Brigida Benitez

Investigations

• Conducted independent investigation for special litigation committee of the board of directors of a public biopharmaceutical company involving allegations of financial misstatements, channel stuffing, violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, retaliation, and other health care-related issues.
• Conducted investigation for public company involving allegations of improper accounting practices.
• Conducted investigation for multinational extractive company of alleged FCPA violations and commercial fraud in South America. Conducted all witness interviews in Spanish.
• Conducted investigation for multinational security company of alleged bribery by local partner in Middle East and South Asia.
• Conducted investigation for Mexican subsidiary of multinational financial institution regarding FCPA and related fraud issues. Conducted all witness interviews in Spanish.
• Conducted investigation of multinational corporation's operating companies in Argentina and Brazil involving alleged FCPA violations. Conducted all witness interviews in Argentina in Spanish.
• Conducted investigation for international financial institution relating to employee misconduct and ethics issues.
• Conducted investigation for large research institution in connection with claims of employee misconduct. 
• Conducted internal review of admissions practices for large private university and recommendations for revisions to existing policies.

World Bank / IFI Sanctions Proceedings

• Represented international development firm in sanctions proceeding initiated by the World Bank’s Integrity Vice Presidency, which investigated and charged the firm with corruption in a World Bank-funded project. Sanctions and Debarment Officer recommended a six-year public debarment. Litigated charges and successfully argued case to World Bank Sanctions Board, which dismissed case and terminated sanctions proceedings, a rare outcome in these cases.
• Represented Japanese engineering company in World Bank investigation and sanctions proceeding involving allegations of fraud in projects in Asia and Latin America. Successfully argued case to World Bank Sanctions Board, resulting in a conditional non-debarment, allowing company to remain eligible for World Bank contracts.
• Represented South Asian technology company in enforcement and debarment proceeding involving allegations of fraud, collusion, and corruption before World Bank Sanctions Board.
• Represented Latin American audit firm in enforcement and debarment proceeding involving allegations of fraud before World Bank Sanctions Board.
• Represented former CEO of US company in enforcement and debarment proceeding involving allegations of corruption and fraud before IDB Sanctions Committee.
• Represented Spanish engineering company in enforcement and debarment proceeding involving allegations of fraud and obstruction before the World Bank Sanctions Board.
• Represented Chinese construction company in sanctions proceeding initiated by the Asian Development Bank, successfully negotiating a Resolution Agreement with the Office of Anti-Corruption and Integrity.

• "Corporate Enforcement Priorities for Your Neighbor to the North: the Implications of Recent Developments in U.S. Anti-Corruption, Sanctions, and National Security Policy for Companies in Mexico," Private Program, Steptoe and Sanchez-DeVanny (Monterrey), May 16, 2024
• "US Government Enforcement Priorities and Policy Developments," International Chamber of Commerce México, February 28, 2024
• "Compensation Clawbacks in Practice: Legal and Compliance Experts Discuss the Real-Life Aftermath and New Lessons Learned," ACI's 17th Forum on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Houston, January 24, 2024
• "Navigating the High-Profile investigation," Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers 2023 White Collar Practice Seminar, November 16-17, 2023
• "Latinas and the Path to Partnership," Hispanic National Bar Association's Region V, March 14, 2023
• Keynote speaker, ABA International Law Section Fall Conference, Madrid, Spain, September 2022
• Panelist, "Risky Business: Avoiding Ethical Pitfalls in Lateral Hiring," ABA Business Law Section Annual Meeting, September 2022
• "The New Face of Enforcement in Latin America," ACI’s 38^thInternational Conference on FCPA, Washington, DC, December 1, 2021
• "Best Practices for Managing Anti-Bribery and Corruption Considerations in M&A," Lex Mundi Webinar, September 14, 2021
• "World Bank Fraud and Corruption Investigations," Keynote Address to New York Chapter of Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, February 24, 2021
• "Anticorruption Compliance in LATAM: Perspectives and Best Practices," Houston Bar Association International Law Section, February 11, 2021
• "Women and Diversity: Trends, Issues and Challenges in the Legal Profession," DC Bar Corporation, Finance and Securities Law Community Forum, Washington, DC, February 4, 2021
• "Special Interview with the FBI," ACI's Forum on the FCPA Houston, Houston, TX, January 30, 2020
• "Multinational Corporate Investigations," ABA Business Law Section Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, September 13, 2019
• Moderator, "What to Do If Your Third Parties Are Under Suspicion: How Multinationals are Tackling More Regional Enforcement, Scandals and Legislation," ACI's 35th International Conference on FCPA, Oxon Hill, MD, November 28, 2018
• "Global Cyber Security and Data Privacy - A Look at GDPR, Managing an International Privacy Program and Cross-Border Data Transfers," ABA Business Law Section Annual Meeting, Austin, TX, September 14, 2018
• Moderator, "Fellows at the Top: A Conversation with Current and Former Presidents of Diversity Organizations," 7th Annual LCLD Fellows Alumni Leadership Symposium, Los Angeles, CA, June 22, 2018
• "International Regulation and its Impact in Chile – Corruption, Anti-Money Laundering and Fraud," Santiago, Chile, April, 2018
• "Anti-Money Laundering, Counter-Terrorist Financing, Anti-Financial Crime US and Global Developments Update 2018," ABA Business Law Section Spring Meeting, Orlando, FL, April, 2018
• "Deconstructing the Myth of 'Machismo': Latin America's Leadership in Gender Equality," ABA Section of International Law Fall Meeting, Miami, FL, October 27, 2017
• Moderator, "'Brexiting' the UK Bribery Act and Trumping Up the FCPA: A Review of Current Administrations' Effects on Anti-Corruption Laws," ABA Business Law Section Meeting, Chicago, IL, September 14, 2017
• "Anti-Money Laundering Developments for Money Managers," ABA Business Law Section Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April, 2017
• "When Third Party Risks Warrant Walking Away - Red-Flag Scenarios and Interactive Discussions on Agents, Distributors and Intermediaries," Andean Summit on Anti-Corruption Compliance and Enforcement, Bogotá, Colombia, November 16, 2016
• "The Different Faces of Corruption," ACI's West Coast FCPA Enforcement & Compliance Conference, San Francisco, CA, October 18, 2016
• "Has the International Olympic Committee Risen Above Corruption?," Maryland Journal of International Law Corruption in International Sports Symposium, Baltimore, MD, October, 2016
• "International Money Laundering Developments," International Bar Association Transnational Crime Conference, Panama City, Panama, May 12, 2016
• "Spotlight on Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico," ACI's 5th Global Forum on Anti-Corruption Compliance in High Risk Markets, Washington, DC, July 16, 2014
• "Global Corruption and Bribery Risk," Global Strategic and Enterprise Risk Management Conference, New York, NY, June 5, 2014
• "Foreign Corrupt Practices: The Comparative Treatment in Brazil and the United States," Latin America Conference Hosted by US Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, Miami, FL, May 1, 2014
• "Bribery and Corruption: Compliance and Enforcement Issues in Emerging Markets," International Bar Association Transnational Crime Conference, Istanbul, Turkey, April 3, 2014
• "Corruption Risk," The Conference Board, Managing Global Risk and Reputation to Your Company’s Advantage Seminar, New York, NY, December 11, 2013
• "Best Practices on How to Conduct an Internal Investigation," Corporate Counsel Women of Color Career Strategies Conference, Washington, DC, September 25, 2013
• "From a Culture of Corruption to a Culture of Compliance: Ensuring That Employees Are Engaged and Vested in Your Local Compliance Programs," Fourth Global Forum on Anti-Corruption, Washington, DC, July, 2013
• "Doing Business With Multilateral Development Banks," American University Washington College of Law, US and International Anti-Corruption Law Summer Program, Washington, DC, June 2013

