TSL Express Daily News

Blank Rome LLP is pleased to welcome a leading team of five attorneys to the firm’s White Collar Defense & Investigations group in New York, bolstering the firm’s litigation capabilities. Led by partners David Spears, Linda Imes, and Chris Dysard, the group includes associates Michael Donohue and Rebecca Orel, as well as four business professionals. Prior to joining Blank Rome, the group practiced at the acclaimed litigation boutique Spears & Imes LLP.

“As we ring in the new year, I’m very excited to welcome David, Linda, Chris, and their team to Blank Rome,” said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Rome’s Chair and Managing Partner. “The group is highly accomplished and extraordinarily well-regarded in the areas of white collar criminal defense, securities enforcement defense, and complex civil litigation. They are steadfast advocates for their clients, inside and outside the courtroom, and their broad experience will benefit our clients facing high-stakes litigation and government investigations.”

“We remain committed to expanding our litigation bench to meet the needs of our clients, particularly in the area of white collar defense, as federal and state prosecutors continue to focus on investigating and charging financial and corporate crimes across the United States and internationally,” added Jerry D. Bernstein, partner and co-chair of the firm’s White Collar Defense & Investigations group. “The group adds remarkable depth to our litigation team. Linda, David, and Chris have tremendous experience defending clients in criminal investigations and regulatory inquiries, and they have a hard-earned reputation for crafting successful litigation strategies.”

This team of attorneys primarily devotes their practice to litigation and investigative work in the areas of white collar criminal defense, regulatory matters (including securities enforcement), and complex civil litigation. Often, their matters involve parallel proceedings simultaneously implicating more than one of these practice areas. Collectively, the attorneys have decades of experience trying matters in a wide range of forums and locations, including criminal and civil cases before juries in federal and state courts across the country, regulatory cases before administrative law judges and agency hearing panels, and arbitrations before a variety of tribunals. The group also has substantial appellate experience.

“We are very proud of the practice we have built, and we are excited to begin this new chapter,” noted David. “Blank Rome’s litigation team is a powerhouse. We look forward to working with our new colleagues in New York and across the firm to help our clients as they navigate criminal and regulatory investigations, complex civil litigation, Congressional inquiries, and more. Blank Rome’s vast platform, geographic reach, and broad range of service capabilities provide us with optimal resources to serve our clients and support their litigation and business needs.”

Linda, David, Chris, and their team represent clients across many industries, including financial services, technology, higher education, medical services, real estate development, and pharmaceuticals.

Their wide-ranging experience includes matters with international elements, including litigation and government investigations in foreign countries with implications in the United States; litigation and government investigations in the United States involving clients, witnesses, and evidence located in foreign countries; and court proceedings in the United States to obtain evidence for use in foreign proceedings. They have helped clients who live abroad avoid criminal or regulatory charges in the United States; they have also counseled clients facing extradition.

Linda added, “We have been extremely impressed by the members of Blank Rome’s White Collar Defense & Investigations group, who plainly share our values and hold themselves to the highest standards. More broadly, the firm has an esteemed litigation bench and an exceptional finance industry team, and we are excited to bring our capabilities together. We look forward to supporting our clients from the Blank Rome platform and contributing to the continued growth and success of the White Collar Defense & Investigations group.”

The group’s arrival continues the strategic expansion of Blank Rome’s nationally recognized litigation department. For example, in 2023, the department welcomed two groups of attorneys, including a group of nine litigators in New York and an international trade group in Washington, D.C., as well as several prominent partners across the country, including Barrett R. Howell, a partner in the White Collar Defense and Investigations group in the firm’s recently opened Dallas office.