Michael D. Mann

MICHAEL MANN is a litigator and trusted counselor with more than two decades of experience representing companies, financial institutions, boards of directors, and senior executives in high-stakes criminal and regulatory matters, complex litigation, and corporate crises. He defends clients in government investigations, enforcement proceedings, complex disputes, and other sensitive matters where significant legal, commercial, reputational, and individual interests are at stake. Clients describe Michael as “extraordinarily smart” and an “A++ leader” who is “known for his pragmatic approach” to navigating “tricky issues” (Chambers USA, 2025 and 2026).

At the core of Michael’s practice are white collar criminal defense, internal investigations, and representations before the DOJ, SEC, CFTC, NYDFS, state attorneys general, and other regulatory and enforcement authorities. He is a member of Sidley’s corporate investigations team—ranked among the world’s leading practices for cross-border investigations by Global Investigations Review (2023–2025)—and has led matters across North America, Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. He regularly guides clients through parallel and multijurisdictional investigations involving overlapping criminal, civil, and regulatory regimes.

Michael also advises companies and financial institutions on anti-corruption and anti-money laundering compliance, including matters involving the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), and the USA PATRIOT Act. His work includes assessing compliance programs and advising on transaction and counterparty risks, with a focus on identifying and addressing legal, regulatory, and reputational vulnerabilities before they become significant problems.

Michael also represents clients in complex commercial and employment disputes in federal and state courts and arbitral forums throughout the United States.

Michael has been recognized by Chambers USA in Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations in New York (2023–2026) and by Chambers Latin America Guide 2025 as a “notable practitioner” for International Counsel: Corporate Crime & Investigations. He is also recommended by The Legal 500 Latin America for Compliance and Investigations (2024) and recognized by Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) for Business Crime Defense (2024-2026). Law360 named Michael one of five white collar “Rising Stars” nationwide in 2019, and Euromoney LMG honored him with its “Best in White Collar Crime” award at the Americas Rising Star Awards in both 2018 and 2019.

Earlier in his career, Michael served as deputy director of scheduling and advance to former President Bill Clinton.

Selected Representative Matters

Individual Representations

• Bill Baroni, former deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, in securing a unanimous 9-0 victory before the U.S. Supreme Court overturning his criminal conviction arising from the national political scandal known as “Bridgegate” (Kelly v. United States, 590 U.S. 391 (2020)).
• The corporate compliance monitor of HSBC Holdings plc, appointed by the DOJ, the UK Financial Conduct Authority, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, in connection with the cross-border monitorship arising from HSBC Group’s US$1.9 billion resolution of money laundering and sanctions violations.
• Urban Meyer, then head football coach at The Ohio State University, during the university’s high-profile investigation into alleged misconduct by an assistant coach on his staff.
• The controller of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities in connection with the federal investigation and prosecution of individuals associated with the Madoff Ponzi scheme, one of the largest financial frauds in U.S. history.
• The chief executive officer of an energy company in a federal prosecution alleging a US$1 billion securities fraud scheme, securing a deferred prosecution agreement on the eve of trial after nearly three years under indictment.
• A hedge fund founder in a federal insider trading prosecution brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, culminating in a three-week jury trial, and in parallel civil enforcement proceedings brought by the SEC.
• A close relative of a then-sitting foreign head of state in a high-profile federal criminal prosecution, including a two-week jury trial in the Southern District of New York.
• A senior foreign bank executive in connection with the FCPA prosecution of a former Mozambican Finance Minister arising from the international “tuna bonds” corruption scandal.

Corporate and Board Investigations, Enforcement and Litigation

• A special committee of the board of directors of an international telecommunications company in a voluntary self-disclosure to the DOJ involving potential corruption, resulting in closure of the investigation without charges, penalties, or other resolution.
• A U.S. public company in the waste management industry in a coordinated global resolution with the DOJ, SEC, and Brazilian enforcement authorities involving alleged FCPA violations across the United States, Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina.
• A global healthcare consulting company in parallel DOJ and SEC investigations arising from anonymous whistleblower allegations of corruption in its Middle East operations, resulting in closure of both investigations without charges or penalties.
• A multinational conglomerate in a global FCPA investigation by the DOJ and SEC and a subsequent comprehensive assessment and enhancement of its anti-corruption compliance program across more than 65 countries.
• The audit committee of the board of directors of an independent entertainment and media studio in a cross-border revenue recognition investigation and related voluntary self-disclosure to the SEC.
• A special committee of the board of directors of an internationally recognized cultural institution in an internal investigation involving stolen antiquities, leading to a coordinated resolution with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
• A global pharmaceutical company in a DOJ and SEC FCPA investigation stemming from the voluntary disclosure of potential bribery concerns identified during acquisition due diligence.
• A multinational telecommunications company in False Claims Act litigation concerning alleged violations of Federal Communications Commission program rules.

