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Margot Laporte advises global clients facing complex multi-jurisdictional regulatory, litigation, and reputational risk arising from enforcement matters. Her practice focuses on cross-border internal and regulatory investigations, white collar criminal defense, securities enforcement matters, and regulatory compliance, including with respect to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), anti-money laundering regulations, economic sanctions laws, insider trading, and accounting fraud. She has conducted investigations on behalf of clients in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Russia.

Ms. Laporte has represented global public companies, boards of directors, audit committees, financial institutions, hedge funds, and senior officers in enforcement matters before numerous U.S. and foreign regulators, including the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), as well as the French Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) and other foreign regulators.

Ms. Laporte also provides regular counseling to clients regarding transactional due diligence and compliance with anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, economic sanctions, and insider trading requirements.

Ms. Laporte is quoted frequently on timely topics relevant to her clients, including in The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Law360, Global Investigations Review, and Compliance Week.

Ms. Laporte is fluent in French and proficient in Spanish.

 

Representative Engagements
  • Retained as lead counsel by a multilateral development bank to conduct an independent investigation involving conduct in the United States and Latin America.
  • Represented the board of directors of a state-owned integrated oil, natural gas, and energy company in connection with regulatory investigations and civil litigation in the U.S. and Brazil arising out of Brazil's Operation Car Wash corruption investigation.
  • Represented a global hedge fund in an insider trading investigation and proceedings conducted by the French AMF.
  • Represented the audit committee of a public global asset manager in connection with an independent FCPA investigation, interaction with U.S. regulators, and evaluation of internal controls and compliance systems.
  • Obtained declinations from the DOJ and SEC on behalf of a Fortune 100 company in an investigation relating to alleged FCPA violations by the company's French subsidiary.
  • Represented the audit committee of a U.S.- and Canadian-listed public company in an independent investigation into revenue recognition and reserve accounting issues.
  • Obtained a declination from the SEC on behalf of the CFO of a business development company in an investigation relating to allegations of accounting fraud.
  • Represented five current and former executives of a diagnostics company, including the CEO and former CFO, in connection with an SEC investigation into the company's COVID-19 related disclosures.
  • Represented the CEO of a multinational technology company in an investigation by the DOJ and SEC relating to allegations of FCPA violations involving permitting processes in India. 
  • Represented a former senior executive of a U.S. public company in connection with an SEC investigation into the company's disclosures and accounting practices around earnings, revenue, product shipments, channel inventory, and distributor relationships.
  • Represented senior employees of a French bank in investigations by U.S. criminal authorities relating to allegations of FCPA and economic sanctions violations.
  • Advised a global biopharmaceutical company regarding FCPA compliance and third-party due diligence.
  • Developed and implemented an anti-corruption, economic sanctions, and anti-money laundering compliance program for a real estate investment firm operating in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. 
  • Obtained a declination from FINRA on behalf of a registered broker and investment adviser at a large wealth management and financial services firm in connection with allegations that the broker had engaged in insider trading relating to exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
Rankings and Recognition
  • Bloomberg Law: "Five Fresh Faces to Know in White Collar," 2022
  • Washington, DC Super Lawyers®: Rising Star, Criminal Defense: White Collar, 2019 - 2023
  • International Financial Law Review: Rising Star Awards Americas: White Collar Crime, 2020
  • DC Bar Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2019 - 2020
  • DC Bar Capital Pro Bono High Honor Roll, 2011 - 2012, 2016 - 2018
Affiliations
  • Founding Board Member, Cross-Border White Collar Crime Young Practitioners U.S./French/Swiss Initiative
  • North American Regional Forum Liaison Officer, Criminal Law Committee, International Bar Association
  • Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Fellow, 2021
  • Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Pathfinder, 2018 
  • Vice-Chair, International Securities Law Sub-Committee of the DC Bar, 2017 - 2018
  • Member, Women's White Collar Defense Association
Admissions
State Admissions
  • District of Columbia
  • New York
Court Admissions
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Clerkships
  • Judicial Intern, Honorable Sonia Sotomayor, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
News and Events

Events

Speaking Engagement

GIR Live: Women in Investigations

Speaking Engagement

IBA 2022 Annual Conference

Publications
Internal Publication

Executives at Risk: Summer 2023

External Publication

Corporate Insiders Rule 10b5-1 Plans Face New Scrutiny

Internal Publication

FCPA Spring Review 2021

Internal Publication

FCPA Winter Review 2021