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September 02, 2020 - MoFo Diversity

Meet MoFo’s Investigations + White-Collar Defense Lawyers: Monica Chan

Meet MoFo’s Investigations + White-Collar Defense Lawyers: Monica Chan

Monica Chan is a litigation associate in MoFo’s New York office. Her practice focuses on securities litigation and investigations, representing clients in both internal and government‑facing investigations before the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the New York State Attorney General’s Office in response to allegations of accounting fraud, corruption, and bribery.

Monica’s experience includes advising numerous clients on their compliance programs and matters relating to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. She has also represented public companies and their officers and directors in securities class actions and shareholder demands.

Prior to joining MoFo, Monica practiced at an AmLaw 100 firm. In addition to earning her J.D. with honors from University of Chicago Law School, she received her B.A., cum laude, in psychology with a minor in computer science and legal studies from the University of Rochester. She is also fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese

What was it that initially drew you to this area of law?

I was initially interested in investigations because practically every matter requires me to learn something new pertaining to the client’s work, whether it be the pharmaceutical industry, accounting practices, or the construction industry. I like that investigations do not follow a predictable pattern, and each investigation can branch off and evolve in different directions depending on the findings.

Do you have any examples of interesting work you’ve performed in this space?

I worked on an individual representation of someone who was facing potential price-fixing criminal charges in connection with his work in the pharmaceutical industry and not only learned a lot about the pharmaceutical industry, but also about the client himself. We were able figure out the client’s strengths and weaknesses in prepping him for proffers with the government and eventually obtained a non-prosecution letter for him.

Do you have any advice for the next generation of aspiring diverse lawyers who might be interested in the field?

I think it is important to figure out an asset that you can uniquely bring to the table because of your background. For instance, a second language can come in handy in investigations, such as for FCPA matters that reach beyond the United States. I am fluent in Chinese and have in the past been asked to work on investigations involving Chinese and other foreign languages.

Learn more about MoFo’s commitment to the recruitment, retention, and advancement of diverse attorneys here.