CRIMINAL DEFENSE AND INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS
The firm routinely represents individuals and corporations in internal investigations, grand jury investigations and criminal prosecutions. The allegations in these matters have involved a wide variety of white collar crimes, including fraud and other financial crimes, program abuse, environmental crimes, and tax violations. As a result of thorough investigation and zealous representation, the firm has been very successful in convincing prosecutors and other authorities not to initiate charges against its clients. Where charges have been brought, the firm has had notable success in defending those charges at trial. Our attorneys have also conducted internal investigations for academic, corporate, civic, labor, governmental, and religious organizations. The firm has been recognized in U.S. News & World Report's annual rankings of the Best Law Firms in America as a First Tier St. Louis law firm in the area of "Criminal Defense: White-Collar."
Recent white collar representations have included the defense of a former Governor of Missouri in a federal prosecution involving campaign contributions. The firm also obtained a rare dismissal of a bank fraud indictment against an individual who had been the largest urban redeveloper in St. Louis. The indictment was dismissed on the grounds it failed to state an offense under the federal mail, wire, and bank fraud statutes.
The firm has represented clients in more traditional criminal contexts, including some of the region’s most highly publicized prosecutions. These cases have included representation of an NHL hockey player charged with murder-for-hire, and obtaining the acquittals of a prominent state legislator charged with sexual assault and of a religious school official in a prosecution over the school’s disciplinary practices.