Cohen Seglias Welcomes DC Partners Shanlon Wu and Julie Grohovsky, Announces White Collar Defense & Government Investigations Practice
WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 1, 2020 – Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC is pleased to announce that Shanlon Wu and Julie Grohovsky have joined the firm as partners in the Washington, D.C. office. Wu will lead Cohen Seglias’ new White Collar Defense & Government Investigations Group, which will also include Grohovsky, along with former state prosecutors Christopher Carusone and Brionna Denby, as well as the new Student Defense Group. Grohovsky will lead the firm’s new False Claims Act & Whistleblower Group, which will also include Wu. The new partners were previously at their own firm, Wu Grohovsky PLLC.
Wu is a former federal prosecutor experienced in handling high-profile white collar criminal matters, student defense, and legal issues facing higher education institutions. Drawing on his experience in conducting criminal investigations and trying such cases, Wu has represented clients such as former Trump aide/political consultant Rick Gates in the Robert Mueller investigation of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. His white collar practice involves advising individuals and companies facing investigations and prosecutions for federal and local criminal violations including health care fraud, defrauding the government, conflicts of interest, and allegations of bribery.
Wu counsels higher education institutions on investigations and policies, as well as the new Title IX regulations that go into effect in August 2020. With his significant background representing college and university students facing potential disciplinary proceedings or criminal investigations brought by institutions, Wu offers a unique perspective on the university hearing process, and the implementation of the new regulations, including the requirement for cross-examination.
Wu also pioneered the practice area of college student defense, which has grown to encompass defending college, graduate school and high school students in the face of potential disciplinary charges arising from academic misconduct, Title IX allegations and other student conduct code violations. He leads the firm’s new Student Defense Group, which regularly defends students in disciplinary proceedings for academic violations including online cheating during remote exams, plagiarism, alcohol and drug violations, hazing and assault, as well as Title IX matters.
Wu served as counsel to Attorney General Janet Reno, advising her on criminal and civil investigations, e-commerce issues, congressional oversight, and legislative review, and liaised with the FBI, DEA (Criminal Division), National Institute of Justice, and the White House Counsel’s office. As an Assistant United States Attorney, he served as a supervisor in the District of Columbia United States Attorney’s Office, led a Police Corruption Task Force, and served as a senior supervisor on an Independent Counsel investigation regarding a Cabinet official. Wu is a legal analyst on CNN, regularly appearing to discuss notable developments on a wide variety of legal issues.
Grohovsky represents crime victims in criminal, civil, and Title IX proceedings, as well as whistleblowers who bring cases under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act (FCA) or other laws with whistleblower provisions. She leads the firm’s new False Claims Act and Whistleblower Group. Grohovsky advises individuals, particularly government workers, in investigations conducted by Inspector Generals’ Offices and the Department of Justice Office of Professional Responsibility. In addition, Grohovsky regularly represents individuals and businesses involved in white collar criminal investigations and students facing criminal and disciplinary proceedings.
Grohovsky previously served as an Attorney Advisor in the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Justice, where she investigated allegations of fraud, waste, and abuse within the Department. She also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia, during which time she also held the role of Director of Training and was responsible for training all of the lawyers and support staff in the largest U.S. Attorney’s Office in the country.
