Blank Rome Adds William “Bill” E. Lawler to Practice
Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that William “Bill” E. Lawler has joined the Firm’s Washington, D.C., office as a Partner in the White Collar Defense & Investigations group. Lawler joins from Vinson & Elkins LLP where he was co-head of the firm’s government investigations and white collar practice group. Prior to his tenure at Vinson & Elkins, he served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia (1989–1996).
Lawler represents corporations, organizations, government entities, and individuals in high-stakes, high-profile matters in federal and state courts and before regulatory agencies and Congress. He brings extensive experience counseling clients on various types of government enforcement actions—enduring numerous administrations in the United States and abroad—on matters involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”), criminal antitrust, healthcare fraud, government and public corruption, campaign finance, and other white collar crime issues.
Lawler’s comprehensive and geographically diverse experience gives him insight into the nuances and developments in international enforcement approaches and actions. Throughout his career, Lawler has tried more than 70 jury cases to verdict, has argued 15 appellate cases, and has conducted hundreds of grand jury and motions proceedings across 37 U.S. states and more than 30 countries.
He is active in the legal community, serving as a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel’s White Collar Committee and previously serving on the board of directors of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia where he formerly served as president and as chair of the Young Lawyers Section. Additionally, he has been repeatedly recognized by Chambers USA for his white collar defense and FCPA practices.
Lawler was previously a leading member of the Catholic Charities Legal Network, and in keeping with Blank Rome’s dedication to pro bono work, plans to continue his commitment to providing pro bono counsel at the Firm. He earned his J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown Law, and his B.A. in English and Government, cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame.
