A standout practice for life sciences investigations, DLA Piper LLP (US) has a deep bench in white-collar criminal defense and corporate investigations. The group acts for clients in a broad range of sectors, with emphasis on the banking and finance, pharma, and medical devices industries, and has notable capabilities in matters relating to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, fraud, anti-corruption, the False Claims Act, as well as workplace misconduct investigations. The team is co-headed by John Hillebrecht in New York, who focuses on white-collar criminal defense, internal investigations, regulatory enforcement, securities class actions, and criminal tax matters, and Courtney Gilligan Saleski in Philadelphia, a seasoned trial lawyer who specializes in government litigation, investigations, and controversies.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: Billing & efficiency
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘This team is unique for us in having deep experience in both government and private practice, as well as a sophisticated understanding of blockchain.'
‘David Stier has outstanding experience both in government and private practice. He is responsive, diligent, and an excellent strategic thinker.
‘Personal touch.’
Key clients
- Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation
- BMO Capital Markets
- Telefonica, SA
- Christiana Care Health
- Adamas Pharmaceuticals
- John Deere
- MGM Resorts
- American Future Systems
- Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center
- Julio Herrera Velutini
- Fiat-Chrysler "Pool" of Executives
- Michael Bowen
- Pool counsel to three former employees of BAM Management US Holdings
- Kevan Casey
- Harshil Topiwala
Work highlights
Successfully negotiated a resolution with the SEC for Deere & Company in an FCPA investigation into Wirtgen Thailand, a subsidiary acquired by the company.
Achieved a significant victory for Adamas Pharmaceuticals in a novel False Claims Act lawsuit on behalf of the US government.
Representing a pool of six executives of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in connection with a DOJ criminal investigation, a DOJ and EPA civil litigation, and various private class and other actions, all relating to allegedly improper engineering of certain Auxiliary Emission Control Devices (“AECD”) that allegedly caused the vehicles at issue to pass EPA and other regulators' emission control testing, while in real-world conditions, these devices caused these vehicles to emit far more pollutants than permissible.
Practice head
John Hillebrecht; Courtney Gilligan Saleski
Other key lawyers
Jonathan King; Nathaniel Edmonds; Jason Lewis; Grayson Stratton; Aurelie Ercoli; Eric Christofferson; David Stier