Lowenstein Sandler has announced that Robert A. Johnston, Jr. has joined the firm as partner in its White Collar Defense group. He will be based in the New York office.
Johnston’s practice includes investigations, regulatory counseling, pre- and post-transaction due diligence and monitoring, and compliance monitorships, with a special focus on representing private fund managers and portfolio companies and advising on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), anti-money laundering (AML), and trade sanctions compliance. His previous experience includes investigations and compliance projects in over 30 countries across six continents and matters involving the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commissions, and other state and local regulatory bodies, across a wide range of sectors, including technology, life sciences, consumer and retail, and financial services and private equity.
Prior to joining Lowenstein, Johnston held several compliance and legal roles at Sculptor Capital Management, formerly known as Och-Ziff Capital Management, one of the world’s largest publicly traded institutional alternative asset managers. Most recently, he served as Sculptor’s Managing Director and General Counsel-Asia; previously, he served as Deputy Chief Compliance Officer. During his five years at Sculptor, he developed an industry-leading FCPA and AML compliance program that included the implementation of numerous proprietary, web-based, technological solutions and controls.
“Rob’s deep experience with portfolio company anti-corruption due diligence reviews will bridge many of our practice areas, from Global Trade & Policy and Private Equity to Litigation and Corporate Investigations & Integrity. His unique combination of skills will provide our clients with a truly holistic approach to global compliance,” says Michael B. Himmel, Chair of the firm’s White Collar Defense practice.
Johnston says, “I was looking for a firm that was strong in both investment management and white collar defense. Not many firms do both well, but Lowenstein does. In addition, the partnership shares my entrepreneurial spirit and my goal of building something really special, and it has a culture that emphasizes cross-collaboration instead of siloed practices.”
Before Sculptor, Johnston practiced securities litigation at Jones Day with a focus on internal investigations, white collar criminal defense, compliance advice, and M&A due diligence. He spent one year in the firm’s Shanghai office, where he acted on behalf of multinational corporations investigating allegations of bribery, corruption, and fraud in their Chinese and East Asian operations. He has experience with investigations on behalf of U.S. and foreign companies into alleged violations of AML, FCPA, OFAC, and RICO; accounting fraud; securities fraud; procurement fraud; vendor fraud; illegal gratuities; tax evasion; and employee embezzlement and misconduct throughout the world.
Earlier in his career, Johnston was associated with DLA Piper. Fluent in French and Spanish, he received his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and his B.A. from Georgetown University.
About Lowenstein Sandler LLP
Lowenstein Sandler is a national law firm with over 350 lawyers based in New York, Palo Alto, New Jersey, Utah, and Washington, D.C. The firm represents leaders in virtually every sector of the global economy, with particular emphasis on investment funds, life sciences, and technology. Recognized for its entrepreneurial spirit and high standard of client service, the firm is committed to the interests of its clients, colleagues, and communities.
Contact(s):
Stephen J. Kimmerling
Director, Marketing Communications
Lowenstein Sandler LLP
T: +1 973.597.6176
E: skimmerling@lowenstein.com
