Foley Hoag LLP announced that Adam Safwat, a former Deputy Chief of the Fraud Section at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), has joined the law firm. Safwat is a Partner in the White Collar Crime & Government Investigations practice, resident in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.

“Expanding our white collar litigation and investigations group is a key initiative for the firm,” said Managing Partner Jim Bucking. “Adam has over a decade of federal prosecution experience, complementing our existing practice depth in high-stakes enforcement matters and internal investigations.”

Safwat’s practice focuses on representing companies and individuals facing government investigations involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), U.S. economic sanctions laws, political corruption, the Foreign Agent Registration Act, securities laws, and financial fraud. Safwat’s clients include companies in the pharmaceutical, healthcare and energy industries. 

"As a trial lawyer with nearly 20 years of experience, Adam is an established leader in the white collar space and a welcome addition to our team," said Tony Mirenda, Partner and Co-Chair of the White Collar Crime & Government Investigations practice. "Adam's prior role with the DOJ and the range of his work in the private sector enhance our litigation and government investigations platform. We look forward to working with him."

Before joining private practice, Safwat served as a Deputy Chief of the Fraud Section of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. During his time at the DOJ, Safwat also served as a Trial Attorney, taking part in several complex securities fraud investigations in the financial services industry. Several of his prosecutions involved alleged accounting fraud relating to derivative instruments arising from the 2008 financial crisis, as well as corporate FCPA cases.

Previously, Safwat was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Most recently, he was a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Nelson Mullins. Safwat earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Laws and Juris Doctorate from Duke University School of Law.

“I could not think of a better place to practice than Foley Hoag, with its sophisticated client base and depth and breadth of its legal team,” said Safwat. “I look forward to furthering the growth of the firm’s White Collar practice in Washington, D.C. and to working with an excellent group of colleagues, who are not only terrific lawyers, but also terrific people.”

Foley Hoag's White Collar Crime & Government Investigations practice represents national and multi-national companies and their boards and executives.