White Collar and Internal Investigations

Winston & Strawn's prominence in the area of corporate internal investigations and white-collar criminal defense has been well substantiated over the years. Our attorneys have conducted investigations and represented clients in grand jury matters and criminal trials involving a range of issues, including:

• securities transactions and mutual funds
• executive compensation and stock option backdating
• price-fixing
• public corruption and racketeering
• illegal exports
• energy trading

Through a detailed factual and legal analysis, Winston & Strawn attorneys have the ability to determine the full scope of the potential liability for clients that have reason to believe some wrongdoing may have taken place. Our attorneys have extensive experience in persuading prosecutors not to return criminal charges against individuals and corporations. Should a grand jury matter result in indictment, Winston & Strawn can offer widely known trial lawyers who have hands-on courtroom experience before state and federal courts across the nation.

"This firm brings a strategic and proactive approach to the table." - Chambers USA, 2011

One of our partners co-authored Corporate Internal Investigations, a leading treatise on conducting and managing internal investigations, limiting corporate criminal liability, and persuading prosecutors not to indict. We have experience representing Audit Committees and Special Litigation Committees of Boards of Directors of publicly held corporations.  We also have established corporate compliance programs for our clients that are intended to detect and discourage employee misconduct.

A number of Winston & Strawn's partners have served as special prosecutors at the federal, state, and county levels. These appointments have included service with the Iran-Contra Independent Counsel's Office, service as an Independent Consultant in securities enforcement matters, service as special county prosecutors in vote fraud and public corruption cases, and representation of the Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board.