Reginald J. Brown, P.C.
Overview
He is the best in the business. There is no one who comes close to his ability in Congressional investigations." - Chambers' Crisis & Risk Management 2022
Reginald “Reg” Brown is a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He has a vibrant and diverse crisis and governmental investigations practice, and regularly counsels financial institutions and other industry-leading clients facing complex and significant regulatory, enforcement and reputational matters.
Reg provides investigations-related guidance, strategic counsel and crisis management assistance to a broad range of companies and senior executives confronting challenges and opportunities at the intersection of government, law, media and public policy. He has assisted leading institutions and high-profile individual clients with more than a hundred congressional inquiries, as well as numerous federal, state and global government investigations and crisis avoidance and mitigation matters.
Reg leads teams of lawyers responding to some of the most challenging Department of Justice (DOJ), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), State Attorneys General and other regulatory or enforcement matters for financial institutions. Many of his clients are among the world's most prominent banks, hedge funds, private equity and venture firms, energy companies, government contractors, healthcare institutions and technology firms, as well as CEOs and high-ranking public officials. Reg has also assisted prospective and incumbent high-level public officials in connection with complex ethics agreements and governmental controversies.
Prior to joining Kirkland, Reg was a partner at WilmerHale, where he served as chairman of the firm's Financial Institutions Group and led the firm's congressional investigations practice as vice chair of the Crisis Management and Strategic Response Group. He previously served in the White House Counsel's office, where he was the White House's principal legal liaison to the Departments of Treasury and Housing and Urban Development, as well as many independent financial services agencies. In this role, he provided counsel on a wide variety of issues. Among other things, Reg served as a counselor for the White House Office of Political Affairs, Presidential Personnel Office and the National Economic Council.
Prior to his government service, Reg served as assistant to the CEO and vice president of corporate strategy at Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, and as the deputy general counsel to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Federated States of Micronesia early in his professional career.
Experience
Representative Matters
Prior to joining Kirkland, Reg was involved in the following matters:
Investigations
- Counsel for numerous institutions and senior executives in connection with Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission inquiries.
- Counsel for several financial institutions in connection with congressional, State AG, or federal mortgage foreclosure crisis inquiries.
- Counsel for IRS Commissioner in successful defense against impeachment effort.
- Counsel for a global energy company in connection with a Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) inquiry regarding trading activities.
- Counsel for major pharmaceutical company in inquiry regarding opioid abuse issues.
- Counsel for a leading U.S. retailer in connection with a high-profile data breach controversy.
- Counsel for a major activist hedge fund in connection with a Senate Aging Committee inquiry regarding drug price increases.
- Counsel for a global communications company in connection with a PSI inquiry regarding customer service practices in the pay TV sector.
- Counsel for a global social media company in connection with a Senate Commerce Committee inquiry regarding alleged suppression of content.
- Counsel for high-profile Cabinet nominee in Senate confirmation and ethics office proceedings.
- Counsel for a government contractor in connection with inquiries regarding Edward Snowden and related national security issues.
- Counsel for a global financial institution in a DOJ, IRS and PSI inquiry regarding offshore banking and possible tax avoidance by US taxpayers.
- Counsel for a major financial institution in connection with a CFPB inquiry regarding mortgage insurance arrangements.
- Counsel for a large short-term lender in connection with a CFPB inquiry regarding debt collection practices.
- Counsel for a high-profile technology company in connection with a PSI inquiry regarding repatriation and other tax related issues.
- Counsel for global financial institution in connection with PSI inquiry regarding risk management practices.
- Counsel for a former member of the Hewlett-Packard Board of Directors in connection with the HP "pretexting" scandal, including corporate, congressional, SEC and DOJ inquiries.
- Counsel for a four star Army general in connection with Benghazi-related inquiries.
- Counsel for a global financial institution in connection with a CFPB inquiry regarding vendor issues.
- Counsel for hedge fund in connection with a Senate Banking Committee inquiry regarding high-frequency trading.
- Counsel for broker dealer in Grassley, SEC and SDNY inquiry in connection with “political intelligence” firms.
- Counsel for green energy entity in connection with stimulus program inquiries by the House Energy and Commerce and House Oversight and Government Reform Committees.
- Counsel for a global engineering and construction company in connection with a governmental inquiry regarding whistleblower allegations at a nuclear facility.
- Counsel for several other high-profile entities in connection with stimulus program inquiries by Congress and the Executive Branch.
- Counsel for a CEO in connection with a state and federal investigation regarding gifts to a prominent State Governor.
- Counsel for a major research university in connection with congressional and other inquiries regarding a high-profile fatality.
- Counsel for former Congressman Jim Kolbe in connection with a House Ethics Committee Investigation and DOJ Preliminary Inquiry; both matters closed with no finding of wrongdoing.
- Counsel for a CEO in connection with House Ethics Committee investigation of Congressman Charles Rangel.
- Counsel for congressional staffers in connection with high-profile ethics investigation by FBI.
- Counsel for secret service agent in connection with high-profile inquiry regarding presidential visit to South America.
- Counsel for a government contractor in an oversight inquiry regarding background check services provided to the Office of Personnel Management.
- Counsel for a global financial institution in connection with a TARP Special Inspector General inquiry.
- Counsel for social media company in multistate Attorney General data breach inquiry.
