White-Collar Criminal Defense & Government Investigations

White-collar criminal defense representations are a cornerstone of Schertler Onorato Mead & Sears’s practice. We have extensive experience representing individual and corporate clients in investigations conducted domestically and internationally by the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, federal Offices of the Inspector General, and other federal, state, and local agencies.

The firm’s clients have included high-level executives of numerous domestic and multinational corporations such as Volkswagen, VimpelCom, BNP Paribas, Enron, and Worldcom.  We also have represented political consultants, military officers, attorneys, and elected, appointed, and career government officials in investigative matters.  The substantive areas covered by the firm’s diverse white-collar practice include antitrust law, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the Foreign Agents Registration Act, bribery and gratuities law, mail, wire, and health care fraud, procurement fraud, securities and tax law, government contracts, international trade, import/export controls, and false statements and perjury.

Geographically, we have handled white-collar criminal matters originating throughout the United States as well as in Europe, Africa, South America, Asia, and the Middle East. We regularly assist corporate and individual clients to navigate complex white-collar criminal investigations wherever they occur and are attuned to our clients’ valid concerns about the repercussions that such investigations can have for their reputations, finances, and emotional well-being.

Through our background as prosecutors and regular interface with government attorneys and investigators, we understand how to guide our clients through the challenging and delicate process of a government investigation. We also are capable and experienced litigators who are able and ready to take a white-collar criminal case to trial and litigate it aggressively in the courts if that approach is in our client’s interests.

AREAS OF PRACTICE