Steven J. McCool
Top rated white collar crimes attorney in Washington, Washington DC
McCool Law PLLC
Practice Areas: White collar crimes, Civil litigation; view more
Licensed in Washington DC since: 1991
Education: American University Washington College of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2008 - 2023 Details
Steven McCool, a former federal prosecutor, has served as lead counsel in more than 75 criminal and civil jury and bench trials. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
In Chambers & Partners, Mr. McCool is a nationally recognized trial lawyer. In 2021, attorneys and clients stated: Steven McCool is “a first-rate trial lawyer who is relentless in court.” In 2020, attorneys and clients stated: Steven is a “phenomenal trial lawyer;” “He’s a truly talented lawyer and is someone to call if you’re facing trouble;” and “He is a first-rate lawyer who is relentless in court.” In 2019, his peers stated: “Steve is an incredible trial lawyer, truly one of the best I’ve ever seen and he has strategic judgment and thinking that is as good as anyone I’ve ever worked with,” and a client stated, “he knows his way around a courtroom with his eyes closed and his hands behind his back.” In 2018, his peers described Mr. McCool as an “incredibly talented trial lawyer.” In 2017, his peers described him as “one of the best trial lawyers in the city.” Another peer added: “He wins the unwinnable cases. I’ve never seen anyone more committed to the interests of his clients.” In 2016, his peers described him as an “exceptionally gifted” trial lawyer and a “tenacious” advocate for his clients, in matters “including SEC enforcement, internal and grand jury investigations, in addition to FCA litigation.”
Mr. McCool is consistently identified as one of the Best Lawyers in America® by U.S. News & World Report (Tier 1 – Criminal Defense: White-Collar Litigation). He is also recognized, year after year, as one of “Washington’s Top Lawyers” by Washingtonian Magazine, and in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, Mr. McCool was named as one of the “Top 100 Lawyers in Washington, DC” by Super Lawyers®. The National Law Journal named him as one of 50 lawyers in the United States who has made his mark in white-collar litigation.
Mr. McCool represents companies, officers, directors, executives and other individuals in criminal, civil and administrative matters, including grand jury investigations, internal investigations, Inspector General investigations, Congressional inquiries, SEC enforcement proceedings, and False Claims Act litigation. He has litigated a variety of cases relating to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, ITAR, export controls, the Clean Water Act, bank fraud, money laundering, securities fraud, government contracting fraud, mortgage and other accounting fraud. Mr. McCool has also handled complex civil matters involving business disputes, qui tam litigation, and asset forfeiture.
Practice areas
Criminal defense: white collar, Civil litigation: plaintiff, Civil litigation: defense, Criminal defenseFocus areas
White collar crime, Criminal law - federal, Arrest & arraignment, Criminal fraud, Criminal law, Felony, Misdemeanor
First Admitted: 1989, Pennsylvania
Professional Webpage: https://mccoollawpllc.com/profiles/steven-j-mccool
- Represent executive charged in FIFA bribery case in the Eastern District of New York.
- Represent executives in multiple no-poach DOJ Antitrust Division investigations.
- Lead counsel for a former Allied Defense Group executive charged alongside 21 other individuals in the first large-scale, FCPA-related FBI sting case. After an 18-week long jury trial in what was called the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Flagship FCPA prosecution,” the presiding Federal judge granted the government’s motion to dismiss all charges after the jury deadlocked in overwhelming favor of acquittal of Mr. McCool’s client.
- In December 2017, Mr. McCool obtained not guilty verdicts, following a four-week jury trial, for client charged with rioting during Inauguration Day protests. Following this victory, the government dismissed charges against more than 200 protesters.
- Lead counsel for a former U.S. Foodservice, Inc. vice-president, in connection with accounting fraud prosecution by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.
- Lead counsel for Am Law 200 law firm in a discrimination lawsuit brought by a former employee. Following extensive discovery, Plaintiff dismissed her case with prejudice just prior to her scheduled deposition. Plaintiff received no remuneration.
