White Collar

  • January 28, 2025

    Lobbying Is Not A Crime, Madigan Co-Defendant Tells Jury

    An attorney for an ex-lobbyist standing trial on public corruption charges alongside former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan told jurors on Tuesday the government failed to establish that his client conspired to trade the ex-speaker's support for do-nothing jobs, saying all that really happened was "lobbying and politics."

  • January 28, 2025

    Silk Road Pardon Sparks Hope For More Crypto Clemency

    President Donald Trump's decision to free the convicted Silk Road operator Ross Ulbricht brought praise from crypto advocates and spurred some to seek the ear of the new administration in hopes that the president will pardon other alleged crypto criminals, too.

  • January 28, 2025

    Amid Big Bets, Tom Goldstein Argued 'Poker Is Not Gambling'

    A federal indictment's jarring portrayal of pioneering U.S. Supreme Court advocate Tom Goldstein as an "ultrahigh-stakes" gambler who dodged taxes has left the legal community virtually speechless. But Goldstein's status as a serious poker player was not a secret, and in past court cases, he proclaimed the card game "fundamentally dissimilar" from conventional gambling, even while preparing to wager millions on matches.

  • January 28, 2025

    Chinese Pair Sought To Fuel Fentanyl 'Grand Lab,' Feds Say

    Prosecutors told a Manhattan federal jury Tuesday that two Chinese nationals sought to furnish chemicals for what they thought would be a huge fentanyl hub in New York City, pointing to what they called damning evidence such as recordings, texts and cryptocurrency transfers.

  • January 28, 2025

    Ex-DOJ Criminal Division Deputy Leader Joins Sidley In DC

    Sidley Austin LLP announced Tuesday that it has deepened its white collar defense bench in Washington, D.C., with a partner who formerly served as a deputy assistant attorney general in the criminal division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

  • January 28, 2025

    Menendez Says Any Prison Time Should Wait For Appeal

    Former U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez told a Manhattan federal judge ahead of his sentencing hearing Wednesday that any prison term should be delayed until after his appeal of his bribery conviction plays out, saying the Second Circuit could well rule in his favor.

  • January 28, 2025

    Ex-SDNY Jeffrey Epstein Prosecutor Returns To Quinn Emanuel

    A former federal attorney who led prosecutions against Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell has rejoined Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP as an of counsel in New York, the firm announced Tuesday.

  • January 28, 2025

    Pa. Justices Won't Hear 3rd Circ. Pot Deportation Question

    In a split decision, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has opted not to take up a question from the Third Circuit on whether a man from the Dominican Republic can be automatically deported for a possession with intent to deliver charge without specific proof of the drug he had in his possession.

  • January 28, 2025

    White Collar Group Of The Year: Gibson Dunn

    Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP secured a $4.3 billion plea agreement to resolve an investigation by multiple agencies into cryptocurrency exchange Binance and achieved a no-penalty resolution for Mercedes-Benz in the "Dieselgate" scandal that caused other car companies to pay out billions, earning the firm a spot among the 2024 Law360 White Collar Groups of the Year. 

  • January 28, 2025

    Wealth Manager Cops To Funding Lifestyle With Client Money

    A suburban Philadelphia investment adviser pled guilty in federal court Tuesday morning to charges that he stole more than $20 million of his clients' money, which he spent on international travel, country club dues, and a stake in a New Jersey mini golf course.

  • January 27, 2025

    Anadarko Prevails In La. Kickback Defense Coverage Suit

    An environmental remediation company should defend and indemnify Anadarko Petroleum Corp. in a decade-old Louisiana kickback lawsuit, a Texas federal court judge has ruled.

  • January 27, 2025

    Palo Alto Networks Inside-Trader Wins Resentencing At 9th Circ.

    The Ninth Circuit on Monday upheld securities fraud convictions of a former Palo Alto Networks engineer for raking in $7 million by trading on stolen inside information but remanded the case for resentencing, saying a lower court was wrong to use his trading gains to estimate the cybersecurity company's loss.

  • January 27, 2025

    Crypto Exchange KuCoin Pleads Out, Agrees To Pay $297M

    Cryptocurrency exchange KuCoin on Monday pled guilty and agreed to pay $297 million for failing to implement anti-money laundering protocols and allowing more than $5 billion worth of criminal funds to flow through its trading platform.

