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Paul Murphy focuses on white-collar criminal defense, investigations and litigation under the False Claims Act, corporate internal investigations, corporate governance and compliance, and national security matters. Paul recently rejoined the firm after serving as the FBI Chief of Staff. Earlier in his career, he held several other leadership roles with the Department of Justice, including as the U. S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. A partner in our Special Matters and Government Investigations practice, Paul represents and advises corporations, boards of directors and board committees as well as executives and other individuals.
With more than 30 years of experience, Paul helps clients navigate their most challenging and sensitive legal situations. Paul has represented numerous clients over the years facing potential exposure on multiple fronts, including federal criminal investigations accompanied by parallel civil, regulatory, or state investigations and related shareholder or other litigation. Paul brings a strategic and integrated approach to these multifaceted legal risks, taking into account both the immediate and longer-term issues confronting the client. Chambers USA has described Paul as “a go-to person for difficult cases.”
Paul has represented a wide variety of clients facing high-profile government investigations. He has deep experience with health care fraud investigations, having represented clients across the health care and life sciences sector: hospital systems, pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, pharmacy providers, dialysis providers, home health care companies, skilled nursing facility chains, and health insurers. Paul also has handled several criminal environmental investigations, including some of the most significant enforcement matters pursued by the Justice Department. In addition, he is experienced with alleged immigration offenses, customs and trade-related violations, tax offenses, securities and bank fraud, violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and public corruption.
Paul also has served as independent counsel to public company boards and board committees, conducting investigations into accounting or disclosure-related allegations or other issues that may implicate senior management. In these matters, as well as others, he routinely advises clients on prospective solutions, including compliance program enhancements or other preventative measures designed to minimize the likelihood of recurrence and the possibility of future enforcement actions.
As the Chief of Staff at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Paul was the primary advisor to FBI Director Christopher Wray and worked closely with him and the senior leadership of the Department of Justice on criminal, national security, and operational issues. From 2001 to 2004, Paul served in several other Department of Justice positions. He was the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, and before that, he worked in Washington, D.C. as Associate Deputy Attorney General and later Chief of Staff to then-Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson. While on the Deputy Attorney General’s staff, he oversaw the Department’s criminal and civil health care fraud enforcement program and was the principal policy liaison to the Department of Health and Human Services on enforcement matters. Paul also previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, receiving commendations for his work as a prosecutor from the Attorney General, the FBI, and other federal law enforcement agencies.
In addition to Chambers USA, Paul has been recognized as a leading white-collar criminal defense attorney by several other publications, including The Best Lawyers in America and Who’s Who Legal: Business Crime Defense. He is a frequent speaker and author on topics related to government investigations and prosecutions.
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