Most Highly Regarded Firms: Business Crime Defence 2012

• February 2012

• Business Crime Defence

This year, we have canvassed and analysed the opinions of law firms and clients to reveal 543 business crime defence experts in 34 jurisdictions who are considered leaders in the field. View the findings of our research in this section.

UNITED STATES

The United States continues to dominate this publication, in terms of firms and individuals featured. Renowned litigation boutique Morvillo, Abramowitz, Grand, Iason, Anello & Bohrer PC sets the standard with an impressive nine listings – two more than it achieved in the previous edition. Elkan Abramowitz is a “vastly experienced” litigator and “one of New York’s most outstanding attorneys”. Robert J Anello has over 30 years’ experience of federal and state court litigation and is considered by peers to be “utterly brilliant”. “Top trial lawyer” Paul R Grand has represented such illustrious businessmen as Timothy Rigas, the former chief financial officer of Adelphia Communications Corporation, and the former President of Qwest Communications International. Sources dubbed Lawrence Iason “a real star” and commended Barry Bohrer for his “thriving” business crime defence practice. Jones Day is another market leader in this area, also earning nine listings. Head of the criminal investigations practice Charles Carberry is “among the best securities defence counsel in the country” and his colleague George Moscarino is widely praised as “a fantastic lawyer”. Brian Sun practises from the Los Angeles office and “has a reputation for consistent excellence”. Daniel Reidy has broad experience advising both corporates and individuals and is considered to be “one of the top three trial lawyers in Chicago”. The “extraordinarily talented” Peter Romatowski oversees the firm’s securities litigation & SEC enforcement practice. Cleveland-based lawyer James Wooley represents public and private businesses and professionals in criminal investigations and is also “highly regarded” for his work as an internal investigator. Zuckerman Spaeder LLP has a “phenomenal reputation” for business crime defence and seven of its leading lights are included in this publication. The “ubiquitous” William Taylor III has spent his “most distinguished career” as a defence attorney and is one of the most highly regarded lawyers included in the research. Martin Himeles Jr is “terrific” and Roger Zuckerman was described to researchers as “the consummate professional”. “Excellent strategist” William Murphy practises from the Baltimore office and earned votes for his “first-rate counsel” while Morris “Sandy” Weinberg’s achievements include leading a successful defence in one of the largest health-care fraud investigations in history and securing the dismissal of charges in one of the only cases brought against a religion. Williams & Connolly LLP is a “premier” firm for litigation and boasts six listings in this edition. Brendan Sullivan Jr is “internationally recognised” for his work in high-profile criminal defence cases, including those of Lt. Col. Oliver North and former HUD secretary Henry Cisneros. Peers described him as “a senior statesman” and he also features in our list of most highly regarded individuals. Barry Simon earned votes for his “invaluable combination of commercial acumen and trial experience”, while David Zinn was commended as a “first-class advocate” and is included in this publication for the first time. The team at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP performed well in the research, with a total of six practitioners listed. Robert Keefe “would be on anyone’s list” and his varied and lengthy experience makes him “the go-to guy” for white-collar criminal defence. Karen Green is lauded as a “highly respected and bright lawyer” and Stephen Pollard “never delivers anything short of excellence”. New inclusion Emily Schulman has tried more than 20 jury trials and garnered votes for her “clear and dependable advice”. The “impressive” Peter Spivack is the co-leader of the investigations, white-collar and fraud group at Hogan Lovells US LLP and is one of six lawyers included from that firm. Robert Bennett, who practises from the Washington, DC, office, was described by one source as a “legend” amongst white-collar crime practitioners while Ty Cobb, of the same office, “gets top marks for advice and advocacy”. The “top-notch” Stephen Immelt splits his time between the Washington, DC, and Baltimore offices and has particular expertise in defending health-care companies. Crowell & Moring LLP earns five listings in this edition. Top among them is John Vandevelde who has defended clients in more than 30 trials and “delivers a highly polished service”. Janet Levine chairs the firm’s white-collar and regulatory enforcement practice group and is a “fabulous lawyer”. Peers are impressed by Philip Inglima’s “enviable experience” representing senior businessmen in the energy industry while Brian Elmer and Richard Beizer are commended as “excellent” lawyers. Keker & Van Nest LLP is a “first-class” litigation boutique and four of its attorneys are recognised in this publication. They are led by the “exceptional” John Keker whose significant experience makes him “the toughest and most respected defence lawyer I know”, in the words of one interviewee. Jan Nielsen Little also scored highly and is considered “supremely bright and hard-working” by the lawyers we canvassed. Elliot Peters has worked in white-collar criminal defence for over 30 years and has a “great reputation” for his trial work, while Stuart Gasner was praised for his “ability to tackle the most complex cases”. Reid Weingarten of Steptoe & Johnson LLP is the most highly regarded lawyer in the research and was variously described as “the dean of white-collar criminal defence”, “DC’s finest trial lawyer” and “utterly superb”.