- Counsel for a medical device company in connection with a House Energy and Commerce Committee inquiry regarding dual use technology and national security issues.
- Counsel for an energy company in connection with a House Energy and Commerce Committee inquiry regarding fracturing.
- Counsel for a global financial services company in connection with House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and other inquiries regarding a TARP-assisted merger.
- Counsel for portfolio company in connection with fraud, waste and abuse inquiry by Senator Charles Grassley.
- Counsel for automotive dealers and community banks in connection with Department of Justice Civil Rights Division investigations.
- Counsel for a financial institution in connection with DOJ Civil Rights Division and HUD inquiries.
- Counsel for a former defense industry CEO in connection with a Department of Justice public corruption investigation.
- Counsel for a structured payments company in connection with a CFPB inquiry regarding marketing practices.
- Counsel for a media company in connection with a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee inquiry regarding possible false statements by a CEO.
- Counsel for a CEO in connection with a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee inquiry regarding hedge funds and the financial markets.
- Counsel for a financial institution in connection with a PSI investigation regarding dividend tax payments.
- Counsel for a financial institution in connection with a high-profile AML investigation by the PSI and other governmental entities.
- Counsel for an internet company in connection with a House Judiciary Committee hearing regarding privacy issues.
- Counsel for a transportation and shipping company in connection with a House Judiciary Committee inquiry regarding corporate downsizing.
- Counsel for a financial institution in connection with a PSI inquiry regarding the tax treatment of complex financial instruments.
- Counsel for a CEO in connection with a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee investigation and hearing regarding executive compensation.
- Counsel for a financial institution in connection with an Office of Congressional Ethics inquiry.
- Counsel for several senior U.S. government officials in connection with congressional and executive branch inquiries.
- Counsel for a senior foreign official in connection with US inquiries relating to the United Nations "Oil for Food" investigation.
- Counsel for a defense contractor in connection with a congressional ethics probe.
- Counsel for a large student loan company in connection with multistate and federal investigations into lending practices.
- Counsel for a financial institution in connection with Ethics Committee investigation of Congresswoman Maxine Waters.
- Additional significant recent experience representing clients before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee; House Energy and Commerce Committee; House Education and Labor Committee; House Armed Services Committee; House Financial Services Committee; House International Relations Committee; House Judiciary Committee; House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; Senate Select Committee on Intelligence; Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee; Senate Ethics Committee; Senate Finance Committee; Senate Armed Services Committee; Senate Banking Committee; Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation; Senate Health, Education; Labor and Pensions Committee; Senate Aging Committee; Department of Justice Public Integrity Section and the State Attorneys General for Florida, New York, Iowa, Texas and Virginia.
Regulatory Affairs
- Represented a large U.S. energy company in connection with regulatory strategy for several transactions involving major Chinese-owned energy companies.
- Represented Lucent Technologies with respect to the CFIUS review of its merger with Alcatel, and in connection with a related congressional inquiry.
- Represented a large Asian sovereign wealth fund in connection with CFIUS analysis of a major energy transaction.
- Represented a Deutsche Bank subsidiary with respect to the CFIUS review of its acquisition of Maher Terminals, Port of New Jersey and New York.
- Represented the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the world's largest bank, in connection with its successful application for Federal Reserve Board approval of expanded U.S. branch operations.
- Represented Morgan Stanley in connection with regulatory review of a Japanese investment during the 2008 financial crisis.
Clerk & Government Experience
Special Assistant and Associate White House Counsel to President George W. BushThe White House, Executive Office of the President
Deputy General CounselGovernor Jeb Bush, Florida
Law ClerkHonorable Joseph W. HatchettUnited States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit1996–1997
Pro Bono
- Pro bono counsel for marriage equality brief on behalf of 300 prominent conservatives and libertarians in the U.S. Supreme Court.
- Pro bono counsel for Navy chaplain in successful defense of religious liberty case arising from faith based counseling session.
- Pro bono counsel for Charles Winters in successful application for posthumous presidential pardon.
- Pro bono counsel for American aid worker Jim Allen in successful effort to secure release from detention in Haiti.
- Pro bono counsel for former Peace Corps volunteers who were victims of sexual assault in connection with successful effort to pass the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act.
More
Recognition
Named a 2021 Crisis Leadership Trailblazer by The National Law Journal
Recognized by The Legal 500 United States for Government Relations in 2022; Financial Services Litigation in 2022; and Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense in 2021
Recognized by Chambers Crisis and Risk Management for Crisis Management in 2022
Recognized in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers in Business as a nationwide leader in the Financial Services Regulation: Banking (Enforcement & Investigations) in 2020–2022 and Government Relations: Congressional Investigations in 2021–2022
Selected by peers as one of the Best Lawyers in America in the area of white collar criminal defense in 2019–2023; banking and finance law in 2020–2023; and government relations in 2021–2023
Named a Life Sciences Star by LMG Life Sciences in 2020
Named a 2019 Technology Law Trailblazer by The National Law Journal
Named a highly regarded lawyer in the financial services regulatory by IFLR1000: The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms in 2018
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- District of Columbia
- Florida
Education
- Harvard Law SchoolJ.D.cum laude1996
- Yale UniversityB.A., Political Sciencecum laude1989Jackson Prize for Distinguished Service