State Attorneys General Investigation Defense Attorneys

Overview

The Attorneys General of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, as the chief law enforcement officers of their respective jurisdictions, possess broad investigatory and regulatory powers and mandates to protect their jurisdictions and residents. AG offices nationwide have become increasingly active in stand-alone investigations and parallel investigations/inquiries through multistate coalitions with other attorneys general and coordination with other federal and state agencies. Wiley’s State AG Practice includes a team of attorneys with extensive experience handling complex and high-stakes matters touching a wide range of substantive legal areas, including advertising and marketing practices, consumer financial laws, internet safety and privacy, health fraud, environmental protection, political activities, and fraud against the government (False Claims Act).

What we do.

We work quickly and diligently to position our clients to arrive at favorable outcomes when responding to investigations, inquiries (or other formal legal processes, such as subpoenas), or litigation. This work includes, among other things, narrowing the scope of subpoenas and other demands; preparing witnesses for investigative hearings; negotiating settlements; and litigating matters in instances where a reasonable settlement cannot be reached. Our sophisticated understanding of State AG offices nationwide, and their relationship with federal regulators, is borne out of our deep experience within government working closely with – and within – State Attorney General offices on a wide variety of legal and policy matters.

Why we are different.

State Attorneys General often work parallel with federal regulators (including the Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Department of Justice, and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau); we have a bench of veteran litigators and lawyers with deep experience working with those regulators, and who have worked closely with – and within – State Attorney General offices. Our track record provides us credibility and weight when working opposite those offices.
We are a premier telecommunications, media, and technology firm, and we regularly advise clients on emerging issues directly affecting consumers today, including state cybersecurity and privacy laws, breach notification laws, financial technology (fintech) regulation, Internet of Things (IoT) laws and legislation, and online advertising and marketing.
We possess a premier government contracts practice, and State Attorneys General have increasingly prioritized recovering taxpayer money against government contractors and state tax avoiders. Our familiarity with how private industry interfaces with the government, as a customer and regulator, affords us a nuanced and sophisticated understanding of working opposite State Attorney General offices.