Overview
Mark Schneider is a partner whose practice focuses on representing businesses, their boards and executives in complex criminal, civil and administrative investigations, government enforcement proceedings and related litigation, often in highly regulated industries and international contexts.
Chambers USA describes Mark as “great — he is super smart, super responsive and very easy to work with, always giving practical advice.” Chambers notes his “vast knowledge and strong business acumen,” “pragmatic” approach and a way of “condensing complicated issues into plain language that is easy to understand.” In profiling his work, The National Law Journal cited descriptions of Mark as “exceedingly smart in an understated way,” and emphasized his “legal talent and lack of pretension.”
Mark has substantial experience representing clients in complex matters related to the False Claims Act, securities and commodities regulation, antitrust, trade secret theft, export controls and other regulatory issues. Mark also advises clients in evaluating and mitigating compliance risks and is deeply involved in the Firm’s Japan practice.
Prior to joining Kirkland, Mark served for a decade at the U.S. Department of Justice. Mark worked in senior leadership and supervisory roles at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago, including as Chief of Appeals, Deputy Chief of Financial Crimes and Special Prosecutions, head of the Medicare Fraud Task Force, Criminal Health Care Fraud Coordinator, Food and Drug Administration Coordinator and Child Exploitation Crimes Coordinator. He tried numerous complex fraud and other cases before juries and briefed or edited more than 100 appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
Mark’s international and national security experience included deploying to Baghdad for a year to help lead civilian Rule of Law efforts throughout Iraq. Later, as Special Attorney to the Attorney General, he prosecuted a former CIA officer for willfully disclosing the identity of a covert officer in violation of the Intelligence Identities Protection Act, the second such case in U.S. history and one described by the then-CIA Director as “an important victory for our Agency, for our Intelligence Community, and for our country.”
Mark also taught for five years as adjunct faculty at the University of Chicago Law School. After law school, he clerked for the Honorable Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Prior to studying law, Mark worked as a management consultant at The Boston Consulting Group, Inc., and on the staff of the late U.S. Senator Richard G. Lugar.
Mark graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review; Oxford University, where he was a Marshall Scholar; and Indiana University, as a Wells Scholar.
Experience
Representative Matters
Anti-Corruption
- Counsel to multinational medical products manufacturer in whistleblower-initiated DOJ and SEC FCPA investigation focused on India operations.
- Counsel to medical device manufacturer in multiple China-focused anti-bribery investigations.
- Counsel to industrial services company in DOJ domestic bribery and corruption investigation.
- Counsel to healthcare company in DOJ and SEC corruption and fraud investigation.
- Counsel to technology company in multiple China-focused corruption investigations.
- Counsel to executive in DOJ FCPA investigation regarding Iraq.
Antitrust
- Counsel to major protein producer in DOJ criminal antitrust investigation.
- Counsel to medical staffing company in DOJ criminal antitrust investigation.
- Counsel to major pharmaceutical manufacturer in DOJ criminal antitrust investigation.
- U.S. law counsel to Japanese company in internal antitrust investigation.
Environmental Enforcement (CAA, CWA, RCRA)
- Counsel to mobile source vehicle manufacturer in EPA 208 request and related investigation.
- Counsel to exploration and development company in DOJ/EPA investigation concerning blowout.
- Counsel to industrial company in DOJ/EPA investigation concerning accident and large emissions event.
- Counsel to environmental remediation company in DOJ/EPA investigation concerning asbestos remediation practices.
- Counsel to multinational energy producer in DOJ/EPA investigation concerning incinerator fire.
- Counsel to major environmental services company in DOJ/EPA investigation concerning waste processing facility fire.
- Counsel to offshore production company in investigation of alleged testing falsification.
- Counsel to energy producer in investigation of alleged emissions data falsification.
- Counsel to real estate developer in government investigation concerning putative emissions event arising from planned implosion.
False Claims Act
- Counsel to major multinational airline in DOJ criminal and civil False Claims Act investigation regarding USPS contracting.
