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Mythili Raman is co-chair of Covington’s White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Group, and a leading practitioner in the areas of white collar defense and government investigations. She joined Covington after serving for 18 years at the Department of Justice in high-level leadership roles across several Administrations, including as the head of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Ms. Raman has been widely recognized for her expertise in white collar defense work, including being recognized as a “White Collar Crime Trailblazer” by The National Law Journal, which noted that “[o]ver her years at both the Justice Department and now as a partner in Covington & Burling’s white collar practice, Raman has developed a deep expertise in and passion for conducting complex investigations and making difficult decisions on thorny questions of law.” Additionally, Chambers described Ms. Raman as "smart and hard-working,” adding that “she knows what prosecutors are doing and is able to anticipate their moves to create a strong strategy."
As Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division from 2013-2014, and before then, as the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division from 2009-2013, Ms. Raman oversaw the work of more than 600 prosecutors and led the Justice Department’s national and international criminal law enforcement initiatives, including investigations of complex financial fraud and market manipulation; money laundering, Bank Secrecy Act violations, and financial sanctions violations; foreign and public corruption, including violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; health care fraud; intellectual property theft; and cybercrime. At the Criminal Division, Ms. Raman oversaw some of the largest global financial investigations conducted by the Justice Department, including of the alleged manipulation of foreign exchange rates and benchmark interest rates. She also oversaw some of the largest foreign bribery cases ever brought by the Justice Department. Ms. Raman has testified before both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives on a variety of criminal enforcement issues, including financial fraud enforcement, cybercrime, campaign finance enforcement, and the Bank Secrecy Act as applied to virtual currencies.
For her work as head of the Criminal Division, Ms. Raman received the Edmund J. Randolph Award in 2014 for outstanding service, the highest award that the Attorney General can bestow. Additionally, in 2014, after she left the Justice Department, Ms. Raman received the Henry E. Petersen Memorial Award, the highest award given by the Criminal Division of the Justice Department, for making lasting contributions to the Criminal Division and for leaving “an indelible mark” on the Department. In awarding that recognition to Ms. Raman, the Criminal Division said that “few within the Department have rivaled Ms. Raman's work ethic, analytical skills, and commitment to the mission.”
Ms. Raman began her 18-year career with the Justice Department in 1996. Ms. Raman first served as a federal prosecutor both in the Criminal Division and at the U.S. Attorney's Office in Maryland, where she did extensive trial and appellate work, trying more than 20 jury trials and arguing several appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Additionally, at the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, Ms. Raman held a variety of supervisory and leadership roles, including serving as the Appellate Chief and as the Chief of the Southern Division Branch Office. In 2006, Ms. Raman moved to the Justice Department's headquarters as Senior Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General. She later held a series of high-level leadership positions in the Criminal Division during the Bush and Obama administrations, including Acting Chief of Staff from 2008 to 2009, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Chief of Staff from 2009 to 2013, and Acting Assistant Attorney General from 2013 to 2014.
- Several representations of global financial institutions in connection with government and internal investigations of alleged international money laundering, foreign corruption, tax evasion, fraud, and related issues.
- Representation of a Special Committee of the Board of a global telecommunications company in connection with an internal, DOJ, and Europe-based investigation of foreign bribery issues, resulting in a declination by the DOJ and foreign law enforcement authorities.
- Lead coordinating counsel for a leading technology company across numerous criminal and civil regulatory investigations by DOJ, SEC, FTC, state AGs, and other regulators.
- Representation of an Asia-based technology solutions company in connection with a DOJ fraud investigation.
- Representation of one of South America's largest industrial conglomerates in connection with a multi-national foreign bribery investigation.
- Representation of global technology company in connection with sensitive internal corruption investigation.
- Pool counsel for several high-level executives of multi-national pharmaceutical company in connection with accounting and FCPA investigations by DOJ and SEC.
- Representation of a Europe-based luxury goods holding company in connection with a DOJ investigation involving alleged criminal importation violations, resulting in a civil resolution and the closing of the criminal investigation.
- Representation of the Audit Committee of a major non-profit company in connection with an internal investigation of foreign bribery, fraud and related issues.
- Representation of a public university in connection with an internal and DOJ fraud investigation, resulting in the closing of the criminal investigation.
- Representation of a Fortune 100 financial institution in connection with a DOJ fraud investigation of an employee.
- Representation of a major sports league in connection with an internal fraud investigation of an employee.
- Representation of the Special Committee of a global company in connection with a DOJ/SEC investigation involving alleged violations of securities, fraud, and related criminal laws.
- Representation of one of the country’s most profitable hedge funds in connection with an internal compliance review.
