David B. Leland

Mr. Leland’s practice focuses on white collar criminal defense, cross-border government enforcement actions and related complex civil litigation at all stages, from the inception of an investigation through trial.

Mr. Leland has defended corporations and individuals in the U.S. and abroad against allegations of corruption, money laundering, mail and wire fraud, bank fraud, health care fraud, securities fraud, market manipulation, tax evasion and unlawful antitrust practices. He has represented clients in connection with investigations conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), state attorneys general, the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and foreign regulators, such as the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority and Serious Fraud Office. He also has extensive experience conducting internal investigations on behalf of global corporations, boards of directors and audit committees.

Mr. Leland regularly advises clients on congressional investigations and legislative matters. Utilizing his prior experience as a senior congressional staffer, media spokesman and campaign consultant, he provides clients with unique perspectives to help navigate congressional inquiries and related sensitive public relations issues. Accordingly, he frequently assists clients with developing comprehensive strategies for responding to such inquiries, helps manage risk associated with parallel proceedings and prepares witnesses for transcribed interviews, depositions and hearing testimony.

Mr. Leland also has substantial experience conducting internal investigations and representing companies in connection with cross-border competition and criminal antitrust matters. He has represented institutions in investigations involving the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and state attorneys general relating to bid rigging, collusion and market manipulation. Mr. Leland also has served as international coordinating counsel for investigations conducted by foreign competition commissions, antitrust enforcement agencies and various related governmental authorities, including in Australia (ACCC and ASIC), Brazil (CADE), Hong Kong (HKMA), Japan (JFSA), Korea (KFTC), Mexico (COFECE), South Africa (SARB and SACC) and Switzerland (ComCo), as well as the European Commission (EC).

Some of his white collar defense representations have included:

• serving as trial counsel in the successful defense of a prominent motorsports attorney acquitted of conspiracy and tax evasion charges in United States v. Helio Castroneves et al.
• representing a social media platform in numerous grand jury, SEC and congressional investigations involving data security, content moderation and child safety issues
• representing a foreign online gaming company in a state attorney general investigation and parallel civil litigation relating to the company’s skill-matching algorithm
• representing an employee of an education reform advocacy group in a grand jury investigation relating to potential public corruption
• representing a major financial institution in parallel investigations by the DOJ, CFTC, OCC, Federal Reserve, SEC, U.K. Financial Conduct Authority and more than 10 other foreign authorities alleging price-fixing and other anti-competitive practices in foreign exchange (FX) trading
• representing a financial institution in a CFTC investigation relating to potential collusion, manipulation and/or group boycotts concerning interest-rate swaps
• conducting an internal investigation for a pharmaceutical company relating to potential bid rigging in connection with government sales in Latin America
• representing a global pharmaceutical manufacturer in parallel DOJ and state attorney general investigations into alleged collusion in the generic pharmaceutical industry
• counseling an international humanitarian organization in an OIG investigation relating to collusion among vendors supplying humanitarian goods in war-torn areas
• representing a senior executive of a major oilfield services corporation in a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and sanctioned countries investigation conducted by the DOJ, SEC, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)
• representing a German manufacturer in a DOJ and SEC investigation into FCPA violations and improper payments made in connection with the UN Oil-for-Food Program
• representing a foreign shipping logistics company in connection with an anti-corruption investigation relating to the construction of a foreign port
• counseling a global foreign corporation on anti-bribery, anti-corruption and general compliance matters while under a deferred prosecution agreement and monitorship for FCPA violations
• conducting an internal investigation into whistleblower complaints concerning a defense contractor’s joint venture in the Middle East
• conducting an internal investigation into improper sales and inventory practices by a computer company’s Asian subsidiary
• representing a major medical device company in a civil and criminal investigation involving allegations of off-label promotion
• representing hospital employees in a U.S. Attorney's Office investigation and subsequent trial relating to alleged Medicare fraud
• representing health care management corporations, medical device companies and government contractors accused of violating the False Claims Act
• representing the board of directors of a FTSE 100 company in connection with a U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York investigation of the online gaming industry

Mr. Leland’s recent congressional investigations have included:

• preparing an associate general counsel of a multinational conglomerate for testimony at a hearing before the House Oversight Committee regarding abuse of the legal system
• representing an e-commerce retailer in investigations by the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and the House Energy and Commerce Committee into data security and compliance with the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act
• representing an employee of a leading tech company and former political appointee in House Homeland Security Committee and House Judiciary Committee investigations into allegations that the federal government and social media companies conspired to censor conservative political speech during the 2018 and 2020 elections
• representing multiple foreign companies in a House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party investigation into deploying and testing self-driving vehicles in the U.S.
• representing a software company in a Senate Commerce Committee investigation into alleged censorship of conservative political speech
• advising a venture capital firm in connection with Chinese investments in anticipation of potential congressional scrutiny
• representing a multinational company in a House Judiciary Committee investigation into alleged censorship of conservative political speech
• representing a board member of a major oil and gas company in a House Oversight Committee investigation into global climate change
• representing a medical device company in a congressional investigation relating to repatriation of foreign earnings and related tax issues
• advising a foreign bank in responding to a Senate inquiry relating to an alleged Ponzi scheme
• representing a foreign entity in connection with an investigation conducted by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
• counseling an individual and his business in connection with potentially injurious news articles about alleged business connections with a presidential candidate

Prior to joining Skadden, Mr. Leland served as a congressional staff member for nearly eight years. Between 1992 and 1996, he served on the legislative staff of U.S. Rep. William F. Clinger, Jr., chairman of the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee. From 1996 until 1999, Mr. Leland worked for U.S. Rep. Charles F. Bass. As policy and staff director for Rep. Bass, Mr. Leland served as the congressman’s top adviser in Washington, D.C. and managed a staff of legislative, communications and administrative employees. In addition to his managerial duties, Mr. Leland was responsible for overseeing all legislative and policy initiatives; drafting legislation, speeches and floor statements; devising and implementing legislative, political and press strategies; and serving as media spokesman for Rep. Bass.