- Numerous FCA investigations for multinational life sciences companies concerning putative cGMP issues, as separately noted.
- Counsel to PE sponsor in DOJ FCA investigation concerning an interventional pain management practice.
- Counsel to PE sponsor in DOJ FCA investigation concerning a Medicare Advantage business.
- Counsel to health insurance plan in investigation of academic medical center billing practices.
FDA and cGMP
- Counsel to medical products manufacturer in DOJ/FDA criminal and civil False Claims Act investigation concerning putative cGMP violations.
- Counsel to global pharmaceutical manufacturer in DOJ/FDA criminal and civil False Claims Act investigation concerning putative cGMP violations in biologics manufacturing.
- Counsel to global vaccine manufacturer in DOJ/FDA criminal and civil False Claims Act investigation concerning putative cGMP violations in European manufacturing operations.
- Counsel to food manufacturer in DOJ/FDA investigation concerning putative cGMP violations, including negotiation of consent decree.
Securities and Commodities
- Counsel to pharmaceutical company in SEC revenue recognition investigation.
- Counsel to technology company in confidential SEC investigation.
- Counsel to PE sponsor-backed pharmacy business in accounting fraud investigation.
- Counsel to multinational company in CFTC investigation concerning metals trading.
- Counsel to investment company in confidential CFTC trading investigation.
- Counsel to multiple companies in SEC anti-bribery investigations, as noted elsewhere.
Other
- Counsel to major pharmaceutical manufacturer in DOJ criminal and civil investigation regarding alleged DEA regulatory issues.
- Counsel to preeminent private university concerning scientific research misconduct allegations.
- Counsel to major Japanese metals manufacturer in DOJ data falsification investigation.
- Counsel to U.S. technology company as victim in DOJ trade secret theft investigation.
- Counsel to U.S. manufacturer as victim in DOJ trade secret theft investigation.
- Counsel to multinational industrial company in investigation of putative export control violations (ITAR, EAR).
Clerk & Government Experience
Assistant U.S. AttorneyUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois2004–2015
Chief of AppealsUnited States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, Criminal Division2012–2015
Deputy ChiefUnited States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, Financial Crimes & Special Prosecutions Section2010–2012
Deputy Rule of Law CoordinatorEmbassy of the United States, Baghdad2008–2009
Law ClerkHonorable Diarmuid F. O'ScannlainUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit2003–2004
Prior Experience
Management Consultant, The Boston Consulting Group, Inc., 1998–2000
Staff, U.S. Senator Richard G. Lugar, 1995–1996
More
Thought Leadership
Publications
Co-author, “White-Collar Crime Practice Guide – U.S. Chapter,” Chambers & Partners, October 2019
Recognition
Recognized for Criminal Defense: White Collar, The Best Lawyers in America, 2021–2024
Recognized in Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (Illinois), Chambers USA, 2019–2023
Emerging Leader, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, 2014–2016
Term Member, Council on Foreign Relations, New York, 2009–2014
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) National Award, 2014
40 under 40, Chicago Rising Stars, The National Law Journal, 2013
Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, National Group Achievement Award, 2013
Award of Excellence, Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, 2011
Director’s Award, Office of Criminal Investigations, Food and Drug Administration, 2006
Heyman Fellow, Program on Government Service, Harvard Law School, 2004
Memberships & Affiliations
Member, American Law Institute
Member, Seventh Circuit Bar Association
Member, Board of Directors, Lumen Christi Institute
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 2011Illinois
- 2003Indiana
Courts
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Trial Bar
- United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
Education
- Harvard Law SchoolJ.D.magna cum laude2003Editor, Harvard Law Review
- University of OxfordM.A. (Oxon)2003
- University of OxfordB.A., Philosophy, Politics and Economicswith Honors1998Marshall Scholar
- Indiana UniversityB.A., Chemistry & Political Sciencewith Highest Honors1996
Herman B Wells Scholar
Truman Scholar