Now, more than ever, in this post-Enron era, white-collar business professionals are being intensely scrutinized. Executives, entrepreneurs, board members and trustees are being pushed to uphold the highest level of standards in their conduct and day-to-day operations. Due to this heightened awareness, corporate officers and directors face a tremendous increase in potential liabilities. Regulatory and civil matters have aspects that have become the focal point of criminal investigations carried out by a wide range of federal, state and local enforcement agencies. These investigations have become increasingly aggressive, causing a spike in enforcement proceedings and litigation. Both corporations and individuals need to carefully protect their business concerns and individual rights with knowledgeable, capable counsel that routinely advises clients on interactions with law enforcement officials.

Bullivant Houser Bailey represents corporations and individuals in all stages of criminal and regulatory defense proceedings. We have represented numerous issuers, individual officers, directors and executives, audit committees, securities firms and other financial institutions in connection with investigations and enforcement proceedings. On a routine basis, we handle complex matters involving allegations of a wide variety of criminal matters, fraud, antitrust violations and criminal environmental contamination. In addition, we possess substantial trial experience in more traditional areas of criminal defense.

With the prosecution and investigation of corporations and individuals on the rise, qui tam, class actions and other litigation is becoming increasingly aggressive. Internal investigations are often necessary to protect your interests and mount an effective defense. We conduct corporate internal investigations for boards of directors and selected committees, advising clients in evaluating and responding to allegations of wrongdoing and in the development and implementation of compliance and ethics programs to improve and protect their corporate policies and practices. Issues in this area include corporate governance, questionable payments, environmental compliance, insider trading and other problems.

We have counseled corporations and individuals in the defense of investigations and prosecutions in many areas of law, including: