Kelly Kramer

Kelly B. Kramer is a partner in our Washington DC office and a co-leader of the firm’s White Collar Defense & Compliance practice. He represents companies and individuals in criminal cases and other government enforcement and regulatory matters.

Kelly has served as lead trial counsel in high-profile criminal cases, including multi-week trials against a former member of Congress and the president of one of the largest labor unions in the United States.

He also regularly conducts internal investigations on behalf of corporate clients, including private equity funds, pharmaceutical companies, telecommunication companies, defense contractors, media companies and lobbying firms.

Kelly has broad experience in federal criminal, antitrust, and securities laws. He has represented companies and executives in fraud, tax, cartel and money laundering investigations.

He has particularly extensive experience with public corruption cases, including both domestic matters and cases arising under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), as well as with criminal cartel cases.

Much of Kelly’s work is global, involving clients in Europe, Asia and the Americas. In 2009, he led a successful effort to dissolve restraining orders imposed on a Cayman Island hedge fund in a case that presented a question of first impression concerning the scope of the USA PATRIOT Act.

More recently, he led the Government of Brazil’s efforts to secure the United States’ assistance in seeking to repatriate one of the world’s largest gems, the “Bahia Emerald,” on the basis of pending Brazilian criminal charges. Both cases have been closely watched by the legal media and international criminal lawyers in the United States and abroad.

Education :

• University of Pennsylvania, JD, cum laude
• The College of William & Mary, BA, cum laude

Admissions :

• New York
• District of Columbia
• US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
• US District Court for the District of Columbia

Activities :

• American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section
• Member of the Edward Bennett Williams American Inn of Court
• Member of The Barristers in Washington DC

Experience :

• Representing one of the world’s largest private equity funds in due diligence involving a portfolio company’s operations in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
• Representing a senior vice president of a global engineering consulting firm against FCPA charges arising out of conduct in India and Vietnam.
• Represented multiple senior employees of a global tobacco company in an FCPA investigation involving conduct in Greece, Brazil, and Kyrgyzstan.
• Represented Korean conglomerate in US public corruption investigation.
• Represented top aides to members of Congress and senior White House officials in connection with multiple public corruption investigations.
• Representing the Government of Brazil in its dealings with the US Department of Justice relating to Brazil’s efforts to repatriate the “Bahia Emerald.”
• Represented a telecommunications company in an internal investigation and self-disclosure of potential bid rigging, resulting in no charges against the company.
• Represented multiple senior executives in connection with the DOJ’s ongoing criminal investigation into the auto parts industry.