In February 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to pause enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and to update its guidelines for enforcing the FCPA....more
When a company detects potential criminal misconduct, it must decide whether to self-disclose the misconduct to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). This decision—while always complicated—is even more difficult during...more
On April 2, 2025, California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a press release and legal advisory reminding businesses operating in California that violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) are still actionable...more
The firm is pleased to distribute the Q3/Q4 2024 edition of All Eyes on AI: Regulatory, Litigation, and Transactional Developments, which closely follows the evolving regulatory landscape for artificial intelligence (AI) in...more
On February 10, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order pausing enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), a law that prohibits companies with a connection to the United States from bribing foreign...more
As we welcome 2025, Wilson Sonsini litigators shed light on the emerging trends and key issues they see shaping the legal landscape, from AI regulation to evolving trade secret laws and increasing scrutiny on corporate...more
On September 23, 2024, the Department of Justice (DOJ) updated its Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs policy (ECCP), which outlines the key factors prosecutors consider when evaluating the effectiveness of a...more
Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it would not charge MilliporeSigma, a life sciences company, even though one of its employees falsified export documents. The DOJ declined to prosecute...more
On January 26, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a joint statement reinforcing document preservation obligations for companies and individuals...more
On September 22, 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it was partnering with Mexico’s Federal Economic Competition Commission and Canada’s Competition Bureau on a new joint initiative to “deter, detect...more
After years of anticipation, President Biden signed the Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) into law on December 22, 2023, ushering in a new era of international anti-corruption prosecution. The FEPA will make it easier...more
This issue features articles on the firm’s Business Advisory Practice supporting Nervosave Therapeutics’ U.S. expansion; the USPTO’s forthcoming guidance on AI innovation protection; option pool sizes for life sciences...more
It is no surprise that the United States’ fight against corruption is not confined to its borders. For decades, the government has sought to prosecute individuals and companies across the globe who have been involved in...more
On October 4, 2023, Deputy Attorney General (AG) Lisa Monaco announced the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) new Mergers & Acquisitions Safe Harbor Policy for acquirers that uncover wrongdoing at a target company. Deputy...more
In June, two prominent Ohioans were sentenced for their involvement in one of the largest political scandals in Ohio’s history. Former Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives Larry Householder and former Chair of the...more
In one of the most highly anticipated moves in recent U.S.-China relations, President Biden issued an Executive Order on August 9, 2023 (the EO), declaring a national emergency and restricting certain types of outbound...more
8/14/2023
/ Biden Administration ,
CFIUS ,
China ,
Cross-Border Transactions ,
Executive Orders ,
Foreign Direct Investment ,
Foreign Investment ,
National Security ,
Semiconductors ,
Technology Sector ,
U.S. Commerce Department ,
U.S. Treasury
After 50-plus guilty pleas, dozens of prison sentences, and numerous courtroom victories, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is facing a major setback in its string of successful college admissions fraud cases. Weeks after...more
6/30/2023
/ Bribery ,
College Admissions ,
Colleges ,
Corruption ,
Criminal Conspiracy ,
Criminal Investigations ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Educational Institutions ,
Fraud and Abuse ,
Universities ,
White Collar Crimes
The federal wire fraud statute has always been a favorite of federal prosecutors. The statute prohibits individuals and companies from using deceit or false statements to defraud others out of their money or property. Through...more
It has been an eventful six months in the world of corporate compliance. In September 2022, Deputy Attorney General (AG) Lisa Monaco introduced major updates to the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) corporate criminal...more
Whenever a company detects criminal misconduct, it is faced with the difficult decision of whether to self-disclose the misconduct to the federal government. In an attempt to help nudge companies towards cooperation, the U.S....more
On September 27, 2022, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced settlements against 11 major financial institutions, resolving an industry sweep into employees improperly using personal messaging...more
11/17/2022
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Communications ,
Electronic Communications ,
Financial Institutions ,
Investment Adviser ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Violations ,
Text Messages ,
WhatsApp ,
Workplace Communication
On September 15, 2022, Deputy Attorney General of the Department of Justice (DOJ) Lisa Monaco announced pivotal new guidance about the DOJ’s corporate criminal enforcement efforts. Her speech, accompanied by a more...more