In the tried-and-true tradition of blogs everywhere, here’s a list of the top 10 most-read posts on Grand Jury Target. Some were a surprise to me, others not so much. Hot topics: taint teams, search warrants and the Yates Memo. Plus, statutes of limitation. Who knew?
Without further ado:
- White Collar Crime Resource Guide: Statute of Limitations. This one is always at the top of the list in my analytics on WordPress. I doubt it’s read by many of my regular readers, given how basic the information is. It’s proof that even with zero knowledge of SEO, a post can still get a lot of hits.
- First-Ever Case Against Chief Compliance Officer For Failure To Implement Anti-Money Laundering Program at MoneyGram. This one is no surprise. It’s a big deal with the government goes after a new type of corporate executive. DOJ just hired its first compliance officer; that too should make compliance officers everywhere just a little bit nervous.
- When the Good Wife Faces Criminal Forfeiture: The Government’s Efforts to Seize a Spouse’s Assets after Conviction. Maybe it was the good click-bait title? Maybe it’s because criminal forfeiture is a topic every criminal lawyer needs to understand?
- Marge Would Not Be Happy: The Simpsons’ Former Executive Producer Indicted for Fraud. This is a post from mid-2014, so it surprised me to see it as #4. However, the subject of the post (David Pritchard) was sentenced in February 2015 to five years in prison. That may have led to renewed interest in the post.
- Corporate Kickback Charges That Involve Private Jets, A “Gentleman’s Club” and Marketing for Pharmaceutical Companies. Another old one–this time from October 2013, when NO ONE was reading my brand-new blog (except you, mom, thanks!). Michael Mitrow, Jr. was sentenced in October 2015 to 42 months in prison.
- Tax Fraud Case Against Investment Company Executives, Are the Clients the Next Targets? This post is from June 2013 when even my my mom wasn’t reading the blog. The two defendants pleaded guilty to one count in August 2015.
- When a 20-Month Prison Sentence Goes in the “Win” Column. This was always one of my favorite posts because it highlights what really counts as a “victory” when you practice white collar defense work. it was a pleasant surprise to see that my readers agree.
- These Defendants Are Asking For a Taint Team. Why? Taint teams are a hot topic and so are search warrants in white-collar cases. So it’s no surprise to me that a lot of folks were interested in reading this post. I’ve written a longer piece about this topic (with an update in the works–stay tuned).
- Yates Memo Watch – The First Casualty. This one surprised me. Not because it’s not a topic of interest (it is) but because every law firm wrote about it. Still, it’s a key white collar development this year.
- White-Collar Crime Resource Guide: What is a Grand Jury Target? Just slipping into the list at #10 is another Resource Guide, this time answering the question, what is a grand jury target?
I’d be remiss if I didn’t add a few of my personal favorites here, even if they didn’t make the top 10 list. If you are in the office, looking for a few minutes to waste before diving back into your work, here are a few interesting posts, IMHO.
- An Appeals Court Finally Takes a Practical Approach to Sentencing in Government Contracting Case (and an Interesting 4th Amendment Issue). This may be a very important case for sentencing in government fraud cases. It’s also a decision that makes sense.
- SDNY Limits a Corporate Executive’s Ability to Use the Advice-of-Counsel Defense. This is a crucial defense in some white collar cases, particularly for individual defendants. The SDNY made it much harder to use. It’s not a surprising decision, but it offers a serious roadblock to those of us who defend individuals rather than companies. Combined with the Yates memo, this decision makes it tough to be in cooperative joint defense groups.
- Will the New DOJ Policy End Joint Defense Agreements? Speaking of the Yates memo, my post on its effect on joint defense groups is here, too.
- First, We’ll Blame the Lawyers: Second Circuit Grants New Trial in Remarkable Jury Taint Case. The facts of this one are just so fascinating, hit very close to home given the judgment calls we all make during a fast-moving trial. Plus, it was a close call for the lawyers with a happy ending.
- A Brady Win for a Defendant–Finally (and Some Tips to Get Brady Material). Brady is always an important issue. It’s nice to read about a win for a change. End 2015 on a positive note.
Happy New Year, everyone!