Memberships and Affiliations
- Barrister, Edward Bennett Williams Inn of Court
- Elected Member, The American Law Institute
- Invited Adviser, American Law Institute’s Project on Principles of the Law, Compliance, Enforcement, and Risk Management for Corporations, Nonprofits, and Other Organizations
Previous Experience
- Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice
- Acting Assistant Attorney General (2013-2014)
- Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Chief of Staff (2009-2013)
- Acting Chief of Staff (2008-2009)
- Trial Attorney (1996-1999)
- United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland
- Appellate Chief (2007-2008)
- Chief, Southern Division Branch Office (2003-2006)
- Deputy Chief, Southern Division Branch Office (2002-2003)
- Assistant United States Attorney (1999-2008)
- Office of the Deputy Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice
- Senior Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General (2006-2007)
Ethical Challenges Raised by the Conduct of Prosecutors, Defense Counsel, and Legal Commentators During High Profile Cases
March 8, 2019, American Bar Association's 33rd Annual National Institute on White Collar Crime, New Orleans, LA
Winter 2019, Covington Alert
It was business as usual for FCPA enforcement in 2018. The U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) collected a total of $1 billion from seventeen corporate defendants, including through their share of two high-value, multi-jurisdictional enforcement actions. DOJ also announced thirteen new FCPA prosecutions ...
The DOJ Corporate Enforcement Policy and Your Disclosure Calculus One Year In: Are Companies Benefitting?
November 29, 2018, 35th International Conference on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Washington, DC
Current Trends in White Collar Criminal Enforcement
August 3, 2018, 2018 American Bar Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL
Sarah Crowder Named to GIR's "Women in Investigations"
July 17, 2018
LONDON—Global Investigations Review has named Covington’s Sarah Crowder to the second edition of “Women in Investigations,” highlighting 100 female practitioners from across the globe. Nancy Kestenbaum and Mythili Raman were selected to the list’s first edition in 2015. The survey highlights a variety of women not previously recognized by the magazine—from ...
June 14, 2018, Covington Alert
This week has brought three significant developments in Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering (“BSA/AML”) regulation and legislation.
Department of Justice’s Inaugural Diversity and Leadership Forum
April 27, 2018, Washington, DC
March 28, 2018, Commercial Dispute Resolution
Commercial Dispute Resolution highlights the arrival of David Luttinger and Gerald Hodgkins at Covington. Commenting on Luttinger's addition, Mitchell Dolin says that the firm was “drawn to his superb national reputation as a trial lawyer in the coverage field and to his strengths as an individual and colleague.” According to David Kornblau, Hodgkins’ “broad ...
February 12, 2018
WASHINGTON—Gerald Hodgkins has joined Covington as a partner in the Securities Litigation and Enforcement and White Collar Defense and Investigations practices in Washington. Mr. Hodgkins most recently served as an Associate Director in the Enforcement Division of the Securities and Exchange Commission and has worked at the SEC’s Enforcement Division since ...
January 25, 2018, Covington Advisory
Our message this year is simple: FCPA enforcement is here to stay. Despite pre-election statements to the contrary, various senior officials in the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) have, over the past year, consistently reaffirmed DOJ’s and the SEC’s commitment to FCPA enforcement.
The Regulator Whisperers: Covington & Burling, Finalist for White Collar/Regulatory Litigation Department of the Year
January 2018, The American Lawyer
The American Lawyer named Covington a finalist for White Collar/Regulatory Litigation Department of the Year and highlights Eric Holder, Steven Fagell, Lanny Breuer, Nancy Kestenbaum, and Mythili Raman in its profile.
Another fine mess? How penalties are calculated
December 1, 2017, The Banker
Mythili Raman is quoted by The Banker in an article regarding how bank regulators calculate fines. Commenting on DOJ's starting point for calculating corporate crime fines, Raman says, "Even though the guidelines, on their face, set out a seemingly strict formula for calculating fines, the calculation of ‘profits’ and ‘losses’ is an extremely elastic exercise, ...
Developments and Emerging Challenges in Bank Litigation and Civil and Criminal Law Enforcement
November 8, 2017, The Clearing House Annual Conference, New York, NY
Obtaining Effective Internal Review of DOJ Charging Decisions
May 25, 2017, Forum on Corporate Enforcement, New Orleans, LA
Managing a Global Regulatory Investigation
March 20, 2017, SIFMA Compliance & Legal Society 2017 Annual Seminar, San Diego, CA
How Challenges Strengths Shape Careers: Mythili Raman
March 2017, Washington Lawyer
Mythili Raman was profiled by Washington Lawyer in its feature, “How Challenges & Strengths Shape Careers.” Reflecting both on her time at the Department of Justice and at Covington, Raman says, “Even as a young lawyer, it never occurred to me that my gender would be an impediment. For better or worse, I never thought about my gender as anything but what makes ...
