James McGovern

Practice Areas

With more than 30 years of federal and state courtroom experience, in both New York and Washington, D.C., Jim McGovern defends corporations and their executives in criminal and civil investigations brought by the Department of Justice (DOJ), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), UK’s Serious Fraud Office, New York Attorney General’s Office, New York County District Attorney’s Office, and New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS).

He conducts internal investigations for companies and counsels boards of directors concerning regulatory compliance, crisis response, and media relations. His experience includes Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Bank Secrecy Act, financial fraud, insider trading, antitrust, sanctions, money laundering, and cybersecurity investigations.

Jim previously served as the Chief of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, where he supervised several major bank investigations and the FIFA prosecutions; he previously supervised the EDNY’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. He also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Washington, D.C., and as an Assistant District Attorney in New York City. Having conducted more than 70 criminal and civil jury trials, Jim is well-equipped to represent companies and individuals in investigations involving government enforcement issues, such as criminal, civil, and regulatory compliance.

In 2015, Jim received the DOJ’s Director’s Award for Superior Performance by an Assistant U.S. Attorney; in 2013, he received the New York Police Department Detective’s Endowment Association’s “Person of the Year” and the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation’s “Prosecutor of the Year” awards; and, in 2016, he received the Exceptional Service Award presented by the National Association of Former U.S. Attorneys. In 2017, Jim was selected by The American Lawyer for inclusion in its list of “Lateral All Stars.”