Overview
Jennifer E. Levengood is a white-collar defense and investigations lawyer who represents corporations, boards, and C-suite executives in government investigations, enforcement actions, and complex litigation. Her practice focuses on matters involving the False Claims Act, securities enforcement, healthcare fraud, and cross-border anti-corruption issues, often involving parallel civil, criminal, and regulatory exposure. She regularly advises senior executives and corporate leadership on investigative strategy, risk mitigation, and engagement with enforcement authorities, including the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Jennifer conducts internal investigations on behalf of companies and their boards, including audit committees, in connection with allegations of accounting irregularities, False Claims Act (FCA) violations, insider trading, fraud, and other misconduct. She has experience leading cross-border investigations, managing forensic and expert analyses, and coordinating responses to government inquiries. She also advises clients on remediation, disclosure considerations, and the design and enhancement of compliance programs.
Her experience spans a range of industries, including healthcare, life sciences, financial services, and technology. Jennifer has litigated matters in both state and federal courts, including through trial, and represents clients in related civil litigation and enforcement proceedings. She also advises on issues arising under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), including cross-border investigations, interactions with regulators in the United States and Europe, and the development of anti-corruption, anti-bribery, and anti-money laundering compliance frameworks.
Jennifer maintains an active pro bono practice representing incarcerated individuals and other clients in criminal and immigration matters, and she assists on cases through her work with the Criminal Justice Act panel. Her experience includes representing clients in connection with serious federal charges, including a matter involving the indictment of an alleged associate of an international terrorist organization and resentencing proceedings for a former member of a New York-based organized crime group. She has also handled matters involving allegations of firearm sales, narcotics distribution, and robbery, and has provided immigration assistance related to visa status.
Prior to joining McDermott Will & Schulte, Jennifer practiced in the litigation and enforcement department of a New York law firm, where she represented financial institutions, aviation companies, pharmaceutical corporations, and investment banking firms in complex criminal and civil matters, including internal investigations and trial proceedings.
During law school, Jennifer served as an editor for the Georgetown Journal of Modern Critical Race Perspectives.
Results
- Represents a Fortune 50 global healthcare company in FCA litigation arising from the administration of Medicare Part D prescription drug benefits
- Represents a biopharmaceutical company in a government investigation concerning potential violations of the FCA
- Represents multiple healthcare systems and hospitals in responding to government investigations into alleged improper conduct relating to gender-affirming care
- Represents a major holding company in connection with a cross-border investigation into allegations of bribery and corruption in China
- Represents a major art museum in litigation against the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office concerning artwork in its collection
- Secured a non-prosecution agreement for a national construction firm in a 25-defendant federal investigation involving alleged kickback and commercial bribery schemes
- Obtained a declination from the SEC on behalf of multiple pharmaceutical executives in connection with an insider trading investigation
- Obtained an SEC declination while representing the audit committee of the board of a publicly traded gaming technology company in an internal investigation into alleged accounting irregularities in connection with a restatement
- Secured dismissal at the motion to dismiss stage for a digital healthcare platform in a FCA matter predicated on alleged Anti-Kickback Statute violations
- Represented a leading global accounting firm in a month-long arbitration involving claims seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in damages arising from alleged accounting errors
- Secured vacatur of a murder conviction on habeas corpus review based on constitutional deficiencies in the underlying prosecution and trial proceedings
- Advised a Swiss technology company in connection with its corporate integrity agreement following the resolution of FCPA charges with the DOJ
- Represented S&P 500 health care provider in multibillion-dollar False Claims Act qui tam action brought in Florida federal court, leading to grant of summary judgment in client’s favor. *
- Represented a major South American airline in internal investigation of potential violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, securing a dismissal of investigation by US regulators *
- Represented health care company in DOJ investigations into allegations of potential False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute violations *
- Represented financial institutions in connection with a federal criminal investigation into allegations of public corruption and bribery in Venezuela *
- Represented trader in parallel federal criminal and civil proceedings based on alleged spoofing activity *
- Collaborated with the ACLU and National Lawyers Guild on racial justice issues *
- Represented LGBTQ+ clients in asylum proceedings *
- Represented domestic violence survivor in U Non-Immigrant Status proceedings. *
*Matter handled prior to joining the firm.
Recognitions
- Super Lawyers, Rising Star, Criminal Defense: White Collar, Civil Litigation: Defense, Employment Litigation: Defense, Health Care, Securities Litigation, 2023 – 2025
Credentials
Education
Georgetown University Law Center, JD, 2019
University of Florida, BA, magna cum laude, 2016
Admissions
New York
Languages
English
Spanish