Emerging Challenges in Bank Litigation and Civil and Criminal Law Enforcement
November 30, 2016, The Clearing House Annual Conference, New York, NY
Department of Justice’s FCPA Pilot Program for Self-Disclosure
September 23, 2016, Women, Influence and Power in Law Conference, Washington, DC
August 22, 2016
WASHINGTON—Global Investigations Review has named Covington’s FCPA practice among Washington’s “elite,” the highest tier in its “Washington DC’s FCPA Bar” survey. In its profile, GIR notes Covington’s “deep bench of high-level former prosecutors,” including former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder; the last two former heads of the Criminal Division at the ...
Defending High Risk Cases
May 13, 2016, South American Bar Association North America 2016 Convention, Houston, TX
Recent DOJ Enforcement Trends
April 7, 2016, Current Trends in Compliance and Enforcement, Philadelphia, PA
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: Recent Developments and New Trends
March 3, 2016, American Bar Association’s 30th Annual National Institute on White Collar Crime, San Diego, CA
Mythili Raman Elected to Membership in the ALI
January 26, 2016
WASHINGTON, DC - Covington partner Mythili Raman has been elected as a member of The American Law Institute, the leading independent law reform organization dedicated to producing scholarly work that clarifies, modernizes, and improves the law. Ms. Raman, a prominent criminal law practitioner, focuses her practice on white collar defense and government ...
Mythili Raman Named a “White Collar Crime Trailblazer”
December 17, 2015
WASHINGTON, DC, December 17, 2015 - The National Law Journal has named Covington partner Mythili Raman as one of its “White Collar Crime Trailblazers.” The list profiles 50 lawyers “who continue to make their mark in white collar criminal litigation.” Ms. Raman, a leading criminal law practitioner, focuses her practice on white collar defense and government ...
Global Anti-Corruption Legal Developments
November 19, 2015, Sixth Annual Conference, International Business Forum on Ethical Conduct for the Aerospace and Defence Industry, Boston, MA
Emerging Challenges in Bank Litigation and Civil and Criminal Law Enforcement
November 17, 2015, The Clearing House Annual Conference, New York, NY
Defining Corruption in Sport
November 3, 2015, Securing Sport 2015, New York, NY
Effective Ways to Make a Compliance Presentation to the DOJ and Other Regulators
October 29, 2015, Women, Influence and Power in Law, Washington, D.C.
Women in Investigations
April 1, 2015, GIR
Covington's Nancy Kestenbaum and Mythili Raman are featured in GIR's "Women in Investigations" special.
Handling a Global Regulatory Investigation
March 17, 2015, SIFMA Compliance & Legal Society 2015 Annual Seminar, Phoenix, AZ
Negotiating Settlements, Compliance Presentations in Corruption Cases
March 5, 2015, American Bar Association’s 29th Annual National Institute on White Collar Crime, New Orleans, LA
Emerging Challenges in Bank Litigation and Enforcement
November 20, 2014, The Clearing House Annual Conference, New York, NY
Congressional Investigations
November 13, 2014, Federal Bar Council, New York, NY
On the Record: Setting Your Case Up for Success on Appeal
November 7, 2014, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers 10th Annual White Collar Seminar, Washington, DC
October 9, 2014, Global Investigations Review
Strategies for navigating joint antitrust division and criminal division investigations
October 9, 2014, Global Competition Review
Thomas Barnett, Lanny Breuer, Deborah Garza, Mythili Raman and Phillip Warren have written this article on what potential subjects should keep in mind as they attempt to navigate joint investigations by DOJ’s Criminal and Antitrust Divisions: "In recent years, the US Department of Justice’s antitrust and criminal divisions have announced massive, joint ...
Government Investigations
September 18, 2014, Women, Influence & Power in Law Conference, Washington, DC
Covington’s Mythili Raman Named “Legal Champion”
September 12, 2014
WASHINGTON, DC, September 12, 2014 — The Washington Business Journal named Covington & Burling partner Mythili Raman a “Legal Champion.” The inaugural award series recognizes distinguished legal professionals from law firms, and general counsels from corporations and nonprofits in the Washington region. Ms. Raman, a former prosecutor, recently served as Acting ...
