DOJ Veteran Mark Grider Joins Brown Rudnick as Partner and Head of Crisis Management Litigation Response Team

Brown Rudnick announced today that Mark Grider has joined its Washington, D.C., office as a partner in the White Collar Defense, Investigations & Compliance practice and head of Brown Rudnick’s Crisis Management Litigation Government Response team. He will focus on representing clients in False Claims Act cases, consumer fraud litigation, crisis management litigation and federal criminal investigations, as well as advising them on corporate compliance matters.

Grider brings to the Firm extensive experience in criminal and regulatory enforcement after serving nearly 20 years in the federal government, including as a senior advisor in the White House and as a deputy assistant attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). After his tenure as a federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia, where he tried cases, Grider became a senior counsel to the deputy attorney general, served as the DOJ special counsel on health care and co-chaired the DOJ’s Health Care Fraud Task Force. He also advised on operational and policy issues involving computer crime, intellectual property, computer forensic matters, among other areas.

Grider served in the Office of White House Counsel as senior associate counsel and special assistant to the president. In that role, he advised senior administration officials on broad oversight and regulatory matters involving the White House, the Department of Health and Human Services, and federal agencies contributing special expertise on health care regulatory and litigation matters and science and technology oversight and policy issues.

“We’re very excited to welcome Mark to Brown Rudnick. His arrival enhances our already highly regarded White Collar Defense, Investigations & Compliance group, further expanding our federal government investigations capabilities,” said Steve Best, a former federal prosecutor and chair of Brown Rudnick’s White Collar Defense, Investigations & Compliance practice.

“It comes in response to client demand and the increasing number of investigations in traditionally regulated industries as well as disruptive technology companies,” Best added. “His deep experience in both the legislative and executive branches, as well as his strong relationships with key players in Washington, will be critically important to our clients.”

In his most recent government role, Grider served as the DOJ’s deputy assistant attorney general, overseeing criminal matters relating to the Antitrust, Civil, Tax, and Environment and Natural Resources Divisions, as well as the Consumer Protection Branch. Prior to joining Brown Rudnick, Grider was a partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, where he led its Crisis Management and Congressional Investigations practice.

Grider is the second lateral partner to join Brown Rudnick’s White Collar Defense, Investigations & Compliance group in 2022, signifying the Firm’s strategic investment in this core practice. Jeff Cottle, who arrived on Jan. 24, serves a global client base in London and Washington, D.C.

“Mark brings an impressive background and an inside perspective that will prove very valuable to our clients,” said Sunni Beville, managing director of Brown Rudnick’s Dispute Resolution & Restructuring Department. “He has excellent legal credentials, but more than that, he can translate policy into practical guidance for our clients in regulated industries. Mark makes a great addition to our growing and talented team.

As head of the Crisis Management Litigation Government Response team, Grider will counsel companies and individuals on strategic growth opportunities, as well as guide them through sensitive legal and business scenarios to proactively manage and avert crises, minimize legal exposure, and manage reputation. He will also focus on engaging in diversity, inclusion and equity efforts at Brown Rudnick, which has achieved Mansfield Certification two years in a row. The Mansfield Rule program is designed to increase diversity in law firm lateral hiring, partner promotions, marketing, and firm governance.

“I look forward to working with the Firm’s outstanding white collar and litigation teams, which are known for crafting comprehensive solutions for clients facing the most challenging problems,” Grider said. “Brown Rudnick is a true full-service platform that has established itself as a force in this space and beyond, and I am happy to bring my own knowledge and capabilities to this team.”

Grider received his J.D. from the University of Missouri School of Law and his B.A., magna cum laude, from Truman State University. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.