About Gil M. Soffer

Gil Soffer, managing partner of Katten's Chicago office, has made his mark on both sides of white-collar actions. As a former federal prosecutor and senior Department of Justice (DOJ) official, he thoroughly understands the government's enforcement strategies and tactics. As an experienced white-collar defense lawyer and national co-chair of the firm's litigation practice, he devotes his practice to keeping clients out of trouble and navigating them safely through government investigations and enforcement actions.

The power of prevention

Gil believes that the best strategy is prevention. He focuses on identifying risks and addressing them before the government does. He helps clients draw up compliance plans and codes of corporate conduct that are sensible and as business-friendly as possible within the bounds of the law. And where a government investigation has already begun, Gil devises ways to guide his clients — including corporations, their board members, their executives and employees — out of harm's way.

His rare mix of experience gives Gil valuable insights into the government's enforcement strategies regarding corporate fraud. When he worked at DOJ, he managed the President's Corporate Fraud Task Force and was a key drafter of DOJ policies governing the charging of corporations and corporate monitorships. In private practice, Gil has served as independent corporate compliance monitor for a major international pharmaceutical company — a role few attorneys have performed — in one of the most substantial FCPA resolutions to date. And in the past three years alone, Gil has served as counsel to three public company boards or their special committees, investigating shareholder allegations of misconduct and reporting his findings to the board.

Gil defends executives and other individuals no less than corporations. Among other victories, he has convinced the DOJ to drop its case against the CEO of an international entertainment company, and persuaded the Securities and Exchange Commission to decline charges against top executives of a mortgage banking firm.

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Practice Focus

  • Civil and criminal white-collar investigations and defense
  • Corporate compliance
  • Corporate monitorships
  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) compliance and investigations
  • Securities fraud
  • Health care fraud

Representative Experience

  • Independent FCPA compliance monitor for one of the world's largest manufacturers of generic pharmaceuticals.
  • Represent special committee of the board of a niche generic pharmaceutical company which is conducting an investigation into allegations made by certain shareholders. Charges included that certain officers and directors breached their fiduciary duties to the company by failing to maintain adequate internal controls over financial reporting and engaging in insider trading.
  • Lead counsel in multiple internal inquiries for an international manufacturing company. The investigations, which took place throughout Europe, involved potential kickback arrangements, Customs fraud and antitrust violations.
  • Defended international bank against a suit by the CFTC alleging wash trading and other market manipulation.
  • Represent for-profit education company in investigations by the FTC, California Attorney General and Department of Education.
  • Represent in-house attorney in grand jury investigation of American manufacturer for FCPA violations in India.
  • Represent Luxembourg-based investment firm in civil suit alleging fraud, civil conspiracy and tortious interference with contract.
  • Represent hospitals and hospital networks in self disclosures to USAOs in Baltimore and Chicago concerning Medicare and Medicaid fraud.
  • Defend automobile executive in grand jury investigation of price fixing in the Japanese automotive industry.
  • Represented Wall Street bank in multiparty civil antitrust conspiracy case relating to the credit default swap market.
  • Represent four senior employees of a major airline in a False Claims Act investigation involving the airline industry conducted by the Department of Justice.

News

Publications

Presentations and Events

Practices
Industries
Education
  • Harvard Law School, JD, cum laude
  • Brown University, AB, magna cum laude
Bar Admissions
  • Illinois
  • California
Community Involvements
  • American Bar Association
Recognitions
Recognized or listed in the following:
  • Best Lawyers in America
    Criminal Defense: White-Collar, 2018–2021
  • Chambers USA
    Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations, 2012–2021
  • Super Lawyers
    Illinois, 2005, 2008, 2012–2014, 2016–2021
  • The Legal 500 United States
    Recommended Attorney, 2016–2021
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