Marisa T. Darden

Overview

Marisa Darden is a former state and federal prosecutor who assists clients across myriad industries, advising companies, executives, boards and individuals facing high-stakes civil, criminal and regulatory scrutiny. As Chair of the White Collar, Government Investigations & Regulatory Practice Group, Marisa counsels clients in investigations and prosecutions brought by law enforcement and regulatory agencies, including matters involving financial crime, public corruption, corporate misconduct, regulated industries and high-profile issues at the intersection of business, sports, entertainment and the law. She has successfully tried more than 15 complex criminal cases to verdict and has argued before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Marisa has advised clients, litigated, and conducted internal investigations involving allegations of wrongdoing under federal and state law, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, bribery, corruption, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, wire and mail fraud, complex financial crimes, and other criminal and civil violations of law. She also regularly conducts corporate inquiries involving allegations of sexual harassment and workplace discrimination, civil rights and Title IX violations, and other corporate malfeasance. Her experience includes advising on enforcement risk, internal controls, government scrutiny and crisis-sensitive matters across business sectors, including sports, entertainment, technology, financial services and other regulated industries.

Marisa is frequently called on by national media to provide legal analysis on white collar enforcement, DOJ decision-making, FCPA uncertainty, financial fraud, public corruption, federal criminal procedure, online gambling and emerging regulatory issues. Her commentary has addressed criminal and civil matters involving public officials, athletes, coaches, franchise transactions, celebrity endorsements, sports betting, institutional investigations and high-profile federal prosecutions.

Marisa began her career as a litigator in New York. She was part of the team that liquidated the largest broker-dealer in U.S. history, which ultimately administered more than U.S. $100 billion in assets. Marisa clerked for the Honorable Morrison C. England in the Eastern District of California and worked as an Assistant District Attorney in the New York County (Manhattan) District Attorney’s Office. She is also an adjunct faculty member at Case Western Reserve School of Law, lecturing on criminal law.