what to look for in a criminal defense lawyer for white collar crime

by Jewell Farrell 5 min read

Criminal lawyers specializing in white collar defense also have a very deep understanding of court proceedings, rules of evidence, negotiations, interviewing witnesses, company personnel and more. Prosecutors only pursue cases they feel they can prove in trial.

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What does “white collar” criminal defense mean?

There are a variety of issues in white collar criminal cases that only seasoned defense lawyers will be able to help you address. From challenging the adequacy of grand jury investigations to fighting off arcane procedural maneuvers used by the Department of Justice in federal court, having the right criminal defense lawyers on your side can make or break your case. Make sure …

What is a white-collar crime?

Apr 05, 2022 · Observation and imitation are good skills for those who can’t practice in a “trial by fire” format. What other skills do you think a lawyer must have to be a “Successful White Collar Lawyer?” They have to be emotionally intelligent. In order to get the best results for your clients, you have to see all sides of a story in any case.

What does a white-collar lawyer do?

Feb 21, 2018 · Because of the time and specialized skills involved, mounting a successful defense requires a team of top criminal attorneys and experts, not just a single federal criminal lawyer. Criminal lawyers specializing in white collar defense also have a very deep understanding of court proceedings, rules of evidence, negotiations, interviewing witnesses, company personnel and …

Is white-collar defense a core practice?

White-collar criminal charges are a complex and evolving area of the law. “White-collar crime” is an odd category – it normally refers to crimes by people who are slightly more affluent – those who wear a “white collar” to work. Perhaps white collar cases are best defined as what they aren't - drug cases, gun cases, or violent crime. They generally involve fraud or public corruption.

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How are white collar criminal treated by the criminal justice system?

The criminal justice system focuses more on the offender when determining sentences and punishment, rather than the crime and the victims. White collar criminals are more often subjected to fines and community service, rather than prison sentences like most violent criminals.

What types of defenses are most commonly used by defense attorneys in white-collar crime trials?

Common Defenses in a California Criminal TrialLack of Evidence. Arguably the most important thing a defense attorney could do for their client is to hold the state to its burden of proof. ... Actual Innocence. ... Authorization or Consent. ... Constitutional Violations. ... Insanity. ... Duress. ... Self-Defense or Defense of Others. ... Mistake.More items...

What is the most common strategy in dealing with white-collar crime?

Entrapment: This is one of the most common white-collar defenses. Often, when law enforcement suspects an individual or group of individuals of criminal activity, they will attempt to set up a sting operation to catch the suspect red-handed. This is a common tactic.Dec 12, 2018

What is white-collar crime defense?

The White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Group defends businesses, senior executives, public officials and other individuals in a wide range of investigations and prosecutions.

Are white-collar crimes under prosecuted?

Overall, the data show that prosecutions of this type are down 53.5 percent from the level of 10,162 reported in 2011 and down 50.3 percent from the level of 9,507 reported in 2001. See TRAC's March 2020 report detailing earlier declining corporate and white-collar prosecutions.Aug 9, 2021

What are the elements of self defense in California?

California Self Defense LawsThey reasonably believed that they (or someone else) was in imminent danger of being harmed;They reasonably believed that the imminent use or force was necessary to defend against that danger; and.More items...•Mar 7, 2022

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

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 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.

What does a white-collar crime investigator do?

The FBI's white-collar crime work integrates the analysis of intelligence with its investigations of criminal activities such as public corruption, money laundering, corporate fraud, securities and commodities fraud, mortgage fraud, financial institution fraud, bank fraud and embezzlement, fraud against the government, ...

Why are white collar crimes handled differently?

In general, white collar criminals are treated differently, but the different treatment is aimed at ensuring fairness. White collar criminals are not going to be designated to a facility housing perpetrators of violent crimes.

What are the characteristics of white-collar crime?

