The guide highlights C&G’s “elite group of practitioners” and use of advanced machine learning techniques and notes that the firm “handle[s] cases that are every bit as complex and challenging as big, national law firms.” Commentators noted that the firm “punches way above its weight” in litigation and investigation matters.

C&G Co-Founder Mark S Cohen is one of only two lawyers in the United States to be recognized as a “Leading Lawyer” in both Securities Litigation: Defense and Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense. Commentary from The Legal 500 recognizes Mark as a “top-tier advocate” who is “at the top of the profession” and “can litigate with the best of them.”

For the first time, C&G’s Antitrust practice has been recognized in Antitrust: Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense for its handling of class action cases concerning allegations of cartel behavior, monopolization, and other exclusionary conducts. The Legal 500 cites the leadership of Melissa H Maxman and the addition of “heavyweight” lawyer John Roberti as key reasons for the practice’s recognition.

C&G is again recognized in the Advice to Individuals and Advice to Corporates categories of the Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense section. The Legal 500 commentary notes that the practice is led by “partners with deep experience who obtain excellent results for clients” and is “well placed to handle transatlantic cases” with offices in New York, Paris, and London, and has “particular expertise in financial crime, antitrust enforcement, public corruption, and tax issues.”

The guide has also recognized C&G once again in the General Commercial Disputes category, praising the practice for showing the “discipline and focus necessary to win a case.” Testimonials from the guide highlight the team’s ability to “handle large and complex matters” with “experienced people, good judgment,” and “better use of technology.”

For the 10th consecutive year, C&G has been recognized in the Securities Litigation: Defense category for the firm’s “expertise in the financial services sector” and “recognized trial expertise” in cross-border and domestic securities litigation and enforcement proceedings. The Legal 500 emphasizes the team’s “strong practitioners” and “attentiveness to clients” in the 2022 guide.

Recognized Practices:

• Antitrust: Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense
• Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense: Advice to Individuals
• Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense: Advice to Corporates
• General Commercial Disputes
• Securities Litigation: Defense

Antitrust: Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense

• Melissa H Maxman
• John Roberti
• Ronald F Wick

• Jonathan S Abernethy
• Jason Brown
• Mark S Cohen
• S Gale Dick
• Jeffrey I Lang
• Melissa H Maxman
• Reggie Schafer

• Mark S Cohen
• S Gale Dick
• Lawrence T Gresser
• Melissa H Maxman
• Daniel H Tabak

• Jonathan S Abernethy
• Mark S Cohen
• S Gale Dick
• Lawrence T Gresser

The Legal 500 analyzes the capabilities of law firms across the world. Its rankings “highlight the practice area teams who are providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice to corporate counsel.”

International law firm Cohen & Gresser today announced that Richard Kovalevsky QC, a distinguished barrister and Queen’s Counsel, will join the firm’s White Collar Defense & Regulation group as a partner in its London office. As head of Criminal Defense for the London office, Richard’s hire will bolster Cohen & Gresser’s highly-regarded White Collar Defense practice and strengthen the firm’s ability to provide clients with sophisticated and strategic guidance on the most complex government and internal investigations.

A Cohen & Gresser litigation team led by Mark S Cohen and Jonathan S Abernethy recently won a major victory in a high profile Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) case on behalf of client, Vanja Baros, a former investment analyst with hedge fund Och-Ziff (one of the world’s largest publicly traded hedge funds). In July, a federal court in New York dismissed the SEC’s entire complaint against Baros and his co-defendant, and the SEC recently declined to appeal the court’s decision, which is therefore final.

Global Investigations Review (GIR) has nominated Cohen & Gresser for its Most Important Court Case of the Year award for C&G’s major victory in a high profile FCPA case on behalf of a former investment analyst with international hedge fund Och-Ziff. A federal court in New York dismissed the SEC’s entire complaint against our client and his co-defendant, and the SEC declined to appeal. Mark S Cohen and Jonathan S Abernethy led the C&G team, which also included S Gale Dick, Colin C Bridge, and Reggie B Schafer. 

Chambers USA ranked Cohen & Gresser's White Collar Defense group and listed its Securities Litigation group as a Recognized Practice. In its analysis, Chambers USA commented that the firm is "[n]oted for its litigation capabilities across the full spectrum of industry sectors" and has a "[r]espected white-collar crime and government investigations practice." 

Mark S. Cohen is ranked in the White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations category, has been described as being an "effective advocate and very effective at counseling a client through a very difficult investigative process."  Jonathan S Abernethy, also ranked in the White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations category, received praise for his "excellent knowledge of the law."

Mark Cohen spoke to Compliance Week for its article “Ralph Lauren vs. Total: A Tale of Two FCPA Violators,” which highlighted the very different outcomes for clothing retailer Ralph Lauren Corp. and French oil and gas company Total S.A. for Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations. Cohen remarks, “The size of the bribes and how many years they've been paid out speak to the government's view of the company's conduct.” He added, “A larger bribe paid out over many years is going to be a more negative factor for a company than a one-time incident.”

John W Gibson and Miriam González Durántez discuss the parallels between the early enforcement of the Bribery Act 2010 and the UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation's first monetary penalty.

Jonathan S Abernethy, S Gale Dick, and Christian R Everdell authored an article examining the Department of Justice's (DOJ) new policy discouraging DOJ attorneys from "piling on" multiple penalties against companies for the same misconduct.

This article first appeared on the website of the Criminal Law Committee of the Legal Practice Division of the International Bar Association, and is reproduced by kind permission of the International Bar Association, London, UK. © International Bar Association.

South Korea’s equivalent to the FCPA is the Foreign Bribery Prevention Act or FBPA for short. Although passed more than 15 years ago, it was rarely used—until now.  Recent activity under the act is an encouraging sign that Korea may be stepping up its enforcement activity.

Recent court decisions concerning the interplay of the FCPA and personal jurisdiction over foreign nationals provide guidance for corporate counsel on FCPA risks. The bottomline—adopt, maintain, and continually update robust compliance and training programs throughout the organization, set the proper tone at management levels throughout the company, and, as appropriate, insist that third party intermediaries with whom the company works follow those same policies.

The long arm of U.S. law can be seen clearly in recent enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or FCPA, a criminal law prohibiting bribery of non-U.S. government officials. Companies whose operations even remotely touch the U.S. and who therefore could come within the FCPA’s jurisdiction should consider implementing anti-corruption compliance programs to prevent, detect, and remediate violations. Such programs can be a key mitigating factor in U.S. regulators’ decisions whether to bring an enforcement action or in the penalties sought if an action is brought.

The Guide addresses several key issues arising from the FCPA on which multinationals have long sought guidance, including (i) the elements of an effective anti-corruption compliance program; (ii) gifts and entertainment expenses; (iii) facilitating payments; (iv) the FCPA's broad definition of "foreign official"; (v) successor liability when a company merges with or acquires another company that has committed acts of bribery; and (vi) FCPA jurisdiction over foreign companies that do not trade on U.S. exchanges.