White Collar Criminal Defense

Litigator and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Conway-Hatcher has joined Kaye Scholer as a white collar litigation and internal investigations partner in Kaye Scholer’s office in Washington, D.C. 

Robert G. Morvillo, one of the most experienced white collar criminal defense attorneys in the country, has died. 

It was 10 years ago this month that Enron collapsed in what was the most complex white collar crime ever seen. We weren’t blogging for the Financial Fraud Law Blog back then, but boy oh boy what a story that would have been to write about.

White collar criminal defense law is a field that is becoming increasingly international. With that in mind, the WilmerHale law firm has expanded its white collar practice in the U.K. with a key hiring: Stephen Pollard, a white collar criminal defense attorney, is joining WilmerHale’s London office as a partner in the firm’s Investigations and Criminal Litigation Practice. Pollard joins from London-based law firm Kingsley Napley LLP.

Why are law firms beefing up their white collar criminal defense practice? One important reason, according to Mark Ryan, partner-in-charge of the Washington, D.C., office of Mayer Brown LLP, is that, “In the wake of the global financial crisis, regulators and prosecutors worldwide are becoming more aggressive in pursuing actions against white collar defendants.” 

Steven M. Cohen, the principal advisor to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, is joining Zuckerman Spaeder LLP as a partner in its New York office. Cohen will focus his practice on government investigations, white collar criminal defense, and crisis management.

Mitra Hormozi, who served as the former Special Deputy Chief of Staff for the New York Attorney General's Office and who is the current chair of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Commission on Public Integrity, has joined Kirkland & Ellis as a partner in the law firm’s New York office. 

Federal and state applications for orders authorizing or approving the interception of wire, oral or electronic communications increased 34 percent in 2010, compared to the number reported in 2009. The interceptions are reported in the 2010 Wiretap Report, released today by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AOUSC). 

This year, the National Law Journal’s Most Influential Lawyers list is of particular interest to us here at the Financial Fraud Law blog. That’s because of the 34 lawyers chosen by the Journal who are “shaping the law, the economy, the physical fabric of the United States and the world,” six are white collar criminal defense lawyers.

Louise Delahunty is joining Sullivan & Cromwell LLP as a European Counsel in the firm’s Criminal Defense and Investigations Group, effective June 20, 2011. She will be based in the firm’s London office.