DOJ Fraud Section Assistant Chief Laura Perkins Joins Hughes Hubbard

Washington, D.C. and New York, September 7, 2017 – Hughes Hubbard & Reed announced today that Laura N. Perkins has joined the firm as a partner in its Anti-Corruption & Internal Investigations practice and White Collar & Regulatory Defense group.

Perkins was most recently an Assistant Chief for Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) enforcement in the Fraud Section of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division.  In her career at DOJ, she led or supervised hundreds of FCPA investigations and tried nearly two dozen cases involving a variety of frauds and other federal crimes.

About Laura Perkins

In addition to her FCPA credentials, Laura is a deeply experienced trial lawyer and investigator who brings extensive insider knowledge of how DOJ investigates and prosecutes criminal cases and what DOJ expects from internal investigations, cooperating companies, and corporate compliance programs.

As an Assistant Chief of the FCPA unit, Laura supervised and directed hundreds of complex investigations and prosecutions of companies, business executives, and others for violations of the FCPA and associated statutes. She assisted in the management of the FCPA unit and the FCPA program, formulating enforcement priorities and policies, determining whether potential violations warrant criminal investigation and prosecution, advising domestic and foreign law enforcement and regulators on questions of law and departmental policy, and coordinating and conducting training for domestic and foreign partners.

Laura was closely involved in the development of the FCPA pilot program, which was designed to motivate companies to voluntarily self-disclose FCPA-related misconduct, fully cooperate with the Fraud Section, and remediate flaws in their controls and compliance programs.

She worked closely within the Fraud Section to develop internal policies regarding the training and oversight of corporate monitors in order to ensure that companies develop compliance programs that meet DOJ’s expectations.  By the end of her tenure at the Fraud Section, Laura was supervising a majority of the section’s corporate monitorships.

Laura was previously a senior counsel in the Criminal Division’s Office of the Assistant Attorney General; prior to that she was a senior trial attorney in the Fraud Section. As senior counsel to the Assistant Attorney General, she advised the Assistant Attorney General and other DOJ leaders and assisted in developing policies for the Criminal Division with regard to economic criminal prosecution. She has extensive experience as a trial lawyer – both at DOJ and in private practice.  At DOJ alone, she handled nearly two dozen federal jury trials and bench trials, prosecuting FCPA, complex securities fraud, accounting fraud, health care fraud and other federal criminal cases. 

Laura represented the United States in international fora regarding global anti-corruption efforts, including in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and worked closely with foreign authorities to investigate and prosecute cross-border criminal cases.

About the Anti-Corruption & Investigations Group

Hughes Hubbard’s Anti-Corruption & Internal Investigations Practice Group handles the full range of matters across the anti-corruption and compliance spectrum. It has conducted investigations in more than 90 countries involving the FCPA and other anti-corruption laws, resolved investigations and won landmark decisions for clients before U.S. and international authorities, and has served as compliance monitors approved by the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.K. Serious Fraud Office, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and the United Nations. 

Lawyers in the group include former senior government enforcement officials, corporate compliance counsel, foreign-trained attorneys and certified public accountants located in the U.S., Paris and Rio de Janeiro.  The group has many longstanding relationships with leading local firms in countries across the world with which it works closely on cross-border matters.

Kevin Abikoff, Co-Chair of the Anti-Corruption & Internal Investigations Group, said:

“FCPA enforcement has grown exponentially over the last 10 years and we are expecting a continued focus on anti-corruption activity in the U.S. Non-U.S. enforcement activity in jurisdictions that have been historically quiet, such as Brazil, are warming up, which also creates cases in the U.S.  Laura’s experience at the highest levels of FCPA enforcement will play an important role as we continue to take on complex global matters. In addition, she is a seasoned and impressive trial lawyer, experienced investigator and has deep and practical knowledge of monitorships.  Clients will benefit from her rare insight into the DOJ’s white-collar criminal enforcement practices, policies, and priorities.”

Ted Mayer, Hughes Hubbard Chair, said:

“We are thrilled to have Laura join our top-tier anti-corruption and investigations team.  Laura joins our exceptional group of former officials and other specialists, including John Wood, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri; Roel Campos, a former Commissioner with the SEC; Elizabeth Prewitt, former Assistant Chief in DOJ’s Antitrust Division; Terence Healy, former Senior Assistant Chief Litigation Counsel for the SEC's Division of Enforcement; Ed Little, former Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York; Marc Weinstein, former Chief of the Major Crimes Unit for the SDNY; and others, representing corporations and executives in the most complex matters.  We are delighted to welcome her to the firm and look forward to introducing our clients to her insights, experience, and talent.”

Laura Perkins said:

“I look forward to being a part of a firm that does such outstanding work in the anti-corruption and white-collar defense areas. Hughes Hubbard & Reed is recognized across the globe for its expertise in these areas and I am excited to work with such accomplished and talented colleagues.”

About Hughes Hubbard

Hughes Hubbard & Reed is a New York City-based international law firm that offers clients results-focused legal services and a collaborative approach across a broad range of practices.  Hughes Hubbard was founded in 1888 by the renowned jurist and statesman Charles Evans Hughes.  The firm is a leader in promoting diversity and is recognized for its pro bono achievements.