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Investigations

Overview

Regulatory, law-enforcement, and internal investigations can pose significant challenges. They can also serve as a means to demonstrate and defend compliant behavior, establish credibility, identify and remediate potential issues, and mitigate potential legal, financial, and reputational exposure.

Efficient, battle-tested, and possessing extensive regulatory, law enforcement, and industry experience, our 40+ member global Investigations Practice has defended clients in matters across more than 80 countries. Our lawyers help companies, boards of directors, board committees, and senior executives:

  • Conduct credible and effective internal investigations
  • Respond to law enforcement inquiries, subpoenas, government investigations, and Congressional investigations
  • Develop and implement effective compliance programs

When disputes cannot be settled, our highly regarded litigation teams leverage first-hand prosecutorial and defense experience to provide effective representation in trials and appeals at every level.

Right People: Experience drives strategy 

Investigations require more than fact finding — they arise within industry-specific regulatory and law-enforcement environments, and their processes and results must be integrated into a company’s overall mission, strategy, and goals. Our firm possesses an unparalleled level of knowledge and perspective gained from years of first-hand experience handling all aspects of the investigative process.

We include in our ranks more than 20 former U.S. attorneys, Assistant U.S. attorneys, and Department of Justice (DOJ) supervisors and trial attorneys, as well as former enforcement attorneys and supervisors from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), former state and local prosecutors, a former DOJ’s Enron Task Force member, life-long defense attorneys, and numerous other practitioners whose credentials and subject-matter experience are second to none.

Many of our team members have obtained substantive expertise serving in top leadership positions for state and federal agencies, including:

    •  
      • Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
      • Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)
      • Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
      • Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
      • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
      • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
      • Department of Defense (DOD)
      • Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
      • Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
      • Inspector General – National Intelligence

Right Approach: Cross-disciplinary and client collaboration

Crowell’s investigations practice distinguishes itself by tapping into our firm’s deep regulatory roots and substantive knowledge in areas like antitrust, white collar, government contracts, health care, international trade and sanctions, labor and employment, and privacy and cybersecurity. We also make sure we understand our clients’ businesses, resources, and risk tolerance, and staff matters across the firm’s offices and practice areas to deliver cost-effective service, exceptional counsel, and practical solutions that minimize legal, business and reputational risks.

We work seamlessly with our clients to efficiently and effectively conduct domestic and international white-collar criminal and regulatory investigations in the following areas, among others:

Right Results: Resolving disputes, delivering success

Our clients offer the strongest evidence of our ability to deliver results. More than a quarter of Fortune 100 companies trust and rely upon Crowell to conduct internal risk assessments and investigations and defend them against regulatory and law-enforcement actions.

Our results also speak for themselves: We have helped clients resolve hundreds of investigations through trial victories, declinations, non-prosecution agreements, deferred prosecution agreements and other favorable resolution terms. And those results have been recognized in leading legal and industry journals and ratings agencies such as Chambers, Law360, Global Investigations Review, The Best Lawyers in America, New York Law Journal, Super Lawyers and more, many of which source direct client feedback.

  • Corporate Crisis Handbook

    Our Corporate Crisis Handbook provides valuable guidance on the phases and components common to investigations.

  • Corporate Crisis App
    Our Crisis Response app provides easily accessible tools and resources for users managing crisis scenarios.

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Insights

Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 04.03.25

Conducting Investigations and Discovery in China: What Companies Need To Consider in Preparing for New Policies

In a recently published Corporate Counsel article, “Conducting Investigations and Discovery in China: What Companies Need to Consider in Preparing for New Policies,” Crowell’s John E. Davis and the Zhong Lun Law Firm’s Gary Gao (Jun Gao) discuss the need for companies with operations and data in China to prepare for increased governmental scrutiny and civil actions, and provide tips for effectively responding to cross-border demands for data in such pressurized circumstances....

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Insights

Client Alert | 04.03.25

Conducting Investigations and Discovery in China: What Companies Need To Consider in Preparing for New Policies

Publication | 03.26.25

Conducting Investigations And Discovery In China: What Companies Need To Consider In Preparing For New Policies

Speaking Engagement | 03.19.25

"Challenges and Opportunities From a Focus on Individual Accountability Panel," GIR Live Annual Investigations Meeting

Speaking Engagement | 03.18.25

"US and UK Fraud and Corruption Priorities in 2025," Economic Crime Prevention DACH

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Professionals

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Insights

Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 04.03.25

Conducting Investigations and Discovery in China: What Companies Need To Consider in Preparing for New Policies

In a recently published Corporate Counsel article, “Conducting Investigations and Discovery in China: What Companies Need to Consider in Preparing for New Policies,” Crowell’s John E. Davis and the Zhong Lun Law Firm’s Gary Gao (Jun Gao) discuss the need for companies with operations and data in China to prepare for increased governmental scrutiny and civil actions, and provide tips for effectively responding to cross-border demands for data in such pressurized circumstances....

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Practices

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Insights

Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 04.03.25

Conducting Investigations and Discovery in China: What Companies Need To Consider in Preparing for New Policies

In a recently published Corporate Counsel article, “Conducting Investigations and Discovery in China: What Companies Need to Consider in Preparing for New Policies,” Crowell’s John E. Davis and the Zhong Lun Law Firm’s Gary Gao (Jun Gao) discuss the need for companies with operations and data in China to prepare for increased governmental scrutiny and civil actions, and provide tips for effectively responding to cross-border demands for data in such pressurized circumstances....

View All Insights