Legal Directories

• Global Investigations Review, "Women in Investigations: One Hundred Investigation Specialists From Around the World" (2018)
• Super Lawyers, Washington, DC, Litigation (2010, 2013-2021)
• Legal 500 Latin America: International Firms, Compliance and Investigations (2024)
• Legal 500 US, Dispute Resolution: General commercial disputes (2018)
• Legal 500 US, Litigation: International Trade (2013)
• Latinvex, Top 100 Female Lawyers (2016-2017)
• Latino Leaders Magazine, Top Latino Lawyers (2017, 2021-2022)
• Latino Leaders Magazine, 25 Most Influential Hispanic Lawyers (2015)
• Hispanic Business Magazine, 100 Most Influential US Hispanics (2016)
• Best Lawyers in America, Employment Law: Management (2013-2022)
• Washingtonian magazine, "Top 40 Lawyers Under 40" (2006)

Awards and Recognitions

• Quoted, "Trump's many civil cases won’t stop just because he's president. Here's what to know," CNN Politics, December 19, 2024
• National Pre-Law Diversity Initiatives, Inc, Diversity Champion Award (2017)
• Women's Bar Association of DC, Star of the Bar Award (2012) 
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund Alumni Hall of Fame, Brillante Award (2011)
• Hispanic National Bar Association, "Latina Lawyer of the Year" (2006)
• Boston College Law School, 75th Anniversary Alumni Award (2006)
• Hispanic Bar Association of DC, Latina Leader Award (2008)
• Hispanic Business Magazine, "Woman of the Year" (2005)
• Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund,  Excellence in the Legal Profession Award, (2005)
• DC Bar Best Bar Project (2005)

• Inter-American Development Bank, Chief, Office of Institutional Integrity (2010-2012)
• Georgetown University Law Center, Adjunct Professor (2011-2022)

• Past President, DC Bar
• Member, American Law Institute
• Fellow, American Bar Foundation
• Board Member, Tahirih Justice Center; Chair, Audit Committee
• Council Member, Business Law Section, American Bar Association; Former Chair, International Business Law Committee
• Member, International Women's Forum of DC
• Member, Women's White Collar Defense Association
• Former Commissioner, American Bar Association Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession
• Past President, Hispanic Bar Association of DC
• Former National Vice-President for External Relations, Hispanic National Bar Association
• Former Board Member, International Women’s Forum of DC
• Former Member, US District Court for the District of Columbia Grievance Committee
• Former Member, DC Circuit Judicial Conference Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services
• Former Member, Hearing Committee, DC Board on Professional Responsibility