“It is very telling that the firm’s White Collar Defense & Special Investigations Practice has seen significant recent expansion. People with decades of experience choose to be here and work together. This will positively impact what I can accomplish,” Vernon said.
HOUSTON (PRWEB) May 11, 2021
The White Collar Defense & Special Investigation Practice of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP continued its strategic expansion with the addition in Houston of Vernon Lewis as a shareholder. Vernon served in the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas, for 21 years. As former Deputy Chief of the Fraud Section, he supervised 20 federal fraud prosecutors in complex federal fraud crimes, including matters related to coronavirus fraud.
“As the reach of the U.S. agencies investigating companies expands into new jurisdictions, clients are more often in need of a trusted advisor who can work with them on the legal aspects of these changes. Vernon has the experience and reputation that make him a valuable addition to the team here in Houston and beyond, given the global nature of business today,” said Kent Newsome and Shari L. Heyen, co-managing shareholders of the law firm’s Houston office.
Prior to serving in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Vernon was a partner at Stearns Weaver Miller Law Firm in Miami. He also clerked for retired United States Magistrate Judge Calvin Botley in Houston. His experience includes helping clients with matters related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; health care fraud, tax fraud, import fraud, mail fraud, benefits fraud, wire fraud, commodities fraud, and securities fraud; antitrust; embezzlement; cybercrimes; Paycheck Protection Loan fraud; identity theft; Business Email Compromise; computer hacking; bank fraud; mortgage fraud; investment fraud; counterfeit drugs and counterfeit luxury goods; environmental crimes; and money laundering, working with federal agencies across the board.
“Greenberg Traurig’s overall reputation as a top-tier law firm with a culture for success and unmatched client service informed my decision to continue my legal career here,” Vernon said. “It is very telling that the firm’s White Collar Defense & Special Investigations Practice has seen significant recent expansion. People with decades of experience choose to be here and work together. This will positively impact what I can accomplish.”
In addition to Vernon, these shareholders joined the practice most recently: Linda M. Ricci, formerly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, where she served as Chief of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit; John Huber, former U.S. Attorney for the Department of Justice in the District of Utah, where he was the longest serving U.S. Attorney at the time; Adam S. Hoffinger and David I. Miller, former Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Southern District of New York; Kyle R. Freeny, a former federal prosecutor for the Special Counsel’s Office and former member of the DOJ Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; Benjamin G. Greenberg, a former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Mohammed Khamisa QC, former Standing Counsel for the British Government’s Department of Trade and Industry; Jessica Natali, a former DOJ litigator; Daniel Pulecio-Boek, who teaches cross-border litigation at Georgetown University; and Masoud Zabeti, a former head of the Finance & Banking Disputes Group at a Silver Circle U.K. firm.
Vernon received his J.D. from Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and a B.A. from the University of Florida.
About Greenberg Traurig, LLP – Texas: Texas is important to Greenberg Traurig, LLP and part of its history. With approximately 130 Texas lawyers in Austin, Dallas, and Houston, Greenberg Traurig has deep roots in the Texas business, legal, and governmental communities. Greenberg Traurig Texas works with clients to address their interdisciplinary legal needs across the state utilizing the firm’s global platform. The Texas attorneys are experienced in industries key to the state’s future, including: aviation, chemicals, construction, education, energy and natural resources, financial institutions, health care, hedge funds, hospitality, infrastructure, insurance, media, medical devices, pharmaceutical and biotechnology, real estate, retail, sports, technology and software, telecommunications, transportation, and video games and esports.
About Greenberg Traurig’s White Collar Defense & Special Investigations Practice: Greenberg Traurig’s White Collar Defense & Special Investigations Practice protects companies and individuals under government scrutiny. GT’s creative defense lawyers in the US, Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific are at the forefront of white collar defense, with wide-ranging experience in structuring internal investigations, developing guidelines, implementing compliance programs, and addressing issues of voluntary disclosure. Their representations involve alleged securities and commodities fraud, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations, health care/pharmaceutical fraud, environmental crimes, money laundering, financial services fraud, public corruption/campaign finance, tax corruption, defense contracting, and bankruptcy fraud. In addition, the majority of GT’s litigation shareholders and counsel have first-chair trial experience.
About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has approximately 2200 attorneys in 40 locations in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, diversity, and innovation, and is consistently among the largest firms in the U.S. on the Law360 400 and among the Top 20 on the Am Law Global 100. The firm is net carbon neutral with respect to its office energy usage and Mansfield Rule 3.0 Certified. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com