Best Practices and Tactics for Conducting an Internal Investigation in the COVID-19 Era

Matt Knowles advises companies, boards of directors and individuals in high-stakes commercial litigation as well as government and internal investigations. His work spans a broad range of litigation matters at the trial and appellate levels in federal and state courts across the country, including class actions and other complex matters. Matt also represents clients in investigations conducted by federal government agencies as well as state attorneys general.

Matt frequently represents companies and individuals in investigations and litigation under the False Claims Act. He also has substantial experience helping clients manage legal and reputational risk in crisis situations, including recent matters involving disease outbreaks at hospitals, allegations of misconduct at medical facilities and disputes involving educational institutions.

Matt has an active pro bono practice, where he has challenged wrongful convictions, a death penalty appeal, disputes between students and educational institutions concerning reasonable accommodation and racial discrimination, domestic violence victim protection cases and employment discrimination matters.  He recently represented a traveler in pro bono litigation against TSA after an abusive search and false arrest at an airport checkpoint. This case resulted in an en banc decision from the Third Circuit establishing travelers’ rights to pursue damages from the TSA under the Federal Tort Claims Act.

Matt graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he was the recipient of the Charles H. Smith Bequest Scholarship and was named a Dean’s Scholar in the Federal Courts and the Federal System. He served as an honors legal intern in the Office of Legal Counsel for the US Department of Defense and as an intern in the office of the US Attorney for the District of Massachusetts. He also served as an intern to the Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court.

Dana McSherry is the Boston lead of McDermott Will & Schulte’s Litigation Practice Group and co-leads the firm’s False Claims Act (FCA) practice. She advises healthcare and life sciences companies in criminal and civil government enforcement matters and in related civil litigation, including civil False Claims Act (FCA) litigation. Dana guides clients through all aspects of civil and criminal investigations relating to Medicare and Medicaid billing and other government contracting issues, including negotiating with the government and managing clients’ responses to civil investigative demands and large-scale investigative subpoenas. She also assists clients in conducting internal investigations and counsels clients across the healthcare industry on compliance and risk management issues.

In late 2018, Dana successfully defended a pharmacist charged with racketeering, mail fraud, and Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act (FDCA) violations. Following a two-month jury trial in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Dana’s client was acquitted of all charges.

In addition to her life sciences practice, Dana also represents individual clients in securities fraud related government enforcement matters, both civil and criminal.

Dana also maintains an extensive pro bono practice. In 2019, Dana successfully represented a parent in a Hague child custody case that involved a week-long trial in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts. She also successfully represented a civilly committed individual in a civil rights action.