Overview
Kwame Manley is the Global Chair of the Paul Hastings Litigation Department, and the former Chair of the Investigations and White Collar Defense practice at Paul Hastings. Based in the firm's Washington, D.C. office, Kwame focuses his practice on white-collar criminal defense, internal corporate investigations, and complex civil litigation.
A former federal prosecutor, Kwame defends individuals and companies before various agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and other federal and state entities. He has worked with multinational companies on all facets of FCPA and OFAC compliance and enforcement, including internal investigations, third-party due diligence, transactional due diligence, compliance audits, and corruption risk assessments. Kwame has performed complex, internal investigations in over 20 countries throughout Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, and South America. Kwame was named "Investigations Professional of the Year" by Global Investigations Review in 2024.
Chambers USA recently noted that Kwame has “impressive experience across a range of mandates, including matters relating to FCPA and sanctions violations, as well as representing individual clients in high-profile investigations,” and that he “has excellent judgment, and a lot of credibility within the DC legal community.”
Chambers USA also noted Kwame “for his experience as a DOJ-appointed monitor,” and, in their clients survey, remarked that he “is very personable and has great client relationships,” he “knows what questions need to be asked, and how to deal with regulators,” he is “an excellent practitioner,” and that, “[i]n court I was very proud he was my attorney; he took control of the whole room, and it was really something to watch.”
Recognitions
- Global Investigations Review, Investigations Professional of the Year (2024)
- Benchmark Litigation USA, Litigation Star (2025)
- Lawdragon, 500 Leading Litigators in America (2024)
- Savoy Magazine, Most Influential Lawyers (2024)
- Chambers USA, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (2021-2024)
- Chambers USA, FCPA (2021-2024)
- The Legal 500 USA, Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense: Advice to Individuals (2020-2024)
- The Legal 500 USA, International Trade (2021-2024)
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2023)
- Chambers Global, FCPA (2023)
- The Legal 500 USA, Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense: Advice to Corporates (2021)
- Washingtonian, Best Lawyers (2021)
- Minority Corporate Counsel Association, Rainmaker (2021)
- Acritas Stars (2021), High-performing lawyers recommended by clients without law firm involvement
- Super Lawyers, Washington, D.C., Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2014-2021)
- National Law Journal, DC Litigation Department of the Year - White-Collar (June 2020)
- Global Investigations Review, Most Impressive Investigations Practice (2017, 2021)
Education
Mr. Manley earned his J.D. in 2000 at Harvard Law School, where he was Notes Editor of the Harvard Law Review and also received a Master in Public Administration degree from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government the same year. He earned his B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude, from Morehouse College in 1996.
Court Admissions: U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Fourth and Ninth Circuits, U.S. District Courts for the District of Columbia, District of Maryland, Eastern District of Michigan, Northern District of West Virginia.
Representations
- UAE financial institution in economic sanctions matter before OFAC, DOJ, DFS, and FCA
- The U.S. Ambassador to the European Union before the U.S. House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Committee on Oversight and Reform.
- Appointed by DOJ to be an Independent Compliance Monitor pursuant to DPA settlement.
- Multinational technology company before DOJ and SEC in investigations related to allegations of FCPA violations.
- National health insurer in False Claims Act investigations
- Counsel for European company in DOJ, OFAC, SEC matter involving alleged Iranian sanctions matters
- Counsel for a UK financial institution before DOJ, OFAC, and other agencies involving alleged breaches of U.S. sanctions laws
- Counsel for a Middle East financial institution regarding alleged violations of US sanctions
- Counsel for a multinational corporation regarding FCPA investigations in Europe, Latin America, and Africa
- Counsel for pharmaceutical company regarding FCPA monitoring activities in Asia
- Counsel for a Fortune 500 company in an FCPA investigation in Mexico
- Counsel for a Foreign Sovereign Government in a DOJ money laundering investigation
- Counsel for Foreign Officials on separate money laundering claims
- Counsel for a multi-state health care management and hospice corporation for alleged FCA violations
- Counsel for a senior executive in an SBA internal investigation
- Counsel for a corporation regarding alleged immigration and SEC violations
- Counsel for a White House appointee in an Office of Inspector General investigation
Matters in Government
- Prosecuted a $40 million dollar money laundering and wire fraud case involving electronic fencing operations in Maryland, New York, Texas, and Florida
- Prosecuted a fraudulent Medicare billing scheme involving companies and pharmacies in the United States and Eastern Europe
- Prosecuted businesses and individuals in an extensive mortgage fraud conspiracy in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia
- Prosecuted individuals for a $28 million dollar tax evasion scheme
- Prosecuted employees in a kickback scheme involving bank funds
Matters may have been completed before joining Paul Hastings.
