Venable LLP announced that Jan L. Handzlik, one of the nation’s foremost white-collar crime defense lawyers, has joined the firm’s Los Angeles office as a partner in its national SEC/White-Collar Group. He was previously a litigation partner at Greenberg Traurig.

Mr. Handzlik is a nationally-recognized authority on financial frauds, securities enforcement, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and export control matters. He has represented numerous companies and individuals in the full spectrum of white-collar criminal investigations and prosecutions. These include matters involving allegations of environmental crimes, antitrust violations, tax fraud, financial institution fraud and healthcare fraud, in addition to foreign bribery, government contract and export control matters. He also handles complex civil business litigation.

Mr. Handzlik has extensive experience conducting corporate internal investigations, designing law-compliance programs and advising public companies on corporate governance, disclosure and reporting issues. He is an accomplished trial lawyer, having handled nearly 100 jury trials to verdict. Mr. Handzlik lectures widely on trial practice, professional ethics and business fraud, and has served as independent monitor of a publicly traded company’s compliance with the FCPA and U.S. securities laws.

On an international level, Mr. Handzlik frequently leads investigations into allegations of bribery of foreign officials, violations of the export control and foreign asset control laws, and anti-competition matters. He also seeks the recovery of assets stemming from criminal activity on a worldwide basis. Mr. Handzlik handles all aspects of white-collar crime matters, including internal investigations, grand jury and enforcement investigations, regulatory and parallel civil and administrative proceedings, as well as representation at trial and on appeal.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Handzlik served as an Assistant United States Attorney prosecuting federal fraud cases in Los Angeles. He also clerked for the Honorable Francis C. Whelan, United States District Judge Central District of California, Los Angeles.

Mr. Handzlik has been recognized in all volumes of The Best Lawyers in America and in PLI’s The International Who’s Who of Business Crime Lawyers; Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers; Euromoney’s Guide to the World’s Leading Litigation Lawyers; Mondaq’s Guide to the World’s Leading White Collar Crime Advisors; Lawdragon’s Leading Lawyers in America; and in California Lawyer Magazine as one of California’s Leading Business Lawyers.

A prominent member of the California Bar, Mr. Handzlik has served on numerous boards and investigative commissions. Among his notable assignments: Counsel to the Independent Warren Christopher Commission and Deputy General Counsel to the Independent William Webster Commission in investigations of the Los Angeles Police Department; Deputy General Counsel to the Rampart Independent Review Panel’s investigation into police corruption and officer-involved shootings; and as a Member of the Rampart After-Action Assessment Panel. He is also active in pro bono matters in the Los Angeles community.

At Venable, Mr. Handzlik joins a white collar practice that includes a number of former federal prosecutors and senior enforcement attorneys – from the Justice Department, the SEC, various state Attorneys General offices and other agencies.  The group includes former firm Chairman Benjamin Civiletti, who served as U.S. Attorney General.

“Jan is one of the country’s preeminent white collar defense attorneys, with an enviable trial experience and track record of winning successful outcomes for clients,” said Venable’s Managing Partner, Karl Racine, himself a member of the white collar group. “Not only does he have a superb track record for his clients, but Jan is particularly adept at managing matters that involve intense media scrutiny and reputational risks for clients. Jan is well recognized for his dedication to the Bar, participating heavily in the ABA’s National White Collar Crime Committee, of which he is a former Chairman. We look forward to practicing alongside him and to benefitting from his knowledge and experience in complex criminal and civil litigation matters. It is an honor to welcome him to Venable.”

Commenting on his move, Mr. Handzlik said, “Venable has one of the nation’s leading litigation and business crime defense practices. Venable lawyers have extensive experience directing sensitive investigations, responding to enforcement actions, defending against criminal prosecutions and handling sophisticated civil litigation matters. I’ve known and worked with many of the firm’s highly respected lawyers for years, and am delighted to join the group.”

Mr. Handzlik’s professional leadership speaks volumes about his stature in the legal community.  Some of his current and recent appointments include:

• Member, International Bar Association’s Working Group on the United Kingdom’s Bribery Act of 2010, I.B.A. Business Crime Committee; 
• Chair, Task Force on the Attorney-Client Privilege & Work Product Doctrine, Criminal Justice Section of the American Bar Association; 
• Member, Governing Council, Criminal Justice Section, American Bar Association; 
• Vice-Chair, Business Crime Committee, International Bar Association; 
• Corporate Counsel Liaison Officer, Criminal Law Section, International Bar Association; 
• Task Force on the Revision of Model Trial Practice Standards for Criminal Prosecution and Defense Lawyers, Criminal Justice Section, American Bar Association; 
• American Bar Association President’s Task Force on the Attorney-Client Privilege; 
• Federal Courts Coordinating Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association; 
• Fellow, American Bar Foundation; 
• Member, Federal Bar Council for the Second Circuit; and 
• Member, The Chancery Club of Los Angeles.

Douglas Emhoff, Managing Partner of the firm’s Los Angeles office, echoed Mr. Racine’s welcome.  “We are excited that Jan Handzlik has joined our white collar practice in LA. He strengthens an excellent team, led by David Kettel, and we look forward to working with him.”

Mr. Handzlik received his J.D. from the UCLA School of Law and a B.A. from the University of Southern California