(CHICAGO) Katten announced today that Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Stetler has rejoined its White Collar and Internal Investigations practice as a partner in Chicago, further elevating the firm's widely recognized national practice where many of its partners once were federal prosecutors, giving them the skills and credibility to effectively guide companies and individuals through every phase of a criminal case.
"Chris has a stellar reputation as an investigator and trial attorney. His skill set fits well with our team's top-tier white collar defense, internal investigation, and compliance practice," said Katten partner Scott Resnik, chair of the firm's White Collar and Internal Investigations department, which boasts a strong track record defending clients facing allegations in federal, state and regulatory settings.
"His extensive experience, which includes clerking for a federal judge and prosecuting high-profile federal criminal cases, gives Chris a unique perspective on how judges and the government make decisions, particularly when it comes to pursuing charges and resolving cases, a valuable asset for our clients."
Stetler most recently served as Deputy Chief of the US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois, supervising a team of prosecutors in the General Crimes Section and working with federal agents in high-profile investigations.
Stetler spent more than a decade as an Assistant US Attorney, working alongside noted US Attorneys Patrick Fitzgerald, Zach Fardon and John R. Lausch Jr. in the handling of highly sensitive and widely publicized prosecutions involving public corruption throughout Illinois.
He has tried cases involving bank fraud, bribery, tax fraud, theft of trade secrets, and wire fraud.
As lead prosecutor, Stetler secured the convictions of well-known government officials, including:
- Former Illinois State Senator Martin Sandoval, who pleaded guilty to bribery and tax offenses.
- Former Cook County Commissioner Joseph Mario Moreno, who pleaded guilty to engaging in a series of public and personal corruption schemes.
- Former Illinois State Representative Luis Arroyo, who pleaded guilty to bribery.
- Former Illinois State Senator Terrance Link, who pleaded guilty to a tax offense.
- Former McCook Mayor Jeffrey Tobolski, who pleaded guilty to extortion conspiracy and tax charges.
"Chris has repeatedly proven his considerable skills, having prosecuted powerful political figures in Illinois and persuading many others to cooperate with federal investigations," said Chicago managing partner Gil Soffer, a former federal prosecutor and senior Department of Justice (DOJ) official. "Chris is an elite attorney of the highest integrity, and we are glad to have him back."
Prior to joining the US Attorney's Office in 2010, Stetler served as a law clerk for Judge Amy St. Eve, when she was seated on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Before that clerkship, he was an associate at Katten for five years, working on matters involving internal investigations, white-collar criminal defense and complex commercial litigation.
Stetler is the latest in a line of noteworthy partners to join Katten's Chicago White Collar practice. He follows Daniel Collins, a former national co-chair of litigation at Faegre Drinker with a storied 10-year career as a federal prosecutor; and his partner at Faegre, Levi Giovanetto. Collins and Giovanetto joined Katten over the summer.
Chicago
