§           The Department of Justice

§           Regional United States Attorneys’ Offices

§           The Securities and Exchange Commission

§           The Federal Bureau of Investigation

§           The Environmental Protection Agency

§           District Attorneys’ Offices

§           State Attorneys General Offices

§           The Department of Health and Human Services

§           The Department of Defense

§           The Federal Trade Commission 

We have experience in assisting businesses and individuals through the varied stages of government enforcement.  For example, we have counseled clients named as witnesses, subjects and targets of grand jury investigations; we have represented clients in informal meetings with prosecutors to argue against charges being brought; and we have represented defendants and witnesses in criminal and civil jury trials and in post-trial proceedings. 

CTT’s Approach

Government investigations have wide-reaching implications, including the cost of response, public relations challenges, business interruptions, personnel issues, and private plaintiffs bringing parallel civil lawsuits. We understand these challenges and what they can mean in practical terms to the business operations and the people involved.  We are experienced in identifying risks before they are triggered; we seek proactive and efficient strategies to stay ahead of future risks.  Our clients benefit from the breadth and depth of experience beyond the white collar crime area.  When private plaintiffs or government agencies bring parallel civil lawsuits, our Civil Litigation group assists and complements the skills of the white collar group. 

Internal Investigations

Government regulations—and good business sense—sometimes demand that both public and private companies undertake their own investigations when warning signs of wrongdoing surface.  For example, the need for an internal investigation may be triggered by notice of an investigation by government authorities, a whistleblower complaint, or simply to ongoing obligation to ensure that appropriate internal compliance controls are in place and working properly. 

We have experience and in-depth understanding of the laws relating to areas, including:

§           Accounting fraud

§           Securities regulation and compliance

§           Sarbanes-Oxley compliance

§           Environmental compliance

§           The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

§           Health care fraud

§           Public corruption and bribery

Consequently, we are experienced and knowledgeable in determining when a company is obligated to investigate, how to conduct an investigation efficiently and effectively, and how to counsel the company on practical plans of action once the central facts are known and documented.  Moreover, we are experienced in engaging and coordinating with skilled professionals, such as accountants, forensic specialists, and industry specific consultants, to manage investigations in a timely and cost-sensitive manner. 

When the propriety of a company’s business conduct is called into question, having an accurate view of the facts as quickly as possible is invaluable to decisionmakers.  Further, having lawyers who understand the regulatory issues in play—while maintaining a practical sense for the business issues at stake—can equip companies to deal with unexpected warning signs appropriately and effectively.  We have the experience and the skills to conduct timely, thorough investigations and to offer practical, candid advice and strategies on how to respond to issues and get back on track to routine business operations.