Keynote Address
July 24, 2014, DRI Government Enforcement and Corporate Compliance Conference, Washington, DC
The Rise of Domestic Bribery: Former Prosecutors Share Views on How Cases Are Built and Their Impact on Companies
June 25, 2014, American Conference Institute’s FCPA Boot Camp, Chicago, IL
DOJ’S MYTHILI RAMAN JOINS COVINGTON
April 30, 2014, Politico
Covington partner Mythili Raman is featured in the articles above regarding her recent move to the firm from the Department of Justice’s criminal division, where she was the acting assistant attorney general.
April 29, 2014
WASHINGTON, DC, April 29, 2014 — Mythili Raman, most recently Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division at the U.S. Department of Justice, is joining Covington & Burling as a partner. Ms. Raman will practice in the firm’s litigation and white collar groups and be resident in the Washington office. Ms. Raman joined the Justice Department in ...
April 29, 2014, The Washington Post
Former DoJ criminal chief Raman heads to Covington
April 29, 2014, Global Investigations Review
Key Justice Dept Official Is Latest to Join Law Firm
April 28, 2014, The New York Times
April 28, 2014, The Wall Street Journal
Former Head of DOJ Criminal Division Joins Covington
April 28, 2014, The National Law Journal
Keynote Session
April 8, 2014, American Leaders Anti-Corruption Compliance in Practice, Washington, DC
Individual Liability: Appropriate Form, Scope, and Reach
April 4, 2014, Conference on Deterring Corporate Crime: Effective Principles for Corporate Enforcement, New York, NY
Keynote Address
March 20, 2014, Global Anti-Corruption Congress, Washington, DC
Privacy in the Digital Age: Preventing Data Breaches and Combating Cybercrime
February 4, 2014, Testimony before the Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. Senate
Keynote Address
January 28, 2014, The State of the Net Conference, Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee, Washington, DC
Beyond Silk Road: Potential Risks, Threats and Promises of Virtual Currencies
November 18, 2013, Testimony before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate
The Year in Review
October 24, 2013, American Bar Association’s National Institute on Securities Fraud, New Orleans, LA
Keynote Address
August 8, 2013, Current Challenges and Strategies in the Fight Against Transnational Crime, National Association of Attorneys General 3rd International Association of Prosecutors North American and Caribbean Regional Conference, Providence, RI
Keynote Address
June 18, 2013, Global Anti-Corruption Congress, Washington, DC
Who Is Too Big to Fail: Are Large Financial Institutions Immune from Federal Prosecution?
May 22, 2013, Testimony before the Committee on Financial Services, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, U.S. House of Representatives
Keynote Address
May 13, 2013, Corporate Crime in the Age of Deferred Prosecutions, Consent Decrees, Whistleblowers and Monitors, Corporate Crime Reporter Conference, National Press Club, Washington, DC
Current Issues in Campaign Finance Law Enforcement
April 9, 2013, Testimony before the Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, U.S. Senate
Federal Drug Sentencing Policy
April 2, 2013, University of Baltimore Law School, Baltimore, MD
Search and Seizure in the 21st Century: Developments in the 50 Years Since Mapp v. Ohio
August 17, 2011, Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, Carlsbad, CA
Brady and the Failure to Disclose Exculpatory Evidence
February 26, 2010, American Bar Association’s 24th Annual National Institute on White Collar Crime, Miami, FL
- Recipient of Edmund J. Randolph Award, the U.S. Department of Justice’s highest award (2014)
- Recipient of Henry E. Petersen Memorial Award, the highest award given by the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (2014)
- National Law Journal, White Collar Crime Trailblazer (2015)
- Chambers USA, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (2018)
- Legal 500, White Collar Criminal Defense (2017, 2016, 2015), Antitrust (2017, 2015), Antitrust - Cartel (2017), Litigation - International Trade (2015)
- Global Investigations Review, Women in Investigations (2015)
- Honoree, Harvard Law School International Women's Day (2016)
- Washington DC Super Lawyers, Criminal Defense: White Collar (2018, 2017, 2016, 2015)
- Washingtonian, Criminal Defense "Top Lawyer" (2018)
- Washington Business Journal, Legal Champion (2014)
- Ethisphere Magazine, Attorneys Who Matter (“Government Star”) (2013)
- Recipient of numerous awards for her work at the Department of Justice, including the Director’s Award, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association Award, and the Special Award of Honor from the International Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association
White Collar Defense and Investigations Toolkit
Practical guidance for in-house counsel and others on internal and government investigations, whistleblowers, trends, and more.
Education
The University of Chicago Law School, J.D., 1994
- with honors
- D. Francis Bustin Prize for excellent paper that makes a contribution to the improvement of government
- Casper Platt Award for excellence in writing
Yale University, B.A., 1991
- summa cum laude
- President’s Award for community service
- Herbert and Jean Cahoon Prize for community service