There are a lot of so-called “dirty secrets” in the corporate governance world.  Not the tawdry kind that appear to follow controversial politicians – I mean in the world of internal controls. I would wager that most companies cannot even identify all of the policies, procedures and controls that have been created during the life of the company.  Some exist in what I call the...

The Biden Administration is taking over the reins of government with vigor and focus. The Department of Justice, the Treasury Department, the State Department and the Commerce Department are expected to coordinate closely in an important objective – international anti-corruption efforts.  What will this mean? DOJ will increase its focus on FCPA enforcement, Anti-Kleptocracy cases, Anti-Money Laundering, International Trade Sanctions; The Treasury Department’s Office of...

The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division is pushing criminal enforcement against companies for illegal wage-fixing among competitors in the hiring market.  After years of warning companies that DOJ intended to prosecute criminal cases for illegal cartel activity in labor markets, DOJ is delivering on its warning. In its third announced criminal case, DOJ has indicted VDA OC, LLC, a health care staffing company that supplied nurses...

In the new Biden Administration, companies should expect aggressive enforcement of trade sanctions.  At the same time, in response to Russian aggression and the Solar Winds cyber-attack, OFAC is likely to implement new and even more restrictive sanctions against Russia.  In anticipation, companies should elevate the importance of their sanctions compliance programs (SCPs) pursuant to the May 2019 OFAC Framework.  Unfortunately, for many companies, sanctions...

It is easy to get lost in ESG.  Focus is the key.  Leadership has to define the ESG strategy.  A designated officer has to lead implementation.   The ESG bucket can carry a variety of causes, issues and priorities.  Leadership has to sift through these individual items and commit to action.  The ESG program now has to be implemented. A first step is to identify opportunities...

Perhaps I am little bit behind.  That would be nothing new – but we are getting to the point where we no longer need to spell out ESG.  Everyone knows what it means – directors, officers, employees, investors, shareholders and other stakeholders can spell it out.  ESG is firmly implanted in the corporate governance landscape.  Prosecutors and regulatory agencies are quickly adding ESG to their...

A good lawyer knows the law; a clever one takes the judge to lunch. — Mark Twain Lawyers get a bad rap – not just as the subject of lawyer jokes.  (This is not an invitation to recite lawyer jokes).  I recently wrote about the unique skills that compliance professionals possess in risk management.  CCOs are “comfortable” assessing risk, prioritizing risks and then mitigating risks...

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC)continues to pile up sanctions enforcement actions.  As the Biden Administration slowly takes over the reins of the Department of Treasury, OFAC enforcement is likely to increase.  Companies should expect more and complex sanctions, including anticipated strict sanctions against Russia for election interference.  OFAC’s mission and enforcement profile will increase.  At the same time, individual liability is...