- Co-lead counsel for an attorney charged in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia with immigration fraud and conspiracy. Client received a non-fraud plea that resulted in a 30-day jail sentence and no disbarment.
- Lead counsel for an owner of a well-known nightclub, who was arrested for murder in the District of Columbia. Prosecutors dismissed all charges, after the Metropolitan Police Chief announced on television that Mr. McCool’s client would be convicted.
- Appointed as co-lead counsel by a Federal judge for a client facing the death penalty for 31 homicides, CCE, RICO and related charges. After the jury refused to impose the death penalty, the court sentenced the client to a life sentence following a 13-month jury trial.
- Lead counsel for a vice-president of a Government Sponsored Enterprise in an internal investigation of allegations of accounting irregularities.
- Lead counsel for an executive of a multi-national freight forwarding company investigated for price-fixing by the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
- Lead counsel for a Public Information Officer in a U.S. Department of Justice, Environmental Crimes Section Clean Water Act investigation of the Washington Area Sewer Authority.
- Lead counsel for a telecommunications executive in connection with the World-Com accounting fraud prosecution by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.
- Lead counsel for the Board of Directors of an Illinois bank in a matter brought by the Office of the Comptroller of Currency.
- Lead counsel for a managing director of a telecommunications company, who received a sentence of probation in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, after pleading guilty to violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
- Lead counsel for the President/COO of PurchasePro.com in parallel proceedings before the SEC and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in securities fraud prosecution.
- Lead counsel for an individual investigated by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland for potential violations of Arms Export Control Act
- Lead counsel for an aviation maintenance director charged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon with conspiracy to defraud the United States Forest Service.
- Lead counsel for a former Blackwater security contractor, who was indicted for a shooting incident in Baghdad, Iraq. Following a three-week Kastigar hearing, a Federal judge dismissed all charges. Following reversal of the dismissal, the United States dismissed all charges against Mr. Ball with prejudice.
- Lead counsel for lobbyists and Congressional staffers in the Abramoff investigation.
- Lead counsel for an individual investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland for potential violations of Arms Export Control Act.
- Lead counsel for a Canadian company investigated by the United States Postal Services for allegedly using promotional activities and representations for obtaining money or property through the mails in violation of Federal law.
- Lead counsel for employees of a military ammunitions dealer investigated by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland for potential violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and ITAR.
- Lead counsel for a vice president of a national transportation consulting firm, who was charged with giving an illegal gratuity to a public official and prosecuted by the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Following a week-long trial, the jury returned a not guilty verdict.
- Lead counsel for a high-level official of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting relating to an Inspector General investigation.
- Lead counsel for officer and executive of a national healthcare provider at depositions pursuant to civil investigative demands issued by the U.S. Department of Justice in a multi-state False Claims Act investigation.
- Lead counsel for employees of a security contracting firm in Afghanistan investigated for fraud by the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
- Litigation: Trial Lawyers - USA; Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations - District of Columbia, Chambers & Partners
- Recognized as one of "Washington's Top Lawyers", Washingtonian Magazine
- Best Lawyers in America - (Tier 1 – Criminal Defense: White-Collar Litigation)., U.S. News & World Report
- Top 100 Lawyers in Washington, DC for 2014, 2015m 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022., Super Lawyers Magazine
- The National Law Journal has named Mr. McCool as one of 50 lawyers in the United States who has made his mark in white-collar litigation.
- "Rising Star" in the area of Corporate Compliance, The Ethisphere Institute - Attorneys Who Matter list
- Dickinson College
- Maryland
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- Pennsylvania
- United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia
- District of Columbia
- U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of Maryland
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
- Virginia
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2008 - 2023
Top Lists
Top 100: Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers: 2014 - 2023- Top 100: 2023 Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2022 Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2021 Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2020 Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2019 Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2018 Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2017 Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2016 Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2015 Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2014 Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers
