Paul J. Nathanson
Focuses on internal investigations, criminal and regulatory enforcement matters, and congressional investigations. Experienced trial lawyer.
Paul focuses on internal investigations, criminal and regulatory enforcement matters, and congressional investigations. He has significant criminal trial experience and is also an experienced civil litigator, particularly in matters involving statutory and regulatory interpretation.
Paul previously served as Deputy Chief of the Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, where he investigated and prosecuted complex white-collar criminal cases including securities, bank and healthcare fraud, and public corruption offenses. His prosecutorial achievements include a conviction at trial of an individual described by the Wall Street Journal as the most senior executive convicted of conduct related to the 2008 financial crisis.
He earlier served as a senior advisor at the U.S. Treasury Department, and was a law clerk to Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Experience highlights
Government investigations
- A former Fiat Chrysler engineer in a criminal emissions case, resulting in a sentence of time served
- A former precious metals trader at a global financial institution charged by the DOJ and CFTC with market manipulation and “spoofing,” resulting in a sentence of time served
- A foreign financial institution and U.S. issuer in connection with an SEC investigation regarding accounting fraud, resulting in closure of the investigation with no enforcement action
- A global financial institution in connection with an FCPA investigation by the SEC and Federal Reserve into hiring practices in Asia, resulting in closure of the investigation with no action
- A major financial institution in connection with a global resolution of sanctions issues with the DOJ, OFAC, and other state and federal agencies
- Numerous clients in resolutions of False Claims Act matters, including a major oil and gas company, a data analytics company and a financial institution
- Numerous clients in criminal antitrust investigations related to alleged bid rigging, price-fixing and no poach conduct
Congressional matters
- A State Department employee in testimony before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in connection with the presidential impeachment inquiry
- A senior executive in testimony before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce related to the infant formula shortage
- A former acting CIA director before the House Judiciary Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence relating to the 2020 election
- Multiple clients before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce related to the investigation of antisemitism on college campuses
Civil litigation
- A global technology company in litigation with the FTC regarding statutory and constitutional issues
- A Paycheck Protection Program lender in a CARES Act matter of first impression, resulting in a favorable ruling before the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation and a dismissal by the district court on the merits
- ExxonMobil in its successful lawsuit against OFAC and the U.S. Treasury Department challenging a finding of violation and assessment of penalty under the Ukraine-related sanctions regulations
Insights
News
Credentials
Recognition
Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service, 2013
Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service, 2011
Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency’s Investigations Award for Excellence, 2011
FBI Washington Field Office Outstanding Service Award, multiple years
Education
- magna cum laude
- Editor, Harvard Law Review
- summa cum laude
Clerkships
Professional history
- Davis Polk since 2016
- Deputy Chief, Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Unit, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, 2014-2016
- Assistant U.S. Attorney, Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Unit, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, 2010-2016
- Auto Task Force and Senior Advisor to the General Counsel, U.S. Department of the Treasury, 2009
- Associate, Baker Botts, 2007-2009
- Associate, Quadrangle Group, 2000-2001
- Analyst, Lazard Frères, 1998-2000
Qualifications and admissions
- District of Columbia
- State of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Colorado
- U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court, E.D. Michigan
- U.S. District Court, N.D. Illinois
- U.S. District Court, N.D. Ohio