Geeta Malhotra

GEETA MALHOTRA focuses her practice on white collar criminal matters, internal investigations, government enforcement actions, cybersecurity and privacy matters, and complex civil litigation. She has been described by clients as “an outstanding attorney” who “combines both intellect and practical counsel,” and is “very knowledgeable and very customer-oriented.”

Geeta has extensive experience conducting complex internal investigations on a variety of matters, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), fraud and bribery, privacy and wiretapping, anti-kickback issues and drug promotional practices, and securities regulations. Geeta defends individual and corporate clients before law enforcement and regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and various state attorneys general. In addition, Geeta conducts anti-corruption and compliance diligence in the corporate transaction context, counsels clients in the development of FCPA and other anti-corruption policies, and trains clients on anti-corruption policies, FCPA enforcement, and other investigation issues.

Clients also rely upon Geeta to navigate high-stakes cybersecurity and privacy matters, including data breach response as well as the resulting litigation and government inquiries that often follow. Geeta has served as on-call data breach counsel for clients across several industries. In this respect, she has worked closely with forensic experts on issues relating to cybersecurity and privacy. In addition, she advises clients with respect to the preparation for sophisticated cybersecurity incidents, including on the development of policies as well as the presentation of trainings and tabletop exercises.

In the civil litigation context, Geeta’s practice includes representing clients in state and federal courts in matters involving, for instance, contract disputes, business tort and consumer fraud claims, claims for trade secret misappropriation, and claims for breach of fiduciary duty.

Geeta’s advocacy has earned her recognition by Chambers USA for Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations in Illinois (2022–2025). Clients in the 2023 edition of Chambers USA lauded Geeta for being “extremely knowledgeable” and note that “she is very detail-oriented and does an excellent job analyzing all elements of the case, making sure to leave no stone unturned.” Sources further note that “she is a solid adviser and has an ability to get to the heart of an issue” and that she “is really smart with the facts and strategy and she is a great advocate.” In 2021, Law360 named Geeta to its “Rising Stars” report, a list of lawyers under 40 whose legal accomplishments “transcend their age.” In 2020, Crain’s Chicago Business also named Geeta to its list of “Notable Minorities in Accounting, Consulting & Law,” noting that the list comprised individuals who “[had] risen to the challenge” in “an extraordinary year.” She has also been named to The Best Lawyers in America in the area of White Collar and was previously named by Leading Lawyers as an “Illinois Emerging Lawyer” in the areas of White Collar and Commercial Litigation.

Geeta is actively engaged in firm leadership as well as the civic and legal communities at large. She serves on the firm’s Inclusion Committee and the Evaluation and Compensation of Associates Committee. She is a 2019 Fellow of Leadership Greater Chicago (LGC), a Board Member of the Better Government Association (BGA), a Member of Executives’ Club of Chicago, and a Member of Chicago United’s Leaders Council. Geeta also previously served as the co-chair for the American Bar Association’s Criminal Litigation Committee for the Section of Litigation and as a Board Member of Connections for Abused Women and Their Children (CAWC).

Geeta served as a law clerk for the Honorable Virginia M. Kendall in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Illinois College of Law, where she served as a notes editor for the University of Illinois Law Review. Geeta is the author of “The Effect of Crawford v. Washington on the Admissibility of 911 Calls in Evidence-Based Domestic Violence Prosecutions,” 2006 U. Ill. L. Rev. 205.

White Collar Investigations and Enforcement Matters

• Representation of the Audit Committee of an international company in an internal investigation on topics including fraud, embezzlement, bribery, and other corruption allegations. 
• Representation of a publicly traded manufacturing company in connection with an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice regarding allegations of securities fraud.
• Representation of a large private transportation provider and its subsidiary in connection with an investigation by the New York Attorney General’s Office into alleged money laundering and commercial bribery.
• Representation of a global manufacturing company in relation to an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice concerning potential theft of trade secrets.
• Representation of a building services provider in connection with an investigation by the GSA Office of Inspector General regarding allegations of federal contracting improprieties.
• Representation of a global manufacturing company in an internal investigation involving anti-bribery allegations in relation to government contracting in India and subsequent compliance counseling. 
• Representation of a multi-national pharmaceutical company in an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice regarding drug promotional practices and the False Claims Act.
• Representation of a major pharmaceutical manufacturer in state attorneys general investigations regarding allegations of fraudulent marketing practices in violation of the states’ consumer protection laws.
• Representation of the former Chairman and CEO of a Fortune 500 company in an SEC enforcement action, including trial.
• Representation of companies in various industries in connection with their pre- and post-acquisition anti-corruption due diligence, including transactions handled for a global pharmaceutical company, a major international airline, and an international industrial technology company.
• Representation of a U.S.-based REIT in its creation of a global anti-corruption program and anti-corruption training.  

Cybersecurity and Privacy Matters

• Representation of a U.S.-based retailer in relation to a cybersecurity attack it experienced, including resulting class action litigation, congressional inquiries and testimony, and other government inquiries.
• Representation of additional companies in various industries, including, among others, insurance, manufacturing, industrial technology, healthcare, and retail / apparel, in connection with data breach response issues and subsequent government inquiries at the federal and state levels.
• Representation of an independent broker-dealer institution in an investigation and assessment of cybersecurity governance and risk, and related remediation.
• Representation of several individual clients before the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in connection with an investigation of the individuals’ former employer resulting from a cybersecurity incident it experienced. 
• Representation of a Fortune 50 consumer and retail company in connection with its development of a cybersecurity incident response plan and tabletop exercises.
• Representation of a publicly traded financial services company in an internal investigation of privacy and wiretapping issues. 

Civil Litigation Matters

• Representation of a Fortune 200 company in a civil lawsuit involving allegations of kickbacks, consumer fraud, and breach of contract.
• Representation of a publicly traded insurance provider in a lawsuit involving the Illinois Department of Insurance in relation to escheat and unclaimed property issues.
• Representation of a Fortune 100 company against claims of patent and trade secrets infringement.

• Leadership Greater Chicago (LGC), 2019 Class of Fellows
• American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Criminal Litigation Committee Co-Chair
• Better Government Association, Board Member
• Economic Club of Chicago
• International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) 
• Women in Privacy® (WIP)  
• Women’s White Collar Defense Association 
• Connections for Abused Women and their Children (CAWC), Board Member
• Chicago United, Leaders Council