King & Spalding today announced that Matt Baughman, former Associate Deputy Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), has returned as a partner in the firm’s Special Matters and Government Investigations team in the Atlanta office.
At DOJ, Baughman oversaw white collar enforcement in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, including Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, healthcare fraud, securities and financial fraud, and False Claims Act cases. He chaired the agency’s Corporate Enforcement and Accountability Working Group, overseeing the rollout of a variety of new policies including those related to corporate cooperation in criminal and civil cases, individual accountability in corporate investigations, and coordinating fines and penalties.
“When companies face government investigations, they turn to experienced lawyers, often those who have overseen cases and managed investigators from the inside of government,” said Wick Sollers, head of the firm’s Government Matters practice group, of which the Special Matters and Government Investigations team is a part. “Matt is well positioned to handle these complex and challenging inquiries, as he has credibility with enforcement officials at the highest federal and state levels.”
Baughman was also the first director of the Task Force on Market Integrity and Consumer Fraud, established by the president’s executive order in 2018. Among other things, the Task Force was charged with providing guidance on the investigation and prosecution of cases involving fraud against the government, the financial markets, and consumers.
Prior to joining DOJ, Baughman was a partner at King & Spalding, where he focused on crisis management, government and internal investigations, and related litigation involving cybersecurity, pharmaceutical and medical device marketing and manufacturing, mortgage-backed and municipal securities, and healthcare fraud.
“After Matt completed his government service, we were hopeful that he would come back to King & Spalding, where he was highly regarded, well liked, and successful,” said Josh Kamin, managing partner of the Atlanta office. “Matt will work closely with companies, boards and special committees to respond to cases that question their businesses practices and their behavior. The firm’s Atlanta office has always had an impressive roster of former DOJ officials and expertise, and we are excited once again to add this level of excellence to our office and the firm.”
Before entering private practice, Baughman was an enforcement attorney at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and was responsible for conducting investigations of publicly-traded companies, broker-dealers, investment advisors, investment companies, and other regulated entities.
Baughman received his undergraduate degree from Furman University and his J.D. from Harvard Law School.
“The firm’s Special Matters and Government Investigations team has a great track record in resolving government investigations and successfully defending clients in court,” Baughman said. “I am excited to join this team of remarkable lawyers to help serve the best interests of our clients.”
Source: www.kslaw.com