Engagement & Publications
- Speaker, "Behind the Scenes of a DPA, Monitorship and the Aftermath: First-Hand Accounts of the Real-Life Trials and Tribulations -- and Compliance Lessons Learned", ACI 41st International Conference on the FCPA, Washington, D.C., December 2024.
- Moderator, "FCPA Year in Review," ACI’s 40th International Conference on the FCPA, Washington, D.C., November 2023.
- Speaker, “Behind the Scenes of Building an Effective Data Analytics Program: How to Know if You Are Achieving True Data-Driven Compliance and Monitoring," ACI’s 39th International Conference on the FCPA and Practical Guide to FCPA Data Analytics, Washington, D.C., November 2022.
- Chair and Moderator, "Privilege Issues and Ethical Traps in Conducting the Investigation," PLI’s Internal Investigations 2022, Chicago, October 2022.
- Speaker, "Defending Your FCPA Compliance Program to the Agencies: Preparing for a Meeting and What to Expect Amid the Biden Administration’s Intensified Focus on Foreign Corruption," ACI’s 38th International Conference on the FCPA, Washington, D.C., November 2021.
- Speaker, “Top of Mind Risk for Tech Companies”, American Lawyer webinar, November 2021.
- Moderator, “Closing Town Hall with DOJ, SEC, and IRS,” ACI’s 37th International Conference on the FCPA, Virtual, December 2020.
- Speaker, "Risk Assessment: Establishing the Right Sized Compliance Program for Your Organization," ACI’s 11th Annual Advanced Forum on Economic Sanctions Enforcement and Compliance, Washington, D.C., April 2020.
- Speaker, "DOJ Monitorships and Effective Compliance Programs", Japan Institute for Overseas Investment (JOI), Tokyo, September 2019
- Faculty Speaker, “How leading companies are prioritizing sanctions compliance for current and future business opportunities,” ACI Economic Sanctions Conference, Washington, D.C., May 2019
- Author, Something Familiar, Something New: OFAC’s Compliance Program Framework, May 6, 2019
- Author, “Sanctions Compliance Shortfalls Result in $1B Global Enforcement Action,” Law360, April 2019
- Speaker/Panelist, ACI Conference on Economic Sanctions Enforcement and Compliance, "Walkthrough of a Sanctions Investigation and Voluntary Disclosure Do’s and Don’ts," Washington, D.C., April 2018
- Speaker/Panelist, "How to Improve Efficiency and Control Costs in Internal Investigations," Emerging Issues in Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) Enforcement, Washington, D.C., March 2018,
- Lead Presenter, The Acquisition Due Diligence Process, Washington, D.C., June 2017 (broadcast nationwide)
- Lead Presenter, Client CLE: Government Investigations – How to Protect Your Company, Seoul, Korea, May 2017
- Speaker/Panelist, "Government Investigations/Compliance: How to Keep Your Company Out of the Government's Crosshairs," ABA Business Law Conference, Chicago, IL, October 2015
- Speaker/Faculty, National Institute on Internal Corporate Investigations, Washington, D.C., April 2016
- Speaker/Faculty, "Defending the White Collar Case: In and Out of Court", NACDL Annual White Collar Seminar, Washington, D.C., October 2016
- Author, “U.S. Sanctions' Long Reach May Have Just Gotten Longer,” Law360, October 2016
- Author, "HCP Roundtable Anyone? South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare Imposes A $48 Million Fine on Novartis Korea and Suspends Insurance Reimbursement," Client Alert, May 8, 2017
- Moderator, "DOJ and SEC Decision Makers: Enforcement Trends and Perspectives on the Transition to a New Administration", FCPA Conference, December 2020.
- Moderator, "Behind the Scenes of FCPA Prosecutions with DOJ, SEC, FBI, HIS, and IRS", FCPA Conference, December 2020
Involvement
- Member, American Bar Association; National Bar Association; Federal Bar Association
- Member, Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation National Selection Committee
- Barrister, Edward Bennett Williams Inn of Court (White Collar Defense – Washington, D.C.)
- Clerked for the Honorable Henry H. Kennedy, Jr., United States District Judge for the District of Columbia