ENGLAND

Kingsley Napley LLP leads the research in London, with six of its lawyers included in this edition. Michael Caplan QC led the team that successfully defended one of the defendants in the Wickes case. Peers spoke of him with uniform praise, with one source commenting that “his reputation is unrivalled in London”. Stephen Gentle and co-nominee Louise Hodges have published a book on serious fraud, investigation and trial and are “incredibly diligent and talented lawyers”. New inclusion Angus McBride has defended many high-profile individuals and gained votes for the “impressive tact and skill” with which he handles such cases. BCL Burton Copeland fields five nominees in this year’s research. Senior partner and firm founder Ian Burton “has the kind of stellar reputation that only a handful of lawyers achieve”, having been involved in most of the significant business crime investigations and prosecutions brought by the UK authorities over the last 20 years. Brian Spiro is described by sources as a “leader” in the business crime defence sector while Harry Travers has “extensive experience” in a broad range of criminal and regulatory work. Three specialists are listed from Peters & Peters Solicitors LLP. Monty Raphael QC’s career spans over 40 years at the firm; he has “experience that the rest of us can only dream of”. Labelled “the Godfather” by one interviewee, he is one of the most highly regarded lawyers in the research. Anand Doobay is “fiercely intelligent” and “a real pleasure to work with”, while Michael O’Kane brings his significant competition law expertise to his white-collar crime practice and is “a thoroughly committed and sharp-minded lawyer”. Corker Binning also earns three listings. Firm founder David Corker has considerable experience in international criminal cases involving allegations of corruption, money laundering and cartels and “cannot be faulted for client service”. Peter Binning acted in the cash-for-honours inquiry, and has advised in cases involving Official Secrets Act investigations, prosecutions for computer crime and a broad range of regulatory investigations. Peers consider his depth of knowledge to be “second to none”. Nicola Finnerty garnered votes for her “sound commercial judgement” and “client-friendly manner”. The talents of the English Bar have not gone unrecognised – 13 barristers are listed in this edition. Four QCs are listed from Three Raymond Buildings, including the “supremely bright” Hugo Keith QC. Alexander Cameron QC is listed from the same set and one interviewee commented that “judges love him – he is a fantastic advocate.” Two barristers are featured from Matrix Chambers, including Clare Montgomery QC, one of the most highly nominated individuals in the research, who is revered for her “unsurpassed legal knowledge and advocacy”. Cloth Fair Chambers fields three silks; top among them is “fearless advocate” Nicholas Purnell QC. Antony Shaw QC of 18 Red Lion Court is “authoritative and experienced”, while David Perry QC of 6 King’s Bench Walk is “incredibly clever and a true gentleman”. Mukul Chawla QC of 9-12 Bell Yard was described to researchers as “a barrister you can depend upon”.

EUROPE & INTERNATIONAL

DLA Piper LLP has a remarkable international business crime practice and five of its experts feature in this edition. Washington, DC lawyer Earl Silbert is a “doyen” of white-collar criminal defence and is considered by those we canvassed to be “the best of the best”. Jo Rickards is based in London and is a “formidable opponent”, while Jürgen Taschke of the Frankfurt office “does a lot of really big cases and handles them with impressive skill”. Swiss firm Schellenberg Wittmer performed very well in the research, earning a total of four listings. Vincent Jeanneret is frequently retained as counsel or expert in connection with white-collar crime cases at the federal or state level and has “a superior practice” according to our sources. The “outstanding” Benjamin Borsodi has authored publications on international legal assistance in criminal matters, while Peter Burckhardt and Paul Gully-Hart gained votes for their “excellent analytical skills”. Five lawyers from Dutch law firm Wladimiroff Advocaten gain inclusion. Gert-Jan Elsen has a particular focus on business crime relating to economic regulations and was described to researchers as “first class”. Robbert de Bree “has great instincts and is a super advocate” while Aldo Verbruggen is widely commended as “one of the Netherlands’ top lawyers”. Two European lawyers appear on our list of most highly regarded individuals. In the Netherlands Jan M Sjöcrona, founding partner of Sjöcrona van Stigt, is known for his “discretion and vast experience”. Ilias Anagnostopoulos of Anagnostopoulos law firm chairs the criminal law committee of the Council of the Bars and Law Societies of Europe, and is “the best criminal lawyer in Greece”.

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