Michael Gilbert represents companies and senior executives in high-stakes government investigations and criminal matters.
A former assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York, Mike brings deep experience and honed judgment to sensitive enforcement proceedings involving the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulators. Clients turn to him for strategic guidance at critical stages of investigations where reputational, financial and personal exposure are significant. At home in the courtroom, Mike’s greatest successes have involved keeping his client out of court and out of the headlines. He has convinced the SEC not to proceed with several significant matters even after the SEC issued Wells notices.
Mike advises institutions and individuals. He conducts internal investigations, manages interactions with prosecutors and regulators and helps clients assess and mitigate enforcement risk before charges are filed. He has represented clients in the highest-profile government investigations, including many matters in the financial services sector. He regularly represents senior executives, portfolio managers and compliance officers in investigations involving hedge funds, investment banks and asset managers. Many of these matters involve cross-border components and parallel inquiries in multiple jurisdictions. His clients include individuals and companies in a broad range of industries, including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, life sciences and defense contractors.
Mike has served as pool counsel in coordinated defense matters, including the SEC’s off-channel communications sweep enforcement initiative. He works cooperatively with company counsel in such matters.
Mike has extensive experience with sanctions and export control investigations, anti-money laundering and Bank Secrecy Act issues, criminal tax investigations and allegations of money laundering or unlawful structuring. He has secured dismissals of federal criminal charges in tax and financial fraud cases. Investors seek his counsel in conducting due diligence to determine if potential transactions involve unacceptable regulatory risk.
Mike also litigates civil cases, including False Claims Act and securities-related disputes, and represents clients in proceedings that run parallel to government investigations. His civil experience complements his enforcement practice and informs his strategic approach when regulatory scrutiny overlaps with private litigation.