Christopher Nasson

Practice Areas

Chris Nasson is the managing partner of the firm's Boston office. An experienced litigator and former federal prosecutor, Chris's practice focuses on regulatory enforcement, white collar criminal defense, internal investigations, and related business and securities litigation.

Chris represents corporations and individuals in criminal and civil matters brought by the Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, Internal Revenue Service, and other federal, state, and foreign enforcement agencies. An accomplished trial and appellate attorney, Chris has had considerable success dissuading governmental agencies from pursuing any enforcement or criminal action against his clients. He also counsels clients on risk mitigation strategies with respect to anti-corruption, sanctions, cybersecurity, and anti-money laundering issues.

Chris is nationally recognized as a leading practitioner in the area of internal investigations and white collar criminal defense. Chambers USA has hailed the “expertise” he offers “to individual and corporate clients involved in high-stakes criminal investigations and related proceedings” and noted “Chris's knowledge, guidance, and professionalism have instilled confidence” in his clients when facing their most sensitive matters. According to Chambers, clients describe Chris as “pragmatic and business-oriented.” Boston Magazine awarded Chris “Top Lawyer: White Collar Defense,” Business Today named Chris one of the “Top 10 White Collar Attorneys in Massachusetts,” and Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly recognized Chris as “Lawyer of the Year” for his pro bono work securing the release of Fred Weichel, who was wrongfully imprisoned for more than 36 years for a crime he did not commit. Major news publications including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Reuters, Bloomberg, and National Law Review have featured his cases, commentary, and scholarship.

Chris also is a leader in the community. He serves on the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce's Board of Directors, the Chamber's Public Policy and Government Relations Leadership Council, and the Boston Bar Association's Criminal Law Section. In his free time, Chris volunteers coaching girls' youth sports in Winchester.

Prior to joining the firm, Chris served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York and Eastern District of Kentucky, where he investigated and prosecuted financial and corporate crime. As a federal prosecutor, Chris led investigations involving securities fraud, health care fraud, cybercrime, corporate and bank fraud, money laundering, tax evasion, and espionage, as well as violations of the False Claims Act, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Export Administration Regulations, and International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Chris worked closely with various federal agencies including the Securities and Exchange Commission, Internal Revenue Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and led a multi-district, multi-agency investigation of a global insider trading ring, the first criminal prosecution in the U.S. involving trading on inside information obtained through hacking. He tried numerous cases to verdict — all resulting in convictions — in addition to successfully arguing appeals before the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second and Sixth Circuits.

Professional Memberships

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Public Policy & Government Relations Leadership Council

American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section - Securities Fraud, Healthcare Fraud, and Corporate Criminal Liability Subcommittees

Boston Bar Association, Criminal Law Section

Boston Bar Foundation, Adams Benefit Pro Bono Steering Committee

University of Virginia School of Law, Public Service Mentor

Eastern District Association

K&L Gates - Boston Inclusion & Diversity Committee, Member

Winchester Girls Youth Basketball, Coach

Publications

“4 Questions On Groundbreaking New Foreign Bribery Law,” Law360, 16 January 2024

Co-Author, “Will the New Safe Harbor Policy Create a Safe Haven for Companies Reporting Misconduct Discovered in M&A?,” New York Law Journal, December 2023

“Lenders May Be the Next Government Focus for PPP Fraud,” The Banking Law Journal, June 2023

Education