White Collar Defense & Government Investigations

Allegations of misconduct such as fraud, embezzlement, bribery, or insider trading can upend an organization, damage its reputation, and result in significant penalties, while individuals may face prison time, loss of professional licenses, and monetary fines. Cohen Seglias’ White Collar Defense & Government Investigations Group, led by former federal and state prosecutors, works behind the scenes to exonerate our institutional and individual clients.

We handle queries brought by the Department of Justice (DOJ), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Offices of Inspectors General, Offices of Professional Responsibility, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, other state attorneys general, state ethics commissions and other administrative boards, among others. Long-standing relationships with government officials enable us to work with authorities while advocating for our clients and resolving issues with minimal disruption.

From the moment a government agent makes contact, a search warrant is served, or a grand jury subpoena or administrative subpoena arrives, Cohen Seglias attorneys are ready to respond. We regularly advise businesses and individuals on the best way to respond to allegations of wrongdoing, including, but not limited to:

Government contract fraud
Mail and wire fraud
Tax and securities fraud
Bid-rigging
Disadvantaged/minority business entity fraud
False Claims Act (FCA) and whistleblower violations
Public corruption
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)
Criminal import and export violations
Conflicts of interest
Gambling
Failure to comply with mandatory reporting requirements
Smuggling

Investigations

Parallel investigations involving both government inquiries and internal investigations require deft management and coordination of the internal and external responses, from analyzing the findings through remediation. Attorneys advise on internal investigations involving financial misconduct, bidding, Title IX, improper billing and marketing practices, and the misuse of company resources.

Our Clients

Executives, board members, federal employees, in-house counsel, investment managers and other professionals need reliable counsel in the face of questions raised by the IRS, SEC, whistleblowers, state attorneys general, or other regulators. Cohen Seglias attorneys have successfully represented individuals in industries including financial services, banking, investing, accounting, transportation, energy, medical marijuana, information technology, non-profit, real estate, construction, and health care.

We also serve institutions facing potential criminal liability in the light of revelations of misconduct within the organization. Businesses may be put in a precarious position and encounter challenges ranging from managing compliance with federal grand jury requests to balancing the privacy of employees. Protecting a business’s best interests and minimizing impact drives how we help clients navigate looming prosecution, and our experience has enabled us to avoid criminal charges, negotiate fair civil settlements, or have potential charges dropped altogether.