Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that William “Bill” E. Lawler has joined the Firm’s Washington, D.C., office as a Partner in the White Collar Defense & Investigations group. Bill joins from Vinson & Elkins LLP where he was co-head of the firm’s government investigations and white collar practice group. Prior to his tenure at Vinson & Elkins, Bill served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia (1989-1996).
“We are thrilled to welcome Bill to our team in Washington, D.C.” said Gregory F. Linsin, Co-Chair of the Firm’s White Collar Defense & Investigations group. “With the addition of Bill and Paul H. Tzur, former Deputy Chief of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Section at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois who joined our Firm’s Chicago office earlier this month, we have added unmatched experience to our already deep bench of white collar defense and investigations attorneys who help our clients strategically navigate fraud and abuse allegations.”
Bill represents corporations, organizations, government entities, and individuals in high-stakes, high-profile matters in federal and state courts and before regulatory agencies and Congress. He brings extensive experience counseling clients on various types of government enforcement actions-enduring numerous administrations in the United States and abroad-on matters involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”), criminal antitrust, healthcare fraud, government and public corruption, campaign finance, and other white collar crime issues.
Bill’s comprehensive and geographically diverse experience gives him insight into the nuances and developments in international enforcement approaches and actions. Throughout his career, Bill has tried more than 70 jury cases to verdict, has argued 15 appellate cases, and has conducted hundreds of grand jury and motions proceedings across 37 U.S. states and more than 30 countries.
“The reputation of the white collar defense team at Blank Rome is second to none and the attorneys and professionals-both within the group and across the Firm-are extremely collaborative and supportive,” said Lawler. “There are a number of trends driving increased scrutiny by government and regulatory agencies now. From the internationalization of antitrust and anticorruption to increasing scrutiny of banks and financial institutions related to corruption controls and anti-money laundering, we are seeing an uptick of enforcement activity. Between the demand for white collar counsel, the talented team at Blank Rome, and the Firm’s impressive client base, the time was right to make a move and I look forward to serving clients as well as facilitating the white collar group’s continued growth.”
“As a Firm, we are focused on strategic growth across regions, practices, and industry teams, including our Washington, D.C., office and our White Collar Defense & Investigations group, and we are excited to have Bill on board as we continue to support our clients in the areas most important to them,” said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Rome’s Managing Partner & CEO. “Beyond his individual practice, Bill has significant experience growing practice groups and offices by focusing on creative growth approaches, including the mentorship and promotion of junior attorneys and securing creative and challenging client work. We look forward to tapping into Bill’s unique experience in this regard to continue advancing our Firm and clients.”
Bill is active in the legal community, serving as a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel’s White Collar Committee and previously serving on the board of directors of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia where he formerly served as president and as chair of the Young Lawyers Section. Additionally, Bill has been repeatedly recognized by Chambers USA for his white collar defense and FCPA practices.
Bill was previously a leading member of the Catholic Charities Legal Network, and in keeping with Blank Rome’s dedication to pro bono work, plans to continue his commitment to providing pro bono counsel at the Firm. Bill earned his J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown Law, and his B.A. in English and Government, cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame.
Source: www.blankrome.com
