Covington & Burling LLP | Biographies

Jean Veta is a partner whose litigation and regulatory practice focuses on civil and regulatory enforcement matters, government investigations, internal corporate investigations, and congressional investigations, primarily on behalf of financial institutions and their officers and directors. Ms. Veta has served as chair of the firm's Financial Institutions practice group and is recognized by Chambers USA as a leader in the field of Financial Services Enforcement and Investigations and in Best Lawyers in America for banking law. She was a finalist for Regulatory Lawyer of the Year at the 2012 Chambers USA Women in Law awards. Ms. Veta is also listed as one of Washington's Super Lawyers in white collar criminal defense, and is recommended by The Legal 500 US for SEC investigations and financial services regulatory enforcement actions. Her practice includes the representation of clients on a broad array of regulatory enforcement matters, including anti-money laundering, lending discrimination, safety and soundness, and other government investigations. Prior to rejoining Covington in 2001, Ms. Veta was Deputy Associate Attorney General at the United States Department of Justice, where she was responsible for a wide range of legal and policy issues.

Representative Matters

Representing the former CEO of IndyMac Bancorp in matters arising out of the failure of IndyMac Bank, including in an SEC lawsuit and other governmental inquiries, purported securities class action lawsuits, mortgage-backed securities cases, and purported ERISA class action lawsuits.
Representing the independent consultant, Treliant Risk Advisors LLC, in conducting a required independent review of a financial firm’s mortgage foreclosure practices.
Representing former directors and officers of three affiliated failed banks in successfully resolving claims asserted by the FDIC as receiver for the banks.
Representing Representing Wells Fargo in connection with a Federal Reserve Board investigation and consent order with respect to alleged falsification of customer income and customer steering by Wells Fargo Financial sales personnel in the origination of consumer mortgage loans.
Representing Freddie Mac in connection with establishment of Federal government conservatorship.
Representing financial institutions and their officers and directors in defending against proposed and/or actual civil money penalties, prohibition orders, consent orders, and formal agreements concerning such issues as alleged call report violations, violations of fiduciary duties, consumer compliance issues, brokered deposit issues, loan loss reserves, and other safety and soundness issues.
Representing financial institutions in enforcement inquiries regarding lending discrimination issues brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and the federal bank regulators.
Representing financial institutions on anti-money laundering inquiries involving the U.S. Departments of Justice and Treasury (FinCEN) and the federal bank regulators.
Representing financial institutions in conducting internal investigations on compliance with safety and soundness issues, internal controls, and domestic and foreign anti-money laundering laws.
Representing a major bank in conducting an independent investigation requested by the bank’s federal regulator regarding potential criminal violations.
Representing the former Sterling Financial Corporation (now a part of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.) in consolidated securities class action litigation, as well as inquiries by the SEC and the U.S. Attorney's Office, concerning a massive fraud at a Sterling subsidiary that resulted in the restatement of Sterling's financial statements.
Representing Freddie Mac in SEC and OFHEO government inquiries and civil litigation related to its $5 billion restatement of earnings.
Representing a client in inquiries by the Federal Trade Commission and various state attorneys general regarding one of the five largest data security breaches reported in the world in 2007.
Representing a financial institution in a False Claims Act investigation by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

More Representative Matters

Previous Experience

Deputy Associate Attorney General, United States Department of Justice (2000-2001)
Deputy General Counsel, United States Department of Education (1998-2000)

Honors and Rankings

Recognized By Chambers USA as a finalist for "Regulatory Lawyer of the Year" at the 2012 Chambers USA Women in Law awards.
Recognized by Chambers USA as a leader in the field of Financial Services/Regulatory Enforcement and Investigations (2006-2011).
Recognized in Best Lawyers in America for Banking and Finance Law (2008-2012); Financial Services Regulation Law (2012); and Litigation - Banking & Finance (2012).
Recognized by the Washingtonian as a "Best Lawyer" in the field of Financial Services (2009, 2011).
Recognized by Washington, DC Super Lawyers as one of the top lawyers in white collar criminal defense (2007, 2010-2012).
Recognized by The Legal 500 US as a leader in the field of SEC investigations and enforcement actions (2007, 2010) and financial services regulatory enforcement actions (2011).

Pro Bono

Representing civil rights organizations, an interfaith group of clergy, and four same-sex couples in successfully opposing, as amicus curiae, a Washington DC ballot initiative, which sought to rescind DC’s recently enacted legislation recognizing same-sex marriages.
Representing several social scientists in submitting a “friend of the court” brief in support of soldiers challenging the legality of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

Memberships and Affiliations

American Bar Association Section of Litigation, Co-Chair of the Section’s Annual Conference; held various other positions in the Section’s leadership over a number of years.
Tulane Law School, Dean’s Advisory Board (2006-present)
Tulane Law Review, Board of Advisory Editors (1992-present)