Michael Levy is co-chair of the firm’s White Collar Investigations and Enforcement Group. His practice focuses on white collar defense, investigations, and representation of corporations and individuals in connection with government enforcement initiatives. He has conducted internal investigations for Fortune 100 and other companies as well as their audit committees, and has represented numerous Fortune 500 companies, high-ranking public officials, civic leaders and prominent corporate executives throughout the United States in major criminal cases and congressional, SEC and other governmental investigations involving alleged violations of fraud, securities, tax, antitrust, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), environmental, obstruction of justice, bribery, wiretapping and other criminal statutes.
Michael has represented corporate and individual clients in many of the most prominent white collar matters of the past decade, including representation of central players in the complex and overlapping investigations of Enron Corp., the financial and accounting scandals of Fannie Mae, the downfall of MF Global, alleged tax abuses on Wall Street, the NFL’s “Spygate” scandal, and the unintended acceleration of Toyota vehicles. He excels at high-profile, complex investigations being conducted simultaneously by multiple federal and state prosecutors, regulatory enforcement agencies, and congressional committees.
Chambers USA notes that Michael offers “great judgment” and is a “smart, client-focused and energetic individual” who is “incredibly responsive,” “a master at representing individuals and groups in complex white-collar cases,” and “an insightful attorney who inspires clients’ confidence.” Michael has been quoted as an authority on white collar defense and government investigations in numerous U.S. newspapers and magazines, including the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune and Reuters, among others. He has appeared on “ABC World News,” CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg Television, “Good Morning America,” ESPN’s “Mike and Mike in the Morning,” and Court TV.
Michael is a frequent speaker on white collar issues, addressing audiences at programs with the ABA National Institute on Securities Fraud, Institutional Investor, Corporate Board Member and District of Columbia Bar on topics ranging from corporate governance and internal investigations to risk management and the role of communications in high-profile litigation. He has served on the teaching faculty at Harvard Law School’s Trial Advocacy Workshop and lectured on white collar criminal defense at both the Georgetown University Law Center and the George Washington University School of Law. He has also helped prepare lawyers for their upcoming Supreme Court oral arguments through the Georgetown University Law Center’s Supreme Court Institute.
Prior to joining Bingham, Michael served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia. While serving in the Public Corruption section, he prosecuted federal and local officials for bribery, fraud, embezzlement and other forms of corrupt conduct. He was an instructor at the Attorney General’s Advocacy Institute and has been honored by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for his trial and appellate advocacy. Earlier in his career, Michael was awarded a White House Fellowship. He spent his fellowship year as a Special Assistant to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and served as the Secretary’s policy liaison on all civil rights matters. At the conclusion of the fellowship, the Secretary appointed him as the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.
Michael clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. and U.S. District Court Judge Louis F. Oberdorfer. His articles have appeared in the Harvard Law Review, the Yale Law Journal and other scholarly journals.