George D. Niespolo
Of Counsel
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Phone: +1 415 957 3013
- Duane Morris LLP
Spear Tower
One Market Plaza, Suite 2200
San Francisco, CA 94105-1127
USA
George D. Niespolo concentrates his practice in the areas of white-collar criminal and government regulatory investigations and cases. For more than 30 years, Mr. Niespolo also has been responsible for complex civil litigation cases in the areas of civil RICO, securities, healthcare, general fraud, antitrust and intellectual property. In addition, he has handled numerous false claims and class action cases on the federal and state levels.
Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Niespolo was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of California, where he served on the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and the Organized Crime and Racketeering Strike Force. He also served as a Deputy District Attorney for the Alameda County District Attorney's Office.
He was a member of the Standing Committee on Professional Conduct, United States District Court for the Northern District of California, from 1999 to 2006. He is also a member of the White Collar Crime Committee of the Section of Litigation of the American Bar Association and a member of the Litigation Section of The State Bar of California.
Mr. Niespolo is a 1976 graduate of the University of California--Hastings College of Law and a graduate of the University of Michigan.
Representative Matters
Counsel to international corporation and four of its subsidiaries in U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, investigation and the parallel class action multi-district litigation regarding alleged global price-fixing in liquid crystal display ("LCD") market.
Counsel to subsidiary of an international corporation in a national investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, regarding bid rigging and collusion in a federally funded program
Counsel to several executives from two separate international corporations in investigation by U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, and the parallel class action multi-district litigation regarding alleged global price-fixing in the dynamic random access memory (DRAM) market
Counsel to a management employee of major airline in connection with U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, investigation regarding alleged global price-fixing in the air cargo industry
Counsel to executive in investigation by U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, regarding alleged price-fixing in the national packaged ice industry
Counsel to employees of a domestic energy company in investigation by members of the Enron Task Force of the U.S. Department of Justice, regarding trading activities in the natural gas market
Counsel to executive at the California Independent Systems Operator regarding investigation of trading activities in the California electricity market
Counsel to executive in investigation by U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, regarding alleged price-fixing and market manipulation in the international after-market auto light industry.
Counsel to former chairman of the board in lawsuit by corporation regarding alleged insider trading and breaches of fiduciary obligations
Counsel to executive at private equity firm in investigation by Securities and Exchange Commission regarding alleged insider trading
Counsel to executive at medical device company in parallel investigations by the United States Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, and civil lawsuits following restatement due to revenue recognition issues
Counsel to auditor at public accounting firm in parallel investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission regarding audit of public company following restatement due to revenue recognition issues
Counsel to employee of technology company in investigation by the Department of Justice regarding the backdating of stock options
Counsel to international corporation in internal investigation regarding overseas payments implicating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ("FCPA")
Counsel to executive at financial institution in investigation and litigation by Securities and Exchange Commission regarding alleged securities fraud
Counsel to several Arthur Andersen LLP audit partners in connection with investigation by the Department of Justice and obstruction of justice trial following the Enron collapse
Counsel to U.S. subsidiary of international corporation in an internal investigation and negotiations responding to allegations by multiple law-enforcement agencies of overbilling and fraud in the sale of software
Counsel to joint venture in major municipal project in investigation by Department of Justice into government contracting abuses
Counsel to subsidiary of an international corporation in investigation by the United States House of Representatives, Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding federally funded program
Counsel to construction firm in internal investigation regarding products submitted in connection with public works project
Counsel to special committee of board of directors of a medical device company in an internal investigation relating to over billing in government grants
Counsel to former founder and CEO of corporation in false claims and class action litigation
Counsel to former CEO and president of international corporation in connection with false claims and Medicare fraud investigation by U.S. Department of Justice
Counsel to employees of energy company in investigation by Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency regarding alleged Clean Air Act violations
Counsel to national construction firm in investigation by Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency regarding alleged Clean Water Act violations
Counsel to senior executives at biotechnology company in investigation of Food & Drug Act violations by the Department of Justice and Veterans Administration
Counsel to numerous employees at biotechnology company in investigation of Food & Drug Act violations by the Department of Justice
Counsel to numerous individuals at medical device manufacturer in investigation of Food & Drug Act violations by the Department of Justice and FDA Office of Criminal Investigation
Counsel to dairy producer in investigation by the Department of Justice and FDA Office of Criminal Investigation regarding contaminated milk supply
Counsel to employees and executives at agricultural producer in investigation of Food & Drug Act violations by the Department of Justice
Counsel to former partner of KPMG LLP indicted by the United States Department of Justice regarding tax shelters designed and marketed by KPMG LLP
Counsel to employees of domestic subsidiary of international corporation regarding alleged failure to report income
Antitrust/Anti-competitive Practices
Securities
Government Contracts
Environmental Law
Food and Drug
Tax
Admissions
- California
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
Education
- University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, J.D., 1976
- University of Michigan, B.A., 1972
Experience
- Duane Morris LLP
- Partner, 1998-present - Sideman & Bancroft, San Francisco, California
- Partner, 1994-1998 - Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, San Francisco, California
- Partner, 1989-1994 - United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of California
- Assistant United States Attorney, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, 1985-1989
- Trial Attorney, Organized Crime and Racketeering Strike Force, 1983-1985 - Alameda County District Attorney's Office, San Francisco, California
- Deputy District Attorney, 1976-1982
Professional Activities
- American Bar Association
- Section of Litigation
-- White Collar Crime Committee - United States District Court for the Northern District of California
- Standing Committee on Professional Conduct, 1999-2006 - The State Bar of California
- Litigation Section
Honors and Awards
Listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, 2018 and 2019
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, 2009-2024
Listed in Northern California Super Lawyers
- AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®
Selected Publications
- Co-author, "N.Y. Court of Appeals Judges Reject Bid to Broaden Attorney-Client Privilege Rule," Duane Morris Alert, June 15, 2016
- Co-author, "U.S. Aims to Increase Transparency in Order to Combat Offshore Abuses in Wake of Release of Panama Papers," Duane Morris Alert, May 6, 2016
- Co-author, "Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010: Congress Enacts Sweeping Financial Reform," Duane Morris Alert, August 24, 2010
- Co-author, "Changes in SEC Investigations Outlined by Director of Enforcement Division," Duane Morris Alert, August 6, 2009
- Featured in "Moving Beyond the Billable Hour," Counsel to Counsel, May 2008
Selected Speaking Engagements
Presenter, "Cannabis 101: Update on the Federal Enforcement & State Regulatory Environment," Duane Morris Cannabis Webinar Series, January 29, 2018 (video replay)