Ike Adams

IKE ADAMS represents clients in investigations and enforcement actions by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), state attorneys general, and other law enforcement and regulatory authorities. He helps clients navigate sensitive and complex criminal, civil, and administrative investigations and enforcement matters, often involving multiple agencies, and the legal, political, and reputational risks they present. His clients include public companies and their boards and audit committees, financial institutions, large private companies, and accounting firms.

He is a member of the White Collar Defense and Investigations practice and the Securities Enforcement and Regulatory practice. Ike has handled matters involving, among other things, alleged securities fraud, bank fraud, insider trading, accounting fraud, financial reporting and disclosure issues, market manipulation, auditor independence, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations, environmental crimes, export controls, economic sanctions, False Claims Act violations, and investment adviser and broker-dealer misconduct. 

In addition to his work on regulatory enforcement matters and litigation, Ike conducts internal reviews and investigations involving whistleblower complaints and other allegations of criminal, civil, and ethical misconduct. Ike regularly counsels boards, special committees, and directors on sensitive internal investigations, as well as on corporate governance, compliance, and regulatory issues.

He also has significant experience counseling clients on a wide range of FCPA and anticorruption compliance issues. In this regard, he develops and implements effective compliance programs, conducts assessments of FCPA and anticorruption risks, and advises on FCPA and anticorruption issues in mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures. 

Ike joined the firm following a clerkship with Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Ike has a demonstrated track record of guiding his clients through their most difficult matters and delivering exceptional results. The scope of Ike’s practice is reflected in his current and recent representations, which include:

• Serving as lead counsel for U.S. defense contractor Austal USA and its parent, Austal Limited, in reaching a global resolution with the DOJ Criminal Division, SEC, DOJ Civil Division, and the Department of Navy over allegations of securities fraud, obstructing a federal audit, and False Claims Act violations.

• Representing Kiromic BioPharma, Inc. in an SEC investigating that led to a rare zero-penalty resolution based on the company’s self-reporting, remediation, and cooperation.
• Serving as co-lead counsel for Cummins Inc. in a multi-year investigation by DOJ, EPA, the California Air Resources Board, and the California AG into allegations regarding non-compliance with emissions regulations that led to a US$2 billion resolution.
• Defending MiMedx Group, Inc. against a multi-year investigation by the DOJ and SEC into financial reporting and disclosure allegations that led to the prosecution and conviction of the company’s former CEO and COO and obtaining a full declination of criminal charges against the company from the DOJ and a highly favorable settlement with the SEC.
• Representing a major financial institution in numerous government investigations concerning fraud perpetrated against government aid programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Defending and obtaining a declination for a U.S.-based multinational company in a federal grand jury investigation involving allegations of financial reporting fraud and tax fraud.
• Defending and obtaining a declination for a Fortune 100 public company in an SEC investigation of accounting and disclosure issues related to accounting for income taxes.
• Defending and obtaining a declination for a Fortune 100 public company in an SEC investigation of accounting and disclosure issues related to the goodwill arising from a recent acquisition.
• Defending and obtaining a declination for a multinational manufacturer in a BIS investigation involving allegations of fraud in export activities.
• Defending a Fortune 100 company in an OFAC investigation involving Iranian, Sudanese, and Syrian sanctions.
• Defending and obtaining a declination for a multinational public company in an SEC investigation arising from whistleblower allegations of possible FCPA violations in Kazakhstan.
• Representing a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company in SEC and DOJ investigations involving possible FCPA violations in 35 countries.
• In the Matter of Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC—Representing a registered investment adviser in an SEC investigation of alleged violations of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.