For more than a decade, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) has been able to bring enforcement actions in either federal court or the agency’s internal venue. Not anymore. On June 27, 2024, the U.S....more
7/1/2024
/ Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) ,
Administrative Proceedings ,
Article III ,
Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Jury Trial ,
Public Rights Doctrine ,
SCOTUS ,
SEC v Jarkesy ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ,
Securities Fraud ,
Seventh Amendment
In 2023, the Department of Justice (DOJ) achieved a record-breaking number of recoveries under the False Claims Act (“FCA”), underscoring its ongoing commitment to combating fraud against the federal government. Government...more
A recent privilege dispute in E.D.N.Y. case La Liberte v. Reid provides a prime opportunity to review the law and practical aspects surrounding attorney-client privilege, work product protection, and the crime-fraud exception...more
This year kicked off with several important name, image, and likeness (“NIL”) updates that universities, boosters,1 and NIL Collectives2 would do well to review. Earlier this month, the NCAA Division I Committee on...more
The IRS recently issued an internal memorandum to the effect that many Name-Image-Likeness (NIL) collectives will not qualify for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, including those that had previously obtained tax exemption letters...more
On January 13, 2023, the Supreme Court granted certiorari in two consolidated cases from the Seventh Circuit to consider whether a defendant relying on an objectively reasonable interpretation of an ambiguous law acts...more
In an apparent response to a downturn in corporate cases and criticism that its harsh rhetoric was chilling corporate cooperation, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) recently announced significant changes to its policy on...more
Last year’s college football offseason drama came to a head with coaches levying allegations1 that impermissible name, image, and likeness (“NIL”) payments were made to prospective student athletes to persuade them to attend...more
Just days after securing its first Section 2 conviction in over 40 years in United States v. Zito on October 31, 2022,1 the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) again wielded its once-neglected ability to criminally enforce...more
On October 26, 2022, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”) issued new guidance (“the October guidance”) to its Division I member schools regarding the name, image, and likeness (“NIL”) rules’ applicability to...more
On October 31, 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division (“DOJ”) announced that the president of a Montana paving and asphalt contractor, Nathan Nephi Zito, had pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to...more
Deputy Attorney General Lisa A. Monaco’s September 15, 2022 memorandum (the “Memo”) clarified a series of Department of Justice (“DOJ”) objectives regarding corporate and individual responsibility that parallel recent...more
In announcing recent changes to its corporate criminal enforcement policies, the Department of Justice (“DOJ” or the “Department”) continued its forceful “tough on crime” initiatives to deter wrongdoing....more
9/27/2022
/ Clawbacks ,
Compliance ,
Corporate Governance ,
Deferred Prosecution Agreements ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Investigations ,
Non-Prosecution Agreements ,
Recidivism ,
Self-Reporting ,
Transparency
As we approach the one-year anniversary of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (“NCAA’s) interim guidance on name, image, and likeness (“NIL”), colleges and universities are starting to debut a new position: the...more
On May 9, 2022, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”) issued new guidelines to its Division I member schools on name, image, and likeness (“NIL”)....more
Enforcement of corporate crimes, which languished for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic, will grow more vigorous this year and may be accompanied by significantly tougher penalties, partners with Vinson & Elkins’ (“V&E”)...more
5/27/2022
/ Anti-Corruption ,
Bribery ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Cyber Crimes ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
FBI ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Ransomware ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) ,
White Collar Crimes
A review of President Biden’s proposed Budget (“Budget”) for 2023 spotlights the enforcement priorities of the president’s Justice Department as the administration enters its third year. ...more
4/21/2022
/ Antitrust Division ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Crime Victims ,
Cybersecurity ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Environmental Justice ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Federal Budget ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Fraud ,
Joe Biden ,
Popular ,
Procurement Collusion Strike Force ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
The Clayton Act
In the span of 24 hours, two closely-watched federal jury trials both ended in defeat last week for the Department of Justice, Antitrust Division (“the Division”). The trials were considered bellwethers in gauging how the...more
On April 4, 2022, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) Antitrust Division (the “Division”) announced important policy and practice changes to its leniency program (the “Leniency Program”) — the first substantive changes to the...more
On January 28, 2022, the United States District Court for the District of Colorado declined to dismiss a criminal antitrust indictment alleging a dialysis operator, DaVita Inc. (“DaVita”), and its former CEO colluded with...more
For over a century, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”) barred student-athletes from monetizing their name, image, and likeness (“NIL”). Yet, after facing mounting pressure from student-athletes, state...more
Global supply chains continue to reel from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Biden Administration has referred to bottlenecks in the supply chain as a national crisis.1 Recent remarks from antitrust regulators...more
This Cartel primer, full document linked below, brings together our knowledge of cartel cases and distills it in an easily digestible and practical format. It discusses challenges targets face in responding to cartel...more
12/8/2021
/ Anti-Competitive ,
Antitrust Division ,
Burden of Proof ,
Cartels ,
Civil Investigation Demand ,
Compelled Testimony ,
Criminal Penalties ,
Deferred Prosecution Agreements ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Discovery ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Grand Juries ,
Injunctive Relief ,
Investigations ,
Monopolization ,
Raids ,
Sherman Act ,
The Clayton Act ,
Whistleblowers
Earlier this year, a federal judge in the Northern District of California ordered Elizabeth Holmes (“Holmes”), the founder and former CEO of now-defunct Theranos, Inc. (“Theranos”), to disclose communications between herself...more
When companies get into trouble, it’s common practice for the government to call on independent third parties to help clean up the mess.
Companies under investigation by the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) often agree to...more