Government Regulatory Compliance; Complex Investigations; Monitorship Expertise

For more than 13 years, Mike has advised both public and private sector clients on high-profile matters, including complex investigations and litigations, regulatory compliance matters, and government enforcement actions. He has been at the forefront of the development and implementation of groundbreaking government initiatives related to public safety.

Before joining Ankura, Mike served as a member of the New Jersey Attorney General’s executive staff, where he was responsible for managing the state’s high-priority litigations and enforcement actions, including those brought by the New Jersey Attorney General on behalf of the Department of Labor, the Division of Consumer Affairs, the Bureau of Securities, the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, and other agencies. Mike was also responsible for conducting, managing, and overseeing investigations into alleged violations of various statutes, regulations, and ethical rules, including violations of the False Claims Act and government procurement laws, with the objective of identifying and mitigating potential fraud, waste, and abuse.

Additionally, Mike advised the New Jersey Governor’s Office and the Governor’s cabinet on a wide range of legal and policy matters, and developed and implemented significant government initiatives involving complex regulatory schemes. He managed various regulatory agencies in New Jersey, including the Division of Consumer Affairs, the Bureau of Securities, the Division of Gaming Enforcement, the Division of Alcohol Beverage Control, the Racing Commission, and the State Athletic Control Board.

Mike also has experience in the private sector, including as a partner at a law firm. There, he represented financial institutions and other business entities in complex litigation and government enforcement actions, provided compliance and regulatory-related guidance, and engaged in settlement negotiations on matters involving fraud, breach of contract, and other business disputes.

Mike’s professional experience includes the following:

• Providing oversight and reporting, as part of leadership team, in connection with a court-mandated monitorship role arising out of a multibillion-dollar settlement of consumer class action and regulatory enforcement actions brought against a global automobile manufacturer.
• Serving as a senior member of a third-party monitorship team overseeing compliance with a CFIUS-imposed National Security Agreement arising out of the acquisition of certain assets of a global information technology company by an Indian-based buyer.
• Assisting a multibillion-dollar specialty pharmaceutical company with the assessment of its compliance program and implementation of enhancements.
• Represented NJ TRANSIT in connection with a National Transportation Safety Board investigation and legislative hearings following a fatal train crash.
• Represented NJ TRANSIT in connection with a dispute with a large passenger railroad service company regarding infrastructure repair obligations under various contracts and regulatory frameworks.
• Represented a New Jersey state agency in connection with a federal voluntary compliance agreement, which, among other things, imposed enhanced compliance requirements on the expenditure of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal relief funds for Hurricane Sandy victims.
• Conducted an internal investigation on behalf of a large financial institution related to the company’s compliance with Federal Reserve guidelines.
• Assisted in the implementation of the statutory reorganization and consolidation of Rutgers, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and Rowan University.
  Assisted in the development, implementation, and regulation of New Jersey’s Medical Marijuana Program.
• Oversaw the expansion of New Jersey’s Prescription Monitoring Program, which was implemented to stop prescription drug abuse.
• Oversaw an investigation conducted by the New Jersey Division of Equal Employment Opportunity regarding allegations of workplace discrimination at a state government entity.
• Assisted with an internal investigation of a large financial institution in response to a subpoena issued by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, seeking information related to the company’s compliance with underwriting guidelines.

Mike received a BS from Vanderbilt University and a JD from the Seton Hall University School of Law, where he graduated cum laude. While there, he was a member of the Seton Hall Law Review.