Chuck is a member of the firm’s Government Investigations and White Collar Litigation department. He counsels clients in the areas of federal and state securities laws, accountants’ liability, class actions against publicly held corporations, False Claim Act (FCA), qui tam litigation, and investigations by various federal and state government entities and Congress involving civil and criminal matters.
He has appeared in federal and state courts, before the American Arbitration Association, and has represented individuals and companies before the SEC, the Inspector General, the DOJ and Congress.
He is an internal and external firm resource on attorney-client privilege and the work product doctrine, and he has made numerous presentations and speeches on these subjects to in-house legal departments. He has taught legal writing and appellate advocacy as an adjunct law professor.
Experience
- Representations of telecommunication companies in FCA and qui tam related litigation resulting in the government declining to intervene and dismissal of the Relator’s lawsuit.
- Representation of a diversified, global company providing products and services ranging from security, fire protection and detection and valves and controls in actions against former officers and directors.
- Representation involving internal investigation of foreign financial institution in connection with potential violations of OFAC regulations relating to Iran Sanctions.
- Representations of Big Four accounting firm before SEC and in civil litigation.
- Representation of a number of public companies in federal securities class actions, many of these cases were favorably resolved prior to trial.
- Representation of public companies and individuals including directors and officers in numerous SEC investigations.
- Representation of former Congressman Tom Delay in congressional and DOJ investigations.
- Representation of DOD employee in a congressional investigation involving detainees at GITMO.
- Accountants Defense
- Bank Defense and Counseling
- Class Action
- Congressional Investigations
- Construction
- False Claims Act Investigations, Litigation and Enforcement
- Government Investigations & White Collar Litigation
- Securities Enforcement & Regulatory Counseling
- Shareholder & Directors & Officers Litigation
- District of Columbia
- Virginia
Named to “Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers,” Securities Litigation, Civil Litigation Defense, Criminal Defense: White Collar, Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2008, 2013-2016
- Author, U.S. Supreme Court Clarifies DOJ’s Authority to Dismiss Whistleblowers’ False Claims Act Suits, Questions Constitutionality of Qui Tam Provisions, The FCA Insider, July 24, 2023
- Author, DOJ Settles First False Claims Act Enforcement Action Since Launch of Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative, Subject to Inquiry, March 10, 2022
- Author, Congressional Investigations: Beyond Sensational Headlines — Incoming House Leaders Announce Broad Investigative Priorities Targeting Business Community, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, December 19, 2018
- Author, SEC’s Focus on Municipalities and Municipal Securities Continues, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 24, 2013
- Author, Another SEC Enforcement Action Confirms Increased Focus on Municipalities and Municipal Securities, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, May 24, 2013
- Author, Recent SEC Enforcement Actions Demonstrate Increased Focus on Municipalities and Municipal Securities, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, May 7, 2013
- Author, USAO EDVA Announces Virginia Financial and Securities Fraud Task Force, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, May 21, 2010
- Author, New UK Bribery Act 2010: Are You Compliant?, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, May 18, 2010
- Author, Enhanced Anticorruption Enforcement on Track in UK Parliament, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 4, 2010
- Author, Enhanced Anticorruption Enforcement in the UK, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 2, 2010
- Author, New UK Bribery Bill: Impact on French organisations doing business with the UK, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 2, 2010
- Author, Charm Offensive: Three Top DOJ, SEC Officials Describe “New Chapter” in FCPA, Other White Collar Criminal Enforcement, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 1, 2010
- Author, U.S. Sentencing Commission Dangles a Compliance Carrot in Front of Corporate Defendants, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 29, 2010
- Author, CATCH-22: Lessons from DOJ’s Massive Undercover FCPA Sting, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 22, 2010
- Author, The Best Defense is a Good Defense: Robust Anticorruption Policy Scuttles Derivative Suit Against Dow Officers and Directors, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 19, 2010
- Author, OECD Seeks to Ice Grease Payments, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, December 11, 2009
- Author, DOJ Steps up Financial Crimes Investigation Efforts – IRS Cracks Down on Overseas Accounts, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, December 4, 2009
- Author, New Bribery Bill Moving UK Toward Enhanced Anticorruption Enforcement, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, December 3, 2009
- Author, Busy Month for FCPA Watchers Capped with Significant Warning to Big Pharma, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, November 13, 2009
- Author, SEC Flexes FCPA Muscle: Is Change Afoot in the Enforcement Playing Field?, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, August 25, 2009
- Author, New Legislation Would Beef Up Federal Efforts to Fight White-Collar Crime, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 27, 2009
- Author, Fourth Circuit Applies Scienter Requirement for Securities Class Actions, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 12, 2009
- Author, McNulty Memo Out, Filip Memo In: DOJ Makes Revisions to Corporate Charging Guidelines, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, September 4, 2008
- Author, Second Circuit Affirms Securities Fraud Plaintiff’s Ability to Plead Corporate Scienter Without Pleading Scienter as to Any Particular Individual, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, August 5, 2008
- Author, DOJ and FBI Continue Pursuing Operation “Malicious Mortgage”, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 29, 2008
- Author, Quon v. Arch Wireless: Ninth Circuit Increases Government Employee Privacy for Electronic Communications, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 14, 2008
- Author, FCPA Alert: SEC and DOJ Sanction Faro Technologies, Inc. Following Self-Report of Improper Payments, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, June 10, 2008
- Author, Senate Finance Committee Issues Information Request to Colleges and Universities Regarding Use of Endowment Funds, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, April 30, 2008
- Author, Panalpina FCPA Investigation Continues, Impacts Numerous U.S. Companies, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, April 9, 2008
- Author, DOJ Officials Stress Continuing Focus on FCPA Enforcement, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 10, 2008
- Author, Ryan v. Gifford: Board of Directors Waives Attorney-Client Privilege by Reporting on Internal Investigation at a Board Meeting, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, February 8, 2008
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Northwestern Pritzker School of LawJD
cum laude
1987 -
University of South CarolinaBA
magna cum laude
1983
Chair, Section of Commercial Litigation, Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys, 1996-1997
Board of Editors, 1997-2011, The Journal of Civil Litigation, Published Quarterly by the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys
Member, Virginia State Bar
- Speaker, "Key Legal Developments and Enforcement Trends Under the False Claims Act," Healthcare Litigation Conference, McGuireWoods LLP, May 29, 2014
- Speaker, Directors Roundtable: Financial & Securities Fraud Enforcement, July 28, 2010