White-Collar Attorneys See Acute Changes Under Trump Administration

Steven Fagell’s commentary was included in an ABA Journal article on President Trump’s reorganization of the U.S. Department of Justice and what the implications could be for white-collar enforcement. “In the early months of the Trump administration, the Justice Department has been in a period of reorganization, reallocation of resources, and resetting of priorities,” Steven says. “So far, white-collar enforcement has not featured prominently in that reset.”

Steven also notes that it often takes time for the white-collar enforcement program to “get its sea legs” in each administration. Senior leaders who bring the most significant corporate cases need to assume their positions, and once that happens, they often shift and refocus resources. “I expect that once all the key players are in their roles and resources have been shuffled according to the new priorities, the Trump administration will put its own unique stamp on corporate white-collar enforcement,” Steven says.