Edward C. O’Callaghan

Edward C. O’Callaghan’s distinguished career in senior government roles and significant private practice experience position him to successfully advise and defend public companies, government contractors, global financial institutions, asset management firms, and executives in international and domestic regulatory investigations, criminal prosecutions, and congressional inquiries, including matters involving false claims, securities fraud, insider trading and market manipulation, bank fraud, money laundering, accounting fraud, criminal antitrust, healthcare fraud, U.S. export controls and sanctions regimes, corruption, RICO, and FCPA.

Edward previously served as the principal associate deputy attorney general of the United States Department of Justice, where he acted as the principal counselor to the department’s second highest official, the deputy attorney general, and a key advisor to the Attorney General. In that role, he helped manage 113,000 attorneys, agents, investigators, and administrators, 93 U.S. attorney offices, and all DOJ law enforcement agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Agency; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; U.S. Marshals Service; and the Bureau of Prisons. He also worked regularly with various committees, leadership members and staffers in both chambers of Congress. He supervised the DOJ’s responses to constant Hill inquiries, including daily negotiations with committee leadership and staffers, and the preparation of DOJ leadership for hearings and briefings before Senate Judiciary, Senate Finance, Senate Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, the “Gang of Eight,” House Judiciary, House Oversight and Government Reform, and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

During his most recent DOJ tenure, Edward also served as acting deputy attorney general, the principal deputy assistant attorney general and the acting assistant attorney general in charge of the National Security Division. In this latter role, he supervised all units and components within the NSD, including the Counterterrorism Section, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, Office of Intelligence, Office of Law & Policy, Foreign Investment Review Staff, and Office of Justice for the Victims of Overseas Terrorism.

Edward joined the firm as a partner in 2024. He has built his private practice with decades of experience at three other international law firms, where he focused on representing financial institutions, public companies, government contractors, asset management firms, and executives in an array of international and domestic regulatory investigations, criminal prosecutions and congressional inquiries.

From 1998 until 2008, Edward was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and Co-Chief of the Terrorism & National Security Unit during the last three years of his tenure.

Recognition

• Edmund Randolph Award, the highest award given to a civilian by the Department of Justice, and the Attorney General’s medallion, 2020
• U.S. Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service, 2008
• Director’s Award for Superior Performance as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, 2000
• Recommended in Chambers USA and noted for his “substantive experience in the sanctions area,” “very strong advocacy skills,” and “excellent judgment”

Government Experience

• Department of Justice, National Security Division
  • Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Acting Assistant Attorney General
• Department of Justice, Office of the Deputy Attorney General
  • Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General, Acting Deputy Attorney General
• Department of Justice, United States Attorney's Office
  • Criminal Division – Co-Chief Terrorism and National Security Unit, Southern District of New York
• Department of Justice, United States Attorney's Office
  • Assistant US Attorney, Southern District of New York