Three characteristics of white-collar crime are particularly important: (1) The offender has legitimate access to the target or victim of the crime on the basis of an occupational position; (2) the offender is spatially separated from the victim; and (3) the offender's actions have a superficial appearance of legality.

Where are white collar criminals tried?

Most white collar criminals are tried in federal courts. Federal defense is different than that occurring in state courts and requires criminal attorneys experienced in federal trials, agencies, and investigations. In the wake of the recession, Federal and white collar offenses are prosecuted ever more aggressively.

What is the phone number for a criminal defense attorney?

Early intervention is the key to our mutual success. Call us now at 855-LAW-PRO1 (855-529-7761) for a free consultation with one of our criminal defense attorneys. Executive Managing Attorney Gina Tennen is a renowned leading advocate of personal liberties.

Do lawyers have to go to trial?

Your lawyer should always consider the possibility of a trial, particularly if you did not commit the alleged crime. Lawyers from LibertyBell Law Group have extensive experience in white collar trial defense in state and federal courts across the nation, in the toughest jurisdictions with the most feared and ruthless prosecutors.

Can a white collar crime be detrimental to your reputation?

Even the accusation of a white collar crime, regardless of the evidence, can be detrimental to your professional reputation and future employment.

What is white collar crime?

White-collar crime encompasses illegal criminal behavior, usually conducted for financial benefit, in the commercial or corporate domain. This kind of criminal enterprise is capable of describing a wide range of illegality. The only common denominator is a crime by deceit and pursuit of monetary gain. The most common white-collar crimes are theft, ...

Why should I be suspicious of a lawyer?

A person should be suspicious about a lawyer who promises or guarantees a result because none of us have a crystal ball, and no one knows how a case will turn out. A seasoned lawyer knows that a prosecution will profit significantly from certain forms of facts, certain types of claims, and certain witnesses.

What is embezzlement in law?

The most famous example is an employee who moves his employer ‘s money into a personal account, for instance. However, embezzlement can take several forms. Lawyers who misuse consumer funds commit misuse.

Do white collar criminal lawyers have a working knowledge of federal law?

The government is investigating many white-collar crime cases, and your white-collar criminal lawyers have more than a slightly working knowledge of Federal laws and are knowledgeable in this field. It would be best if you had someone that is highly experienced in criminal law and handles Federal courts on an ongoing basis.

Is it important to defend against white collar crime?

Many offenses against white collars can also have detrimental implications for potential careers, so it is incredibly important to make sure you are adequately defended. There are white-collar criminal lawyers that have successfully prosecuted numerous clients who have faced white-collar offenses or failed charges.

Can a white collar criminal be a crime?

Persons or businesses can commit white-collar crimes, and white-collar criminal laws are contained at the federal and state levels. This means if the crime is committed in a particular state or city you need to look for a local lawyer. In Townsville for example, you need a criminal lawyer Townsville, as a Sydney lawyer won’t know ...

Why do corporations hire white collar lawyers?

Corporations engage white-collar lawyers to conduct internal investigations of their own business practices to assess and prepare for the risk of criminal and civil liability.

Is white collar defense a core practice?

Once a niche practice developed by only some law firms, white-collar defense has become a core practice with national and international scope at most large American law firms. Over the last 15 years, white-collar defense has grown to respond to the globalization of both American and foreign corporations, the expansion of government oversight of businesses in the U.S. and abroad, and the numerous financial scandals that have erupted over the same period.

Chicago White Collar Crime Lawyer

Because many individuals charged with white collar crimes are professionals, reputations are at stake.

Types of White Collar Crimes

Many people assume white-collar crimes are simply advanced theft crimes. Granted, there are some similarities between these two types of offenses. For the most part, however, white-collar crimes are nothing like shoplifting cases or smash-and-grab robbery cases. Instead, these offenses have a number of subtle elements, as follows:

How Prosecutors Build Cases

Authorities almost never catch white-collar offenders red-handed. Instead, these cases usually rely on lengthy investigations. Generally, investigators heavily rely on information provided by paid informers.

