Joseph represents financial institutions, major corporations, government contractors, and individuals in civil and criminal regulatory matters.

He has represented clients in investigations led by the Department of Justice, SEC, CFTC, FINRA, NYSE, and several multilateral development banks concerning potential violations of the FCPA, securities law, and antitrust law, and through debarment proceedings. Joseph also advises major corporations on how to structure their compliance and legal departments to better anticipate and respond to such inquiries.

Joseph’s practice also includes representing clients in the energy, government contracting, and financial sectors in all stages of complex commercial litigation in both state and federal court. Several of these representations include cross-border issues.

Joseph recently completed a secondment in the litigation and investigations group of a global financial institution. Prior to joining A&O Shearman, Joseph worked at another global law firm. Before starting law school, he served as the lead paralegal on the Residential Mortgage Backed Securities Task Force in the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.

Experience

Representative matters

Regulatory Matters
  • DOD officials and government contractors in multiple investigations by a U.S. Attorney’s Office and Inspectors General involving kickbacks and false claims.
  • Financial institution in criminal proceeding brought by the DOJ Fraud Section in the US District Court for the District of Maryland.
  • Global energy company in an investigation by the SEC of a whistleblower’s allegations of FCPA violations in Asia.
  • Financial institution executives in investigations by the SEC for insider trading and related securities law violations.
  • US financial institutions in investigations by the SEC concerning SPACs.
  • US financial institution in an investigation by the CFTC concerning off-channel communications.
  • Multiple financial institution employees in investigations by FINRA concerning compliance with regulations on customer correspondence.
Internal Investigations & Advisory Work
  • US financial institution for identification of process and personnel risk in commercial loan space.
  • Global energy company for risk of sanctions violations in Europe and Asia.
  • Advised global energy company on structure and best practices to implement in litigation and investigations department.
  • Advised US insurer on structure of compliance department and best practices to abide by anti-bribery statutes [prior firm].
Civil Litigation
  • Global energy company in disputes concerning interpretation of royalty contracts in Pennsylvania state court, the US District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
  • Defense contractors and shipbuilders in antitrust class action alleging “no poach” agreements in the the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
  • US midstream energy firm in dispute over natural gas contracts in the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas.
  • Multiple US financial institutions and investment banks as third parties in securities actions filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York and Delaware Chancery Court.

Qualifications

Admissions

Attorney-at-law, Virginia, 2017

Attorney-at-law, District of Columbia, 2018

Academic

JD, Yale Law School, 2017

BA, Political Science, cum laude, Williams College, 2012

Languages


Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.