Charles Leeper
Charles S. Leeper is head of the firm’s White Collar Criminal Defense and Corporate Investigations Team and serves as a Managing Partner of the Firm. His practice focuses on the defense of white collar criminal investigations and prosecutions, congressional inquiries and related civil proceedings.
Charlie previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, where he investigated and prosecuted an array of complex cases involving white collar offenses, public corruption, asset forfeiture, espionage and terrorism. Charlie also supervised a team of other veteran prosecutors in his capacity as Deputy Chief of the Special Prosecutions Unit.
Charlie has extensive experience defending companies and individuals against allegations of federal criminal violations and civil fraud offenses. The following are examples of successful representations of our clients in various industries who are subject to a wide range of regulatory regimes.
Antitrust. Obtained decisions from the Department of Justice Antitrust Division to decline prosecution in large-scale, criminal price-fixing or bid-rigging investigations on behalf of multiple clients.
Environmental. Obtained decisions from the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice to decline prosecution in Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, and RCRA investigations of a variety of clients.
Charlie is also representing a major oil and gas services company in connection with the investigation of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill.
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Following a four-month trial in the largest ever FCPA prosecution of individuals, obtained dismissal of all charges filed against an in-house attorney in the military products industry.
Obtained a decision from the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice to decline prosecution in an FCPA investigation of an insurance company based in a U.S. Territory with regard to financial transactions in Nigeria.
Conducted internal investigations of possible FCPA violations for clients in the electronic components, beverage, medical supply, and oil and gas services industries.
Public Contracts. Obtained decisions from the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice to decline prosecution in investigations of alleged corruption in the federal procurement process for contracts awarded to a variety of clients.
Charlie also obtained a favorable settlement for a large privately-owned construction company sued by the United States under the federal False Claims Act, following a two-month trial and successful appeal that resulted in an adverse judgment being vacated.
Securities. Obtained decisions from the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, to decline prosecution and/or the commencement of enforcement action in securities fraud investigations of numerous clients.
Ethics and Compliance. Counseled numerous clients on a variety of compliance issues implicating the FCPA, competition laws, and federal procurement requirements.
Prepared Ethical Conduct codes and rules for implementation by clients and distribution to employees.
Conducted training of client employees on various compliance and ethical conduct matters arising from the FCPA, competition laws, and federal procurement requirements.