White Collar Criminal Defense
The Grail Law Firm focuses on White Collar defense of economic and business crime allegations against businesses and their owners, corporate officers and directors, and professionals.
We take on government and internal investigations, pre-indictment representation and trials, with special emphasis on health care, government contracting, securities, financial institution, environmental and criminal tax matters.
Our best results come in matters which remain confidential, because we have prevailed on the Government NOT to prosecute. When called to court, we work tirelessly for the best possible result, and we work to mitigate other harmful collateral consequences of prosecution, including professional licensing discipline, permit revocation and parallel civil lawsuits.
- Wire and mail fraud
- Federal securities and commodities fraud
- Criminal tax fraud and evasion
- Environmental compliance
- Public corruption
- Healthcare/anti-kickback allegations
- False Claims Act violations
- Criminal OSHA violations
- Bank Secrecy Act violations
- Customs violations
- Food & Drug Act violations
- Federal and State Controlled Substance Act violations and Diversion matters
- Computer Fraud and Abuse Act violations
Administrative Actions & Appeals
We defend all types of misconduct and fraud allegations before federal and state administrative agencies, and the PA Attorney General’s Office. We regularly appear before the SEC on insider trading matters, and we defend a publicly-traded energy producer, and then a leading commodities trader in federal market manipulation inquiries before the CFTC. We represent skilled professionals of all types in licensing matters. We also defend financial institutions in OCC cases; contractors in criminal OSHA inquiries; wholesalers and pharmacies before the DEA and state pharmacy boards; medical device manufacturers before the FDA; and producers and handlers on EPA and state environmental allegations.
- IRS, OCC & OFAC
- SEC & CFTC
- EPA
- DEA, HHS, FDA, NSF, NIH & DOE
- PA Attorney General’s Office
Complex Commercial Litigation
We step in on a moment’s notice, especially where your regular outside firm is conflicted.
We serve as trial counsel, with emphasis on complex commercial litigation, injunctions, trade secret cases, IT breach allegations, First Amendment Defense and False Claims Act claims of all types, especially involving health care issues.
We practice lean staffing but rely heavily on subject matter specialists and former law enforcement investigators to chase down facts and work up analyses.
- Advised a publicly-traded energy sector company on standards and practice for directors in conflict situations;
- Defended licensed professional health care provider specialists in federal criminal and regulatory enforcement proceedings;
- Advised eight subjects of a statewide investigating grand jury inquiry into historical allegations on due process and fundamental fairness/privilege grounds
- Defended the CEO and CFO of a for-profit health care provider against allegations of violating the Federal False Claims Act.
- Represented an extradited technology expert on charges of criminal computer fraud and abuse brought in two different federal court districts.
- Defended a national pharmaceutical provider from federal and state False Claims Act allegations in federal court in Chicago;
- Obtained a dismissal with prejudice of defamation claims against a well-known entertainer in federal court in Pittsburgh, and successfully defended that decision in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, then sitting in Philadelphia;
- Advocated on behalf of a market-leading medical device designer/manufacturer before a key federal agency on product safety issues;
- Represented a world-leading commodity trader in defending market manipulation charges before a major federal administrative agency;
- Defended a bank against claims it made false statements to the federal government in connection with lending transactions.
- Defended financial institutions and their officers, directors and employees in federal grand jury and parallel OCC investigations concerning Bank Secrecy Act and fiduciary duty compliance.
Internal Investigations
Clients rely on us for proactive initiatives and compliance diligence, and especially in response to allegations/discovery of historical and ongoing improprieties. We work closely with forensic accountants and former federal law enforcement agents, to leverage their skill and bring decades of analysis and investigative experience.
- Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering inquiries on behalf of a small, community bank;
- System-wide IT breach allegations at a privately-held service business;
- Accounting improprieties suspected at a major Western PA foundation;
- Foreign Corrupt Practice Act violation allegations by a major financial institution.
