; participated in and prepared witnesses for depositions; handled...
Jennifer (Jen) Aronoff focuses her practice on civil and criminal government enforcement actions, internal investigations, and complex commercial litigation. A former journalist, Jen uses her experience at gathering and deploying facts to help tell clients’ stories, and she has helped clients succeed at both the trial and appellate levels through clear and persuasive written and oral advocacy and keen legal analysis. Jen is also versed in advising clients on compliance questions. Read f...
Lauren Jaffe serves clients in matters from discreet internal investigations to large-scale class actions, leveraging experience as a paralegal for the Department of Justice, a student representing federal criminal defendants, a federal judicial law clerk, and an attorney working alongside an in-house compliance team. Lauren helps clients navigate a wide variety of matters, with a particular focus on commercial and white collar cases. She also handles class actions, internal and government in...
Hanaa Kaloti is a litigation partner in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where her practice focuses on white-collar criminal defense and internal investigations. Her experience at the firm consists of the representation of corporate clients from a wide variety of industries in matters involving allegations of fraud and regulatory non-compliance by the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and other regulatory bodies. Hanaa's work has resulted in experie...
A versatile litigator in the truest sense, Eli Litoff is equally adept at defending his clients against complex class actions in federal court, navigating their local matters in a county courthouse, and defending them against accusations by the government. Eli’s civil practice focuses on class actions and complex commercial litigation. He understands both sides of the “v.,” having successfully prosecuted and defended actions for his clients. He has courtroom experience handl...
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