Husch Blackwell is pleased to announce that former U.S. Attorney Gregg Sofer has joined the firm as a partner in its Washington, D.C. office. Sofer’s arrival marks the third former U.S. Attorney to join the firm in 2021, following Tim Garrison in April and Jeff Jensen in January.
With three decades of experience as a prosecutor, Sofer brings an extensive background in criminal and national security law, combined with a close conversance with government investigatory practices and operations. As a member of the firm’s White Collar practice group, Sofer will counsel businesses and individuals in connection with a range of criminal and civil matters, including government investigations, internal investigations, litigation, export control, sanctions, trade secrets, and regulatory compliance.
“There are only a handful of lawyers in the country with Gregg’s experience and depth of understanding regarding government investigations,” said Husch Blackwell Chair Catherine Hanaway. “We are proud that he chose Husch Blackwell as the firm to launch his career in private practice.”
“We are seeing increased demand across the broad scope of our regulatory practices, and we anticipate an increased tempo for government investigations and enforcement actions,” said Paul Eberle, Husch Blackwell’s Chief Executive. “We feel our clients will appreciate Gregg’s perspective and the depth he brings to a White Collar team that is already one of the best in the country.”
Prior to entering private practice, Sofer served as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas—one of the largest and busiest United States Attorney’s Offices in the country—where he supervised over 300 employees handling a diverse caseload, including matters involving complex white-collar crime, public corruption, contract fraud, national security, money laundering, tax, large-scale drug and human trafficking, immigration, child exploitation, and violent crime.
Sofer has also served as Counselor to the Attorney General of the United States, where he handled both criminal and national security matters, as well as crisis response. He also served for 12 years in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, where he developed a reputation as an aggressive litigator and indefatigable investigator while building an impressive record handling national security, fraud, violent crime, and corruption cases. From 1991 to 2002, prior to joining the United States Attorney’s Office, he held positions in both the Criminal and National Security Divisions of the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. Gregg also served in the New York County District Attorney’s Office for 11 years.
“When I returned to the firm, my goal was to build on the excellent group of lawyers on our White Collar team and develop a premier nationwide practice,” said partner Jeff Jensen, the head of Husch Blackwell’s White Collar group. “In a few short months we have assembled just such a group that can, along with the depth we have in allied practice areas, provide our clients with a comprehensive perspective on compliance and defense.”
“There’s such a wealth of knowledge and experience at Husch Blackwell that speaks to the firm’s commitment to being a leader in the areas of white collar defense, internal investigations and compliance,” said Sofer. “After leaving government service, I wanted a law firm that had a proven track record with government investigations and regulatory compliance, as well as a firm culture based on collaboration and collegiality. Based on those criteria, Husch Blackwell was the best fit for me, and I look forward to building on the excellent reputation our team has earned.”
In the first quarter of 2021 alone, Husch Blackwell added six practitioners to its White Collar, Internal Investigations & Compliance practice group. The group now features over 40 professionals spanning 13 of the firm’s 23 offices and includes several notable former local, state, and federal government officials.