Nathaniel Edmonds

Nathaniel Edmonds

Partner
Washington, DC
About

Nathaniel Edmonds's practice focuses on global government-facing investigations, in particular, anti-corruption matters and the challenges arising from multi-jurisdictional investigations into complex economic crime. He also represents and advises companies on significant sanctions and export control matters before regulatory agencies, including the Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and the Department of State's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC).  Nathaniel has repeatedly supported companies with government-imposed corporate monitorships and compliance self-reporting.

In private practice and in public service, Nathaniel has personally investigated matters involving over 100 countries related to Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) matters before the US Department of Justice (DOJ), US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and many non-US enforcement agencies.  As a former supervisor of the FCPA Unit of the Fraud Section in the Criminal Division of DOJ, he was involved in the supervision of all FCPA cases in the US and was one of the principal drafters of the first edition of "A Resource Guide to the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act." Nathaniel also works extensively in anti-corruption compliance risk assessments and due diligence, as well as in developing and overseeing compliance programs.  

During his nearly 10 years as a federal white-collar prosecutor, Nathaniel handled numerous complex economic criminal investigations and jury trials, including the FCPA and export control-related conviction of a major aerospace and defense contractor, the fraud and domestic corruption matters associated with a lobbyist, and numerous accounting and securities fraud matters.  

 
Areas of FocusLitigation, Arbitration and InvestigationsCorporate and Securities DisputesWhite Collar and Corporate CrimeRegulatory and Government AffairsInternational ArbitrationAerospace and DefenseAnti-Corruption and the Foreign Corrupt Practices ActAnti-Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism Compliance and EnforcementComplianceGlobal Enforcement and Asset RecoveryIndustrialsLife SciencesNational Security and Global TradeSecurities Enforcement and Regulation
Bar admissionsIllinoisDistrict of Columbia
CourtsUnited States District Court for the District of ColumbiaUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fourth CircuitSupreme Court of the United States

EXPERIENCE

  • Represented a European aerospace and defense company before the DOJ with allegations of bribery and export control violations; the multi-year engagement resulted in a favorable deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) for the company as part of the coordinated anti-corruption resolution with UK and French criminal enforcement authorities, and continued with the successful completion of investigation and compliance DPA obligations
  • Represented a US company under the FCPA pilot program, resulting in a DOJ declination with disgorgement and conditional non-debarment from the World Bank
  • Represented multinational companies in regulatory investigations before the Bureau of Industry and Security for potential violations of the Export Administration Regulations, Office of Foreign Assets Control for potential violations of sanctions law, and the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls for potential violations of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations
  • Represented a Fortune 20 company before the DOJ and the SEC in an FCPA investigation, resulting in declinations from both government agencies
  • Represented a Chinese joint venture before the DOJ and SEC in an FCPA investigation, resulting in declinations from both government agencies
  • Represented a South American company regarding enhancements to its anti-corruption compliance programs, interactions with an independent compliance monitor, and compliance self-reporting as required as part of DOJ and SEC FCPA resolutions
  • Prepared an expert witness report regarding the financial impact of an FCPA investigation and compliance failures
  • Conducted anti-corruption risk assessments for US and non-US companies to identify gaps in anti-corruption, sanctions and export control compliance programs and appropriate enhancements to minimize future risk
  • Provided FCPA legal advice and anti-corruption compliance counseling to leading Fortune 100 and Global 500 multinational corporations, including financial services, consumer products, technology, real estate, life science, aerospace, and defense companies
  • Conducted third party and transactional due diligence on multiple continents for numerous private equity funds, financial institutions, and companies
 

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Chambers USA

  • Band 3, Nationwide FCPA , (2019 – 2025)
  • Band 4, Nationwide FCPA , (2017 – 2018)

Chambers Global

  • Band 3, USA FCPA, (2020 – 2026)
  • Band 4, USA FCPA, (2018 – 2019)
Additional Recognitions
  • Named, FCPA Attorneys that Matter, Private Practice, Ethisphere, (2014)
  • Named, FCPA Attorneys that Matter, Government Stars, Ethisphere, (2012)
  • Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service, US Department of Justice, (2011)
  • Attorney General's Award for Fraud Prevention, US Department of Justice, (2010)
  • Burton Award for Distinguished Legal Writing, (2014)
 
Education

  • J.D., University of Chicago Law School

    cum laude

    Order of the Coif

  • A.B., Princeton University

Publications and media

 

Clerk Experience

  • Judicial Clerk, Judge Milton E. Shadur, US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Prior Experience

Prior to joining DLA Piper, Nathaniel spent 12 years at a major multi-national law firm where he was Chair of the Litigation Department in Washington, DC.  Nathaniel was the Assistant Chief of the FCPA Unit at the DOJ, Criminal Division, Fraud Section and joined DOJ section in 2003 through the Attorney General's honors program. He was also a member of the US delegations to numerous international anti-corruption organizations, including the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's Working Group on Bribery and the US-China Joint Liaison Anti-Corruption Working Group. 

Nathaniel previously clerked for Judge Milton Shadur on the Northern District of Illinois. 

 

Teaching Experience

  • Adjunct Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law Center

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Board of Directors, Mathcounts Foundation

My latest insights

Publication

White House Announces National Fraud Enforcement Division: Top Points

3 April 2026

Publication
facade with balconies

US–French coordination in anti-corruption enforcement: Takeaways from the Balt global...

23 March 2026

Publication
Building

DOJ announces its first Department-wide Corporate Enforcement Policy: What companies need...

12 March 2026

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Phone

+1 202 799 4823
(Work, Washington D.C.)