Joel R. Levin

Joel Levin is a member of the firm’s Investigations & White Collar Defense practice. His practice focuses on internal investigations and defense of white collar matters, including financial fraud, health care fraud, antitrust, false claims, tax cases and state licensing and regulatory issues. Joel has represented individuals and Fortune 500 companies in a wide variety of significant and sensitive investigations by both federal and state authorities. Joel has provided counseling to companies on a range of compliance issues and assisted corporate clients in developing effective remediation programs. Joel has extensive courtroom experience, having tried more than 40 federal jury trials during the course of his career. As a federal prosecutor, Joel was part of the trial team that successfully prosecuted former Illinois Governor George Ryan.

Prior to joining Perkins Coie, Joel had a distinguished career as a federal prosecutor in Chicago, San Francisco and Milwaukee, focusing on the investigation and prosecution of complex fraud and financial crimes. He served as Chief of the Criminal Division in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Francisco from 1995 - 1997 and immediately prior to joining Perkins Coie, he was Chief of the Financial Fraud and Special Prosecutions Section in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago. As a prosecutor, Joel investigated and tried a wide variety of cases including bank fraud, health care fraud, multi-million dollar investment frauds, securities violations, racketeering enterprises, political corruption, bankruptcy fraud and tax violations. During his tenure with the Justice Department, Joel was a four-time recipient of the Director’s Award for Superior Performance as an Assistant U.S. Attorney.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Represented Fortune 500 company in antitrust price-fixing investigation
• Represented high level administrator of state university in investigation of university admissions practices
• Represented individual under indictment on alleged health care fraud and anti-kickback violations
• Represented State of Indiana in landmark racketeering case, resulting in judgment of $108 million against former East Chicago public officials
• Represented health care providers in federal investigations of wrongful billing practices
• Successfully represented debt collection company in licensing proceeding before Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
• Represented corporate executive under investigation for insider trading
• Counseled a foreign medical device company regarding compliance with the Physician Payment Sunshine Act
• Represented individual under indictment for mortgage fraud
• Represented officer of failed bank in investigation by FDIC  
• Represented witnesses in high-profile public corruption investigations of conduct by state and local elected officials
• Represented employee in antitrust price-fixing investigation
• Represented federal law enforcement employee in criminal investigation of alleged misconduct by federal and local agents
• Represented airport contractor in investigation into compliance with minority contracting requirements

Professional Recognition

• U.S. Department of Justice, Director's Award for Superior Performance as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, 1990, 2001, 2003 and 2006
• Chicago Crime Commission, "Stars of Distinction Award," 2006
• Award for Excellence, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, 2006
• Inspector in Charge Award,  United States Postal Inspection Service, 2003
• Federal Bar Association, Frank McGarr Award, 2002
• Cook County Crime Prevention Excellence in Law Enforcement Award, 2001

Professional Leadership

• Appointed Co-Chair of the ABA Criminal Justice Section White Collar Crime Committee, Antitrust Subcommittee, 2010 - 2012
• Illinois Reform Commission, General Counsel, 2009
• Northwestern University, Adjunct Professor of Law, 2008 - present
• Federal Bar Association, Chicago Chapter, Board of Directors, 2006 - 2010

Community Involvement

• Board of Immigration Appeals, Authored Appeals Brief, 2010
• Rotary Club, Past President

Related Employment

• U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois, Assistant U.S. Attorney, 1997 - 2008; Financial Fraud and Special Prosecutions Section, Chief, 2007 - 2008; Major Case Section, Deputy Chief, 2004 - 2006; Criminal Division, Attorney, 1997 - 2004
• U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of California, Criminal Division, Chief, 1995 - 1997; Supervisor, 1993 - 1995; Attorney, 1984 - 1993
• U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Wisconsin, Assistant U.S. Attorney, 1980 - 1984
• Chapman and Cutler, Municipal Finance Department, Chicago, Illinois, 1979 - 1980