Stephen G. Huggard represents businesses and individuals in criminal and complex civil litigation, with a focus on white collar criminal defense. He is experienced at conducting complex internal investigations, both in the United States and overseas. He regularly represents clients before the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Justice.
After 17 years as a prosecutor with the Department of Justice, Mr. Huggard applies his considerable experience to assisting corporations and executives with any government inquiries or internal investigations. Before joining the firm, Mr. Huggard served for four years as Chief of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts, overseeing some of the most complex investigations in the office. He was one of the few Assistant United States Attorneys in Boston selected to work around the clock investigating the attacks of September 11. He also headed the federal inquiry into the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal. Prior to becoming Chief, Steve was part of the Economic Crimes Unit, where he prosecuted complex tax, health care fraud and investment fraud cases.
Mr. Huggard has been a frequent lecturer at the Department of Justice, IRS, and privately sponsored training seminars on the subjects of excise tax fraud, health care fraud, and financial prosecutions generally. He also has been a guest lecturer for the American Bar Association, Suffolk University Law School, Harvard Law School, the New England Institute of Law Enforcement, and the National Advocacy Center. He has spoken several times at the Boston Bar Association, and co-chaired a Boston Bar Association seminar on Criminal Tax Cases, entitled "Tax Fraud Matters - Criminal and Civil Practice Pointers." Mr. Huggard has been named a 2008
Massachusetts Super Lawyer by
Law & Politics magazine.
Notable Experience
- Represented several publicly traded companies, Board Committees and individual Directors in stock option back-dating investigations by the Department of Justice and the S.E.C.
- Conducted internal investigations in China and Japan.
- Advised publicly traded company regarding FCPA issues and training in China.
- Conducted internal investigation into revenue recognition practices of publicly-traded company.
- Represented multiple universities regarding Attorney General investigations into lending practices.
- Represented the former CFO of a large hospital in an indicted matter.
- Represented several wholesalers in market-timing investigation.
- Represented several brokers in gifts and gratuities investigation.
- Represented pharmaceutical executives before a federal grand jury.
- Represented targets and witnesses in criminal tax investigations.
- Advised the Board of a medical device company as to compliance issues.
- Experienced in various federal courts and before the S.E.C. and NASD.
Other Distinctions
Named one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in the field of white collar litigation.
Received the Department of Justice Award for Corporate Asset Forfeiture 2004, was the recipient of the Tax Division Outstanding Attorney Award for 1990, 1992, and 1996. He received the Attorney General letter of commendation in 1992 for work against organized crime elements in New York.
Recent Speaking Engagements and Publications
- "The FCPA & Doing Business Internationally: Compliant or Complaint," speaker, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge and the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Greater New York Chapter, New York, June 26, 2008.
- "Voluntary Disclosure to the IRS: A Viable Option," Journal of Accountancy, March 2008.
- "Did the SEC Just Immunize Your Client? Economic Coercion Under Stein," co-author, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge, February 12, 2008.
- Speaker at Dealing with the New Realities of the Public Finance Market seminar presented by Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP, Boston, Massachusetts, February 7, 2008.
- SEC Practice & Investigations: Views from Inside the SEC, Outside Counsel and Into the Future, panelist, Boston, Massachusetts, February 6, 2008.
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act - Is Your Company at Risk, panelist, Boston, Massachusetts, November 15, 2007.
- Moderator at Don't Look Back: Stock Option Dating and Investigations 2007 seminar presented by the Criminal Law Section of the Boston Bar Association, February 7, 2007.
- "Our Money or Your Job," co-author, SumNews, Spring 2006.
- "Corporate FCPA Compliance Programs: A Necessity In Today's Aggressive Enforcement Environment," co-author, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP Client Advisory, March 28, 2006.
- "Discovery more difficult and more vital in tech-enabled companies," Mass High Tech, February 6, 2006.