Financial Institutions, Markets and Anti-Money Laundering

• A leading global financial institution in high profile CFTC and SEC investigations concerning alleged manipulation of U.S. dollar LIBOR.
• A major clearinghouse in investigations by the SEC, FINRA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and the Chicago Board Options Exchange involving alleged “naked” short selling and potential violations of SEC Regulation SHO.
• A major Asian financial institution in responding to an NYDFS-imposed compliance monitorship arising from an anti-money laundering resolution.
• The chief compliance officer of a foreign financial institution in a Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) investigation and coordinated resolution with the DOJ and NYDFS.
• The BSA/AML officer of a global digital payments company in a DOJ and FDA criminal investigation concerning allegations that merchants used the company’s platform to facilitate the unlawful sale and importation into the United States of pharmaceuticals, controlled substances, and listed chemicals.
• An interdealer brokerage firm in investigations by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the New York Attorney General, and the SEC into potentially manipulative credit default swaps trading.

Compliance and Transactional Risk

• A leading private equity firm on anti-corruption due diligence for cross-border investments, acquisitions, and joint ventures across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
• CONCACAF, the governing body for soccer across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, in conducting comprehensive anti-corruption due diligence on prospective business partners.
• A global telecommunications company in designing and implementing an anti-corruption compliance program and conducting a global risk assessment across its operations.
• A significant Latin American banking group in strengthening its global anti-corruption and anti-money laundering compliance framework, including the modernization of internal controls and risk management systems.
• Selected transactional anti-corruption and anti-money laundering diligence matters, including advising Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. on its US$3.25 billion acquisition of the treaty reinsurance brokerage operations of Willis Towers Watson plc and Goldman Sachs Asset Management on various investments.

• Member of the Board of Directors of the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health.
• Member of the Board of Visitors of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences at the University of Maryland, College Park.
• Member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at the University at Buffalo School of Law. 
• Member of the National Advisory Board for the Advocacy Institute at the University at Buffalo School of Law.
• Former member of Law360’s White Collar Editorial Advisory Board.

Michael devotes a significant amount of time to pro bono matters, including participation in the firm’s Capital Litigation Project, in which Sidley lawyers across the country represent prisoners on death row in the State of Alabama. For nearly 10 years, Michael represented inmate William Ziegler in a collateral review proceeding challenging his capital murder conviction and sentence. In November 2012, the Circuit Court for Mobile, Alabama, vacated Mr. Ziegler’s conviction and granted him a new trial, finding numerous constitutional violations in connection with his original capital murder trial. In April 2015, Mr. Ziegler was released from prison following a plea agreement with state prosecutors. This important case was reviewed in several articles in the Mobile Press Register, including: “How the System Failed William Ziegler: Perjured Testimony, Trashed Evidence, Lying Jurors,” and “Former Alabama Death Row Inmate Cuts Deal, Free After 15 years in Prison.” 

Michael has also played a leading role in other noteworthy pro bono criminal matters. In 2014, Michael helped secure a major victory for firm client Robert Medina in the Southern District of New York, where, after a three-week trial, a jury acquitted Mr. Medina of federal murder charges as well as certain related weapons and narcotics conspiracy counts that would have carried a mandatory minimum sentence of 45 years (United States of America v. Medina, S2 13 Cr. 272 (PGG)). Following trial, the judge commended the defense team’s work, observing:  “This is one of those cases where I think one can say with some degree of certainty that the work of defense counsel led to a result which may well not have been achieved by different counsel.”

Michael’s pro bono work extends well beyond the criminal arena. In 2024, Michael led a team that helped secure a landmark Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) win in the Northern District of Illinois against the U.S. Department of Justice, compelling the Federal Bureau of Investigation to release previously redacted information on race, ethnicity, and nationality in the government’s case files related to Operation Vulgar Betrayal, one of the largest pre-9/11 counterterrorism investigations in the United States and a first-of-its-kind ruling advancing government transparency and civil rights. The case, part of Sidley’s longstanding pro bono representation of journalist and filmmaker Assia Boundaoui, builds on work that was featured in her acclaimed documentary film, “The Feeling of Being Watched.”  

Michael has also represented asylum seekers fleeing persecution, low-income artists seeking to protect their creative work, and non-profit organizations navigating complex legal and business disputes. In one particularly impactful matter, Michael represented the Turning Point Foundation, a non-profit that operates group homes for individuals recovering from addiction, in disability rights litigation against the City of New Haven in Connecticut.  The case challenged the City’s attempt to use zoning enforcement to exclude the Foundation’s residents from residential neighborhoods — an alleged violation of the federal Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The settlement required the City to permit the Foundation’s residents to remain in their home, pay US$350,000 in damages and attorneys’ fees, and collaborate with the Connecticut Fair Housing Center to improve compliance with federal law.