Shawn M. Wright is a litigator who concentrates her practice in the area of white collar criminal defense, with a specific focus on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) and international anti-corruption laws; criminal antitrust; public corruption; congressional investigations; government contracts matters including False Claims Act litigation; and complex civil litigation matters. She represents corporations, boards of directors, and corporate executives in a wide range of internal and government investigations, audits and risk assessments, parallel proceedings, and complex commercial litigation. She regularly appears before enforcement agencies and bodies such as the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”), Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and other regulatory authorities.
Shawn’s practice includes internal compliance program development for the FCPA, including establishing workplace compliance policies and procedures, due diligence in mergers and acquisitions, as well as post acquisition integration, procedures and protocols for third-party relationships, risk assessments, gap analysis and audits of ABAC compliance programs, and other transactions. She also conducts internal investigations and provides counsel on violations of the Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”).
Additionally, she represents companies and nonprofit organizations and their boards of directors in various matters involving corporate governance, compliance, and internal controls issues. She serves as outside counsel for several nonprofit organizations. As a litigator, Shawn has represented individuals and corporations in state and federal courts throughout the country on a variety of criminal and civil matters.
Outside the Firm
Shawn is Chair of the Board of Directors for My Sister’s Place, one of the oldest domestic violence shelters in the District of Columbia, and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. She is a tutor and mentor to diverse women law students and law firm associates, and an enthusiastic football and basketball fan, both professional and collegiate.
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Professional Activities
Shawn is currently an independent director for the National Capital Bank of Washington, the oldest community bank in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. She serves on both the Audit and Corporate Governance Committees. She is also on the Board of Directors of D.C. Legal Aid Society, serving on the Nominating Committee. Shawn previously served as chair for the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights , and currently serves as a Commissioner for the Maryland State Racing Commission. Additionally, Shawn serves on the Board of Directors of The Economic Club of Washington, D.C. and is a member of the finance committee. She maintains active membership in various bar associations, currently serving as the Vice Chair of the National Bar Association Division – Minority Partners in Majority Firms, Secretary of the D.C. Chapter of the Women White Collar Defense Association, the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics, and the Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals. She is also a member of the William Bryant Inn of Court.