  • January 27, 2025

    Fund Tells Jury No Need To Return $11M Short-Swing Profits

    A hedge fund told a Denver federal jury Monday that the $11 million it earned from the short-swing sales of a biopharmaceutical company's stock doesn't need to be returned because the transactions fall under an exception to securities law on insider trading.

  • January 27, 2025

    FOIA Lawsuit Seeks Marijuana Docs From Health Officials

    A nonprofit that advocates for government transparency has filed a federal lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act seeking to push federal health regulators to release internal communications related to their recommendation to loosen restrictions on marijuana.

  • January 27, 2025

    Justice Thomas Slams 6th Circ. In Habeas Petition Dissent

    U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on Monday called out the Sixth Circuit for "repeated disrespect" for the law in granting what he said was inappropriate habeas relief, a practice he said is costly to the justice system and victims in a dissent from a denial of writ of certiorari.

  • January 27, 2025

    Feds' Madigan Informant Is A 'Malignant Tumor,' Jury Told

    An attorney for ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan took aim Monday at the former Chicago alderman called as the government's star witness in Madigan's criminal racketeering trial, calling him "a malignant tumor at the heart of this case" and urging jurors not to trust his testimony as they prepare to deliberate on his client's fate.

  • January 27, 2025

    Archegos CFO Gets 8 Years For $100M Stock Fraud Ploy

    The former chief financial officer of defunct hedge fund Archegos on Monday was sentenced in New York federal court to eight years in prison for his role in a $100 billion scheme to manipulate the market and defraud banks.

  • January 27, 2025

    9 Charged In Alleged $200M Chinese Smuggling Scheme

    Nine people were charged by Los Angeles federal prosecutors with scheming to smuggle as much as $200 million worth of counterfeit luxury items into the United States through the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

  • January 27, 2025

    So-Called 'Face' Of $14M Crypto Ponzi Scheme Gets 2½ Years

    A Manhattan federal judge sentenced a Florida house cleaner to 2½ years in prison Monday for her role in promoting the $14 million, international Forcount cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme to fellow Latinos over three years.

  • January 27, 2025

    4 Things The Menendez Trial Judge Will Weigh At Sentencing

    When he sentences former U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez on federal bribery and corruption charges Wednesday in New York federal court, U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein will weigh the politician's lifetime of public service against the stark evidence of his crimes.

  • January 27, 2025

    Meet The Attys Surrounding Pa. Wealth Manager In Fraud Case

    By the time Scott Mason and his company Rubicon Wealth Management were hit with criminal and regulatory enforcement claims alleging he stole $20 million from clients, the suburban Philadelphia wealth manager was already defending multiple civil lawsuits in Pennsylvania state court.

  • January 27, 2025

    SCOTUSblog Publisher Pleads Not Guilty To Tax Crimes

    U.S. Supreme Court advocate and SCOTUSblog co-founder Tom Goldstein pled not guilty in Maryland federal court on Monday to charges that he schemed to evade taxes and used funds from his boutique law firm to cover gambling debts.

  • January 27, 2025

    Widow Says Century Homebuilders' Atty Conspired To Move Assets

    The widow of Sergio Pino, the late founder and CEO of Century Homebuilders Group LLC, has sued Century Homebuilders' attorney, accusing him of setting up fraudulent transfers of the company's assets during the Pinos' contentious divorce to keep her from getting her half of the company.

  • January 27, 2025

    Oklahoma Tribes Want In On DOJ's Jurisdiction Lawsuits

    Three Native American tribes want to back the Department of Justice in its challenges to two Oklahoma district attorneys in an effort to stop them from prosecuting tribal citizens for crimes committed in Indian Country, arguing that the ongoing threat interferes with tribes' rights to enforce their own laws.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Circus Arts Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    Performing circus arts has strengthened my ability to be more thoughtful, confident and grounded, all of which has enhanced my legal practice and allowed me to serve clients in a more meaningful way, says Bailey McGowan at Stinson.

