White Collar Investigations: Complex Legal Issues

This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the complex issues faced by parties to fraud investigations. The course will cover the building blocks of a fraud investigation -- with an exploration of the structure of the Department of Justice and relevant civil agencies as well as key modes of collecting evidence and charging -- and delve into the current legal issues facing white-collar prosecutors and defense attorneys. While the course will provide students a basic understanding of white-collar cases, students will be focused on the complex and ever-changing case law impacting white-collar attorneys for both the prosecution and defense. In addition to reviewing Department of Justice policy, statutes, and key rules and regulations, students will examine case law, with an emphasis on recent major cases and investigations. The course will give students a soup-to-nuts approach to white-collar investigation and litigation: by the end of the course, students will understand how complex white-collar cases are investigated, charged, litigated, and resolved, and how to analyze the legal issues facing attorneys in the field of white-collar investigations. Grading: The grade for the course will be based on attendance, class preparation, and a take home exam at the end of the semester. OFFERING PATTERN: This class not offered every year. Students are advised to take this into account when planning their long-term schedule.