Karen Williams

Karen D. Williams focuses her practice on a variety of litigation matters, particularly those involving allegations of white-collar crime and fraud. She defends individual and corporate clients in state and federal trial courts and arbitration proceedings across the United States, as well as in connection with internal and government investigations.

Karen has experience in various phases of criminal matters – from conducting internal investigations and responding to federal grand jury subpoenas to litigating a case to jury verdict. She has represented clients in a broad range of industries, including government contracting, mortgage services, alcohol distribution, and professional services.

Before joining Cozen O’Connor, Karen served as counsel in the litigation section of the Washington, D.C., office of a large, international law firm and as a law clerk to the Honorable Thomas D. Schroeder of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina.

Karen is also active in providing pro bono legal representation, including representing one of over two hundred defendants arrested in D.C. while protesting during the 2017 Inauguration.  She has also represented two individuals facing the death penalty at the trial level.

While attending law school, she was the editor-in-chief of the American University Law Review and was named a member of the Order of the Coif. She also served as an extern at the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Appellate Staff and as an intern to the Honorable Reggie B. Walton of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Prior to law school, Karen worked in journalism.

EXPERIENCE :

• Criminal Defense
  • Represented a professional services firm in responding to a federal grand jury subpoena.
  • Served as second chair in a two-week trial in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, and secured a jury verdict of acquittal on all counts of conspiracy, bribery, and honest services fraud for an owner of a government contracting company.
  • Represented a large liquor distributor charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, in pre-trial discovery and motions practice. The defense team secured dismissal of all charges.
• Regulatory Enforcement and Civil Matters
  • Represented clients in responding to civil investigative demands related to False Claims Act investigations and in defending against qui tam litigation.
  • Represented an individual under investigation regarding conflict of interest allegations pertaining to the client’s employment by a defense contractor after government service.
  • Represented executives in connection with an investigation by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
  • Defended and obtained a favorable ruling in a contentious arbitration proceeding against a high-profile individual regarding multiple allegations of breach of contract and fraud, as well as tort claims.

EDUCATION :

• American University, Washington College of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 2009
• University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, B.A., 2002

BAR ADMISSIONS : District of Columbia; Virginia

COURT ADMISSIONS :

• U.S. District Court — Eastern District of Virginia
• U.S. District Court — District of Columbia

AFFILIATIONS :

• American Bar Association
• D.C. Chapter of the Women’s White Collar Defense Association