Possible Defenses

We mentioned procedural defenses above, specifically the Miranda rights. The law requires state and federal investigators to read defendants their rights when custodial interrogation begins. Let’s break these elements down.

Possible Resolutions

The more defenses a Chicago white-collar crimes lawyer is able to present, the easier it is to successfully resolve these cases. Options include pretrial diversion and deferred disposition.

Contact a Dedicated Cook County White Collar Crime Attorney

White-collar criminal charges are scary, but a number of successful resolutions are available. For a confidential consultation with an experienced white-collar criminal defense lawyer in Chicago, contact The Law Offices of Vadim A. Glozman by calling 312-726-2015. Home, virtual, and after-hours visits are available.

What is white collar crime?

White collar crime refers to the type of crimes that deal with unlawful financial gain, typically through deceptive practices. Examples of white-collar crimes include: fraud, embezzlement, tax evasion, and money laundering. A large portion of white collar crime is investigated and prosecuted by the federal government, which makes these cases very serious and intimidating for defendants.

Is white collar crime violent?

While white collar crimes are non-violent, they can still come with potentially severe penalties. These crimes are incredibly complex, and can include everything from fraud to embezzlement. Just about anyone can be accused of committing one of these crimes—and, because of the complexities of the situation, may even stumble into it accidentally. Being accused can be frightening, and it’s important to work with a qualified attorney in order to protect yourself.

What is white collar criminal work?

The best gesture at a definition is that a white-collar case is any criminal case (or potentially criminal case) that an Am Law 100 firm wouldn’t be embarrassed to tell an average client that it’s involved in. Or, put another way, white-collar criminal work is just criminal work you can tell your mom about.

What is white collar case?

White-collar cases are, then, best understood as cases where the people accused or investigated are “like us” ( and, by “us,” I mean readers of Above the Law). People are tribal and petty.

What happens if a CFO gets indicted?

If a CFO is going to get indicted, he isn’t going to want a guy who he thinks less of than a prostitute’s piano-player keeping him out of prison. As the feds go after conduct in larger businesses, they also go after what happens in smaller businesses.

Is John Edwards a white collar case?

The prosecution of John Edwards is classically a white-collar case: it involved campaign finance, was in federal court, was litigated like a civil case, and Abbe Lowell represented the defendant (any case involving Abbe Lowell is per se white-collar). Then there are the less-clear cases….

Do white collar criminal defense lawyers have to deal with regulators?

The regulatory state is a part of life now; if you want to do business , you have to deal with regulators. And, sometimes, regulators make referrals to the Department of Justice.

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Fraud

Embezzlement

  • Embezzlement takes money wrongly from someone you owe some responsibility to. The most famous example is an employee who moves his employer’s money into a personal account, for instance. However, embezzlement can take several forms. Lawyers who misuse consumer funds commit misuse. Investment consultants who abuse customer funds are also entrusted with prot…
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Fiscal Avoidance

  • A financial tax evasion is an act of white-collar where the victim wants to stop taxes where he otherwise owes. Tax evasion can vary from merely submitting tax forms with false information to transferring property unlawfully to escape tax liability. Both individuals and companies can commit criminal fraud of taxes. As with theft, there can be countless avenues to tax evasion.
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What Is A White-Collar Defense Lawyer Doing?

  • You may wonder what white-collar criminal lawyers do – or can do – for you, correctly. To this end, we have produced a list of things an attorney should do when hiring him/her to protect you. Many of the other things a white-collar crime lawyer does but definitely is not limited to are as follows. An advocate for white-collar crime will also compete at the Federal Court. The governm…
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Factors to Consider When Choosing One

  • The lawyer has the right expertise and contacts but has a personality and a character that makes the client feel confident. Juries usually decide criminal proceedings. Customers are more likely to be swayed by attorneys who have a personal bond with the result. A relation may often mean the difference between listening and being convinced and ultim...
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