Businesses, trade associations, and individuals have turned to Steptoe's congressional oversight and investigations team for decades. The firm has one of the premier Washington practices in this field, drawing on our depth of experience with high-profile matters, our substantive knowledge, our political acumen, and our understanding of congressional process. We are a go-to firm for everything from responding to an initial investigatory letter to preparing and defending our clients in nationally televised hearings. In many instances, our success involves keeping our clients out of the congressional eye altogether.
Our team includes lawyers and advisors with deep roots in the House and Senate. This invaluable background means that our professionals are not only experienced in responding to congressional demands, but many also led or orchestrated such inquiries while serving on Capitol Hill. To further inform our counsel, the partnership also includes former senior officials from many government departments and agencies, including the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and others.
We have served clients involved in investigations stemming from virtually every industry, including financial services and insurance, health care, telecommunications and the Internet, manufacturing, international trade, banking, energy and environment, food and drug, and other consumer products and services. We are actively engaged in a number of representations with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Steptoe calibrates its approach to congressional oversight and investigations much like litigation. We master the facts and work with our clients to ensure that their businesses and reputations are protected in whatever proceedings ensue. At the same time, our lawyers are adept at working out solutions, even as we maintain our tenacity in protecting our clients' interests. The firm's deep bench and our experience in both civil litigation and white-collar criminal defense allow the firm to orchestrate a coordinated response to any parallel proceedings, such as enforcement actions.
Our clients benefit from the fact that we also represent businesses, trade associations, and individual clients on Capitol Hill on legislative matters on a day-to-day basis. Our portfolio includes representations before all of the major committees in the House and Senate. We counsel clients regarding legislative policy and procedure, advocate before the House and Senate, draft legislation and amendments, and work in all other facets of the legislative process. Those representations mean that we are in constant and close contact with the members and staff who are most heavily involved in oversight and investigations matters even when a client is not the subject of an inquiry.
Noteworthy
- Chambers USA, Congressional Oversight & Investigations (2022)
Representative Matters
We have represented clients in all the major investigatory committees of the House and Senate, including: House Energy and Commerce; House Ethics/Office of Congressional Ethics; House Financial Services; House Oversight and Reform; House Science, Space and Technology; House Ways and Means; Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation; Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs/Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations; and, Senate Judiciary.
Some of our more prominent engagements include:
- Representing major corporations with respect to various aspects of COVID-19 response, including health and travel insurance matters, before the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Oversight and Reform Committee.
- Represented foremost social media company in various Senate and House oversight hearings, including appearances by the company founder.
- Represented investor-owned utilities in a House Energy and Commerce Committee investigation of Clean Air Act policy implementation.
- Represented prominent health care insurers with respect to regulation under the Affordable Care Act before the House Ways and Means Committee.
- Represented high-ranking officials of the Trump Administration with respect to implementation of environmental policy before House Science Committee and the US Environmental Protection Agency's Inspector General.
- Represented the nation's largest pharmaceutical distribution company in a high-profile House Energy and Commerce Committee opioid investigation.
- Represented leading nuclear energy company in a House Oversight and Reform Committee investigation of technology transfers.
- Represented an internet security company before the Senate Commerce Committee with respect to its involvement in a major consumer data breach.
- Represented an online ticket marketer in a House Energy and Commerce investigation of its industry.
News & Publications
Media Mentions
The American Tax Policy Institute Submits US Supreme Court Amicus Brief in Moore v. United States
October 12, 2023
Media Mentions
February 27, 2023
Media Mentions
Axios Quotes Jim Barnette in "Corporate America lawyers up in anticipation of GOP House"
October 27, 2022
Media Mentions
CNBC Quotes Reid Weingarten on Uptick in Enforcement in Biden Administration
February 5, 2021
Events
Webinars
Quarterly Investigations & Enforcement Update Webinar
May 1, 2024
Speakers: Jason Abel, Iris E. Bennett, Christopher R. Conte, Amba M. Datta, Stacie R. Hartman, Patrick F. Linehan, Lucinda A. Low, Michael Campion Miller, Zoe Osborne, Wendy Wysong
Webinars
Investigations & Enforcement Webinar Series
October 19, 2023
Speakers: Andrew C. Adams, Jason Abel, Iris E. Bennett, Christopher R. Conte, Stacie R. Hartman, Patrick F. Linehan, Lucinda A. Low, John J. Kavanagh, Zoe Osborne, Wendy Wysong
Webinars
Investigations & Enforcement Webinar Series
July 27, 2023
Speakers: Jason Abel, Lee Berger, Christopher R. Conte, Amba M. Datta, Stacie R. Hartman, Patrick F. Linehan, Lucinda A. Low, Cáitrín McKiernan, Michael Campion Miller, Zoe Osborne, Wendy Wysong
Webinars
Investigations & Enforcement Webinar Series
April 27, 2023
Speakers: Jason Abel, Christopher R. Conte, Amba M. Datta, Stacie R. Hartman, John J. Kavanagh, Michael Campion Miller, Zoe Osborne, Wendy Wysong
Webinars
Investigations & Enforcement Webinar Series
July 28, 2022
Speakers: Jason Abel, Iris E. Bennett, Amba M. Datta, Coy Garrison, Lucinda A. Low, Michael Campion Miller, Zoe Osborne, Wendy Wysong
Webinars
Investigations & Enforcement Webinar Series
April 21, 2022
Speakers: Iris E. Bennett, Christopher R. Conte, Stacie R. Hartman, Paul R. Hurst, Lucinda A. Low, Alexandra Melia, Michael Campion Miller, Wendy Wysong, Rachel B. Peck
Webinars
Investigations & Enforcement Webinar Series
January 27, 2022
Speakers: Jason Abel, Iris E. Bennett, Christopher R. Conte, Stacie R. Hartman, Paul R. Hurst, Patrick F. Linehan, Lucinda A. Low, Michael Campion Miller, Zoe Osborne, Wendy Wysong
Webinars
Investigations & Enforcement Webinar Series
July 21, 2021
Speakers: Jason Abel, Christopher R. Conte, Stacie R. Hartman, Patrick F. Linehan, Lucinda A. Low, Michael Campion Miller, Zoe Osborne, David M. Stetson, Wendy Wysong
Webinars
Investigations & Enforcement Webinar Series
May 12, 2021
Speakers: Jason Abel, Christopher R. Conte, Stacie R. Hartman, Paul R. Hurst, Patrick F. Linehan, Lucinda A. Low, Michael Campion Miller, Zoe Osborne, Wendy Wysong
Webinars
Investigations & Enforcement Webinar Series
February 25, 2021
Speakers: Jason Abel, Christopher R. Conte, Paul R. Hurst, Patrick F. Linehan, Lucinda A. Low, Michael Campion Miller, Zoe Osborne, Wendy Wysong