Overview
(January 14, 2025, Washington, DC) — Steptoe LLP has expanded its Investigations and White-Collar Defense and Government Affairs and Public Policy practices with the addition of Claire Rajan. Claire, previously the head of A&O Shearman's Political Law Group and partner in its Investigations & White-Collar Group, joins Steptoe as a partner in Washington, DC.
With her primary focus on anti-corruption law, including U.S. political law as well as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), Claire’s experience includes litigation, federal and state government investigations, internal investigations, transactional due diligence, and compliance risk assessments.
Her cross-border practice includes representing multinational corporate clients in government-facing, multi-lateral development bank, and internal investigations relating to corruption, fraud, sanctions, anti-competitive behavior, and procurement misconduct. Claire has extensive experience evaluating and enhancing corporate compliance programs, including advising clients during and after FCPA investigations to remediate and comply with self-reporting obligations.
Claire represents clients across various sectors, including technology, media, energy and infrastructure, financial services, life sciences, real estate, and consumer goods.
"We are thrilled to welcome Claire to the Steptoe team. As political law compliance and government-facing investigations become increasingly complex, Claire's extensive experience and sharp legal acumen will be invaluable in helping clients navigate the challenges," said firm chair Gwen Renigar.
The addition follows another group of recent high-profile hires by Steptoe in its expanding Investigations and White-Collar Defense and Government Affairs and Public Policy groups, including Cáitrín McKiernan, Sandra Hanna, Atlantic Counsel, Middle East Institute, and GLOBSEC general counsel, Karl Hopkins, Michelle Mahle, Michelle Nellenbach, former Deputy Assistant to the President and acting White House Cabinet Secretary, Matt Flynn, and former Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Head of the Department of Justice's Russian Sanctions and Export Control Task Force, Andrew Adams.
"Joining Steptoe is an exciting opportunity for me particularly with its destination white collar, FCPA, and political law practices. I am eager to partner with the talented professionals here, working at the intersection of government, policy, the courts and business, to tackle the unique challenges our clients face," said Claire. "My background navigating internal and government investigations and enhancing corporate compliance programs will complement the firm's robust practice areas, allowing us to deliver exceptional outcomes for clients."
Steptoe’s award-winning Investigations and White-Collar Defense group is well-known for handling some of the most significant and complex matters. These include securing a complete defense acquittal for former Autonomy CEO Mike Lynch after an 11-week securities and accounting fraud trial in San Francisco related to HP's $11.7 billion acquisition of Autonomy in 2011 and representing Volkswagen AG in a diesel emissions case.
Claire earned her BA from the University of California, Los Angeles and her JD from American University Washington College of Law.
About Steptoe
In more than 110 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.
