Overview
Reid Weingarten is widely recognized as one of the nation's top white-collar criminal defense lawyers. Since 2013, Reid has been given the rare distinction of a "star" ranking by Chambers USA in both the Litigation: Trial Lawyers, Nationwide and Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations, DC categories. Chambers also presented him with its sole Award for Excellence in white-collar litigation. In 2011, The National Law Journal named him one of the "Most Influential Lawyers in White-Collar Defense" and selected him for its annual feature on "Winning." Who's Who Legal has named him "International Business Crime Defense Lawyer of the Year" for six consecutive years, noting in 2012 that he was the most highly regarded lawyer in its research and was variously described as "the dean of white-collar criminal defense," "DC's finest trial lawyer," and "utterly superb."
Reid works from Steptoe's Washington and New York offices, and has represented individuals and corporations in some of the most high-profile cases in the country. Prior to joining the firm, he served as a trial attorney for the Public Integrity Section of the US Department of Justice and as a deputy district attorney for Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
In addition, Reid is committed to his clients and to the community. He is the chairman and co-founder, along with former US Attorney General Eric Holder, of a non-profit program, See Forever Foundation, which is designed to assist juvenile offenders in rehabilitation to prevent recidivism.
- District of Columbia
- New York
- Supreme Court of the United States
- US District Court, District of Columbia
- US District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
- US Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, District of Columbia
- J.D., Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law, 1975
- Hague Academy of International Law, 1974
- B.S., Cornell University, 1971
Areas of Work
Representative Matters
Recent Representations
- Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Businessman, Richard Ireland
- Former Acclarent CEO, William Facteau
- Former Vice President of BP, David Rainey
- Former WorldCom CEO, Bernard Ebbers
- Former Enron Accounting Officer, Richard Causey
- Former General Counsel of Tyco, Mark Belnick
- Former CEO of Duane Reade, Anthony Cuti
- Former President of Monster.com, James Treacy
- Former CEO of Neteller, Gordon Herman
- Washington, DC Developer, Douglas Jemal
- Navy Quarterback, Lamar Owens
- Former CEO of Gen Re, Elizabeth Monrad
- Washington, DC Detective, Erick Brown
- The Republic of Kazakhstan
Select Prior Representations
- Former US Secretary of Commerce, Ronald Brown
- Former US Secretary of Agriculture, A. Michael Espy
- Former Teamsters President, Ronald Carey
- Former Chairman of the US House of Representatives Transportation Committee, Bud Shuster
- Yah Lin (Charlie) Trie and Pauline Kanchanalak (in connection with the Democratic National Committee fundraising investigations)
- Former Press Secretary to Henry Cisneros, John Rosales
- Managing Director and Head of Global Finance for Credit Suisse First Boston, William Brady
Select High-Profile Investigations
- Whitewater investigation
- Columbia HCA investigation
- Archer Daniels Midland investigation
- Drexel investigation
- Salomon Brothers investigation
- III Wind investigation
- BCCI investigation
- G.E./Israel investigation
- FDA/generic drug & tobacco investigation
- House Bank investigation
- Democratic National Convention Fundraising investigation
Speaking Engagements
- Getting to "Not Guilty" When the Public is Brandishing Pitchforks, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers 2017 White-Collar Seminar, September 14, 2017
- Giants of the Trial Bar: Handling High Profile Cases, New York City Bar Center for CLE, April 17, 2008
- Corporate Counsel Institute, Georgetown University Law Center, March 6-7, 2008
- Subpoenaing Sources: Lessons for the Libby Case, ABA Section Criminal Justice, October 18, 2007
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, American Conference Institute, March 27-28, 2007
- New Challenges, New Opportunities, Council of Institutional Investors, March 19, 2007
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, American Conference Institute, November 8-9, 2006
- National Institute on Securities Fraud, ABA Section Criminal Justice, September 28-29, 2006
- National Convention of the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy, June 16, 2006
- Defending the White Collar Case, Georgetown CLE and NACDL, September 22-23, 2005
News & Publications
Press Releases
Steptoe Practices and Attorneys Earn High Rankings in the Legal 500 United States 2025
June 11, 2025
Press Releases
The Washingtonian Recognizes Four Steptoe Attorneys on List of Washington, DC's Top Lawyers
January 9, 2025
Press Releases
Steptoe Wins “Most Important Case of the Year” at the Global Investigations Review Awards 2024
November 15, 2024
Media Mentions
June 2024
Noteworthy
- LMG Life Sciences, White-Collar & Government Investigations, United States (2023)
- National Law Journal, One of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America (2006, 2013)
- National Law Journal, One of the Most Influential Lawyers, White-Collar Defense (2011)
- Law360, White-Collar MVP (2015, 2017)
- Law360, Trial Ace (2015)
- Chambers USA, Star Individual, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations, DC (2012-2025)
- Chambers USA, Star Individual, Litigation: Trial Lawyers, Nationwide (2010-2025)
- Chambers USA, Award for Excellence in Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations, Winner (2012), Nominee (2011-2015, 2017)
- Chambers Global, Litigation: Trial Lawyers, US (2008-2021, 2026)
- Legal 500 US, Hall of Fame, Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense: Leading Trial Lawyer (2020-2025)
- Legal 500 US, Leading Lawyer, Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense (2008, 2012-2019)
- Legal 500 US, Leading Lawyer, Dispute Resolution: Trial Lawyers (2012-2019)
- Legal 500 US, Dispute Resolution: Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense (2019)
- Legal 500 US, Dispute Resolution: General Commercial Disputes (2018-2019)
- Legal 500 US, Dispute Resolution: International Litigation (2018-2019)
- Washingtonian magazine, Top DC Lawyers, Criminal Defense White-Collar (2011-2018, 2020, 2024)
- Best Lawyers in America, Bet-the-Company Litigation (2014-2022)
- Best Lawyers in America, White-Collar Criminal Defense (1993-2022)
- Super Lawyers, Washington, DC, "Top 100 Attorneys," White Collar (2007-2023)
- Who's Who Legal, Global Business Crime Defense Lawyer of the Year (2007-2012)
- Euromoney's Expert Guide to the Best of the Best USA (2009, 2011, 2013)
- Euromoney's Expert Guide to the World's Leading White Collar Crime Lawyers (2008, 2010, 2012, 2014)
- Best Lawyers in America, Washington, DC White-Collar Criminal Defense Lawyer of the Year (2010)
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, White-Collar (2011)
- Lawdragon 3000 Leading Lawyers in America (2011)
- Ethisphere’s Attorneys Who Matter for Traditional White Collar, Hall of Famer (2009)
- Legal Times, Leading Lawyer, Litigation (2003, 2006)
- Dickinson Law School, Career Achievement Award (2001)
- Special Counsel to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, "October Surprise" investigation (1992)
- Iran-Contra Affair, Associate Independent Counsel (1988)
- Special Prosecutor for the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Alaska (1988)
Professional Affiliations
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
- Co-founder, See Forever Foundation, juvenile offender aftercare program, 1995-present
- Council Member, American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section, 1996-1997
- Chairman, White Collar Crime Committee, American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section, 1992-1994