  • How D&O Coverage Can Aid Against Increased AI Scrutiny

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    The recent increase in regulatory enforcement and securities class actions stemming from corporate use of artificial intelligence should prompt companies to ensure that their directors and officers liability insurance coverage is appropriately tailored to AI-related risks, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

  • When Investigating An Adversary, Be Wary Of Forged Records

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    Warnings against the use of investigators who tout their ability to find an adversary’s private documents generally emphasize the risk of illegal activity and attorney discipline, but a string of recent cases shows an additional danger — investigators might be fabricating records altogether, says Brian Asher at Asher Research.

  • 3 Ways To Train Junior Lawyers In 30 Minutes Or Less

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    Today’s junior lawyers are experiencing a skills gap due to pandemic-era disruptions, but firms can help bring them up to speed by offering high-impact skill building content in bite-sized, interactive training sessions, say Stacey Schwartz at Katten, Diane Costigan at Winston & Strawn and Lauren Tierney at Freshfields.

  • 8 Tech Tips For Stress-Free Remote Depositions

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    Court reporter Kelly D’Amico shares practical strategies for attorneys to conduct remote depositions with ease and troubleshoot any issues that arise, as it seems deposition-by-Zoom is here to stay after the pandemic.

  • How To Safely Leverage AI In The Digital Assets Industry

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    Digital asset businesses that use or plan to implement artificial intelligence should assess their risk management frameworks to ensure that AI-related business areas, including customer support and fraud detection, are in compliance with applicable laws and regulatory guidance from the last year, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.

  • $3B TD Bank AML Settlement Is A Wake-Up Call For All Banks

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    TD Bank’s historic settlement over anti-money laundering violations, resulting in over $3 billion in penalties, reminds banks of all shapes and sizes why they need to take financial crime compliance seriously, and highlights three areas that may be especially vulnerable to enforcement, says Jack Harrington at Bradley Arant.

  • 4 Ways Attorneys Can Emotionally Prepare For Trial

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    In the course of litigation, trial lawyers face a number of scenarios that can incite an emotional response, but formulating a mental game plan in advance of trial can help attorneys stay cool, calm and collected in the moment, says Rachel Lary at Lightfoot Franklin.

  • The Bar Needs More Clarity On The Discovery Objection Rule

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    Almost 10 years after Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 34 was amended, attorneys still seem confused about what they should include in objections to discovery requests, and until the rules committee provides additional clarity, practitioners must beware the steep costs of noncompliance, says Tristan Ellis at Shanies Law Office.

  • Trump Faces Uphill Battle If He Tries To Target Prosecutors

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    On the campaign trail, President-elect Donald Trump promised to go after the state and federal prosecutors who had investigated and prosecuted him, but few criminal statutes would be applicable — to say nothing of the evidence required to substantiate any charges against prosecutors, says William Johnston at Bird Marella.

  • Presidential Campaign Errors Provide Lessons For Trial Attys

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    Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign employed numerous strategies that evidently didn’t land, and trial attorneys should take note, because voters and jurors are both decision-makers who are listening for how one’s case presentation would affect them personally, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • What's Next For The CFTC After The Election

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    While much of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission's enforcement actions in line with its traditional priorities will continue as usual in the near term, postelection leadership changes at the CFTC and new congressional priorities may alter the commission's regulatory framework in 2025 and beyond — particularly its oversight of crypto, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • Series

    Being A Navy Reservist Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Serving this country in uniform has not only been one of the greatest honors of my life, but it has also provided me with opportunities to broaden my legal acumen and interpersonal skills in ways that have indelibly contributed to my civilian practice, says Phillip Smith at Weinberg Wheeler.

  • Cos. Should Inventory Issues To Prep For New Congress

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    As the legislative and oversight agendas of the 119th Congress come into sharper focus, corporate counsel should assess and plan for areas of potential oversight risk — from tax policy changes to supply chain integrity — even as much uncertainty remains, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • Conservation Easement Cases Weave Web Of Uncertainty

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    Much of the IRS and Justice Department’s recent success in prosecuting syndicated conservation easement cases can be attributed to the government’s focus on the so-called PropCo ratio, which could indicate treacherous waters ahead for participants and their advisers, even under the incoming Trump administration, say attorneys at Polsinelli.

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