what does a white collar lawyer do

At its most basic, the work of a white collar criminal lawyer involves uncovering the facts and creating a narrative. In order to do this, much groundwork is required involving document review and interviews with witnesses and suspects. On large-scale investigations, we usually have a team of people reviewing documents and drafting analyses.

Full Answer

What does it take to be a white collar attorney?

What Does a White Collar Lawyer Do? White collar law is a highly specialized practice. The Law Office of John Teakell conducts research, drafts a strong defense strategy, crafts an argument based on the facts, and works closely with you to get the best possible results.

How much will a white collar crime lawyer cost?

White collar lawyers either work for the government (or affiliated organizations) as prosecutors –including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center –or in private practice in law firms ( Chambers list of …

What agencies investigate white collar crime?

A White-Collar Crime Lawyer Stands Up for Your Legal Rights. If you get charged with any criminal offense, including a white-collar crime, the law guarantees you certain rights, such as the presumption of innocence, the right to a fair trial, and the right to remain silent when being questioned. Your white-collar crimes defense lawyer will ensure that law enforcement and …

Who is the best criminal defense lawyer?

Ivan Torres, associate: I view white collar law as the practice of investigating and defending financially motivated misconduct that typically occurs in connection with commercial activity. Whenever an investigation really gets moving the work typically gets very intense, but this is also when you start to see all your hard work pay off.

What is white-collar criminal law?

Reportedly coined in 1939, the term white-collar crime is now synonymous with the full range of frauds committed by business and government professionals. These crimes are characterized by deceit, concealment, or violation of trust and are not dependent on the application or threat of physical force or violence.

Who prosecutes white-collar crime?

Typically white collar crimes are prosecuted in federal court because usually the nature of the crime is that it crosses state lines. It is easier for federal agencies to prosecute them. Sometimes they involve alleged theft from government agencies, so they are more typically brought in federal court.

Is law enforcement white-collar?

The responsibility for policing white collar crime falls on local, state and federal agencies. Due to the nature of cross border trade and communications in business, the federal government has developed the most robust agencies with the responsibility to enforce federal white collar criminal laws.

What are some examples of white-collar crime?

Examples of white-collar crimes include securities fraud, embezzlement, corporate fraud, and money laundering. In addition to the FBI, entities that investigate white-collar crime include the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), and state authorities.

Where do white-collar criminals go?

Since most white-collar criminals are considered non-violent, they're mostly sent to minimum-security prisons typically run by the federal government. This type of facility usually has a “campus type” setting which makes it more like a prison camp than an actual prison.May 23, 2021

How common is white-collar crime?

White-collar crime in America affects over 35% of businesses. The FBI investigates 42% of reported white-collar crimes in the US. The biggest white-collar crime caused losses in the value of $65 billion. White-collar crime rates for identity theft and computers are 3%.Dec 17, 2021

What is a black collar crime?

Though not officially confirmed in criminology studies, the term “black-collar crime” has been used to refer to priests who commit crimes. Often times, these crimes are subsequently covered by the Church.Jun 21, 2019

What cases does the FBI handle?

The FBI has divided its investigations into a number of programs, such as domestic and international terrorism, foreign counterintelligence, cyber crime, public corruption, civil rights, organized crime/drugs, white-collar crime, violent crimes and major offenders, and applicant matters.

Does the Secret Service investigate white collar crimes?

The financial crimes that the United States Secret Service investigates differ sharply from the image of white- collar crime as victimless; they often involve violent, recidivistic offenders and are often international in scope.

Who mostly commits white-collar crimes?

Related to the corporate sector, white collar crimes are defined as non-violent crimes, generally committed by businessmen and government professionals. In simple words, crimes committed by people who acquire important positions in a company are called white collar crimes.Jul 31, 2019

How serious is white-collar crime?

Most experts agree that the economic impact of white-collar crime is far more costly than ordinary crime. White-collar crime can endanger employees through unsafe working conditions, injure consumers because of dangerous products, and cause pollution problems for a community.

Who are the typical victims of white-collar crime?

To some, all citizens are victims of this kind of crime, irrespective of age, class or gender, whereas to others the crimes of the wealthy and powerful prey on the poor and powerless.

What is white collar law?

Helena Franceschi, associate: “White collar” law refers to the broad range of finance-related offenses that can be subject to regulatory investigations and enforcement actions. It covers a broad range of conduct and can implicate antitrust, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, anti-manipulation, and fraud statutes.

What are the highs and lows?

HF: The work is sophisticated and above-the-fold Wall Street Journal consequential. That is certainly one of the highs. Discovering the facts of any given case and piecing together the advocacy to support those facts – just as you would with any litigation – is also one of the highs.

What do associates do?

Cydney Swofford Freeman, associate: White collar matters can be an excellent way to gain substantive experience as a very junior associate, as the teams are frequently quite small.

How does your work interact with general litigation?

HF: Regulatory investigation and enforcement work often comes hand-in-hand with civil litigations concerning the same conduct. Thus, associates have the opportunity to experience a white collar matter from both the investigatory and litigation perspectives.

How soon should a litigator specialize?

Having experience with the more adversarial environment of litigation is helpful as it makes you more critical in the way you approach an internal investigation.

Where can new associates expect to be in five years?

HF: The hope is to leverage one’s training at the junior level to become a highly effective manager/midlevel associate.

What personal qualities make good white collar lawyers?

HF: Attention to detail and a good attitude, always, and a willingness to learn and adapt – being part of an investigation team requires learning the client’s business.

What is an associate in a case?

This will often include reviewing documents, preparing for and conducting witness interviews, legal research, drafting reports and presentations of findings, and assisting in client and regulator calls and meetings. Associates are encouraged to provide input on case strategy and direction. Associates are often very close to the documents and can provide particular input in piecing together the key facts of the investigation.

Who is Brian Markley?

Brian Markley, partner: The representation of corporate clients and their officers, directors, employees, boards and board committees in cases and investigations, typically brought by government agencies, in the U.S. and abroad.

Is Cahill a litigation associate?

JP: Litigation associates at Cahill are encouraged to explore a variety of practice areas and there is no pressure to specialize at any set point. That being said, if you have an interest in a particular area, becoming an “expert” can help provide opportunities by becoming the go-to associate on the topic. It can also be rewarding to develop a deep subject-matter expertise in a particular specialty.

What is the fifth year of JP?

JP: By your fifth year, you will likely be managing a team of junior associates on larger cases, helping to conduct witness interviews, actively participating in meetings with the client and regulators, and providing input on case strategy. You will likely have seen some investigations start to finish and have a sense of the cadence of an investigation.

Matt Kaiser, our former SCOTUS correspondent, returns to our pages with a new column about white-collar criminal defense

Ed. note: Matt Kaiser founded The Kaiser Law Firm PLLC, a white-collar boutique in Washington, D.C., and will now be writing a weekly column for us about white-collar practice and his adventures in building a law firm. Matt previously covered the Supreme Court for us. This is the first installment of his new column.

Critical Pass: Getting To The Core Of What You Need To Know To Pass The Bar Exam

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by bar exam prep. Critical Pass puts you in the best position to learn the things you actually need to…

Seeking Deputy General Counsel

This Deputy General Counsel will assist the General Counsel on all legal matters pertaining to running a professional services business and oversee external counsel. Position…