Bruce Yannett served as the Chair of the White Collar & Regulatory Defense Group for over ten years until November 2023 and also served as Deputy Presiding Partner of the firm from July 2011 until June 2022. His practice focuses on white collar criminal defense, regulatory enforcement and internal investigations. He represents a broad range of companies, financial institutions and their executives in matters involving securities fraud, accounting fraud, foreign bribery, cybersecurity, insider trading and money laundering. He has extensive experience representing corporations and individuals outside the United States in responding to inquiries and investigations.
Mr. Yannett’s practice also encompasses complex litigation, including derivative cases, shareholder actions and commercial disputes.
Chambers Global (2024) and Chambers USA (2024) recognize Mr. Yannett as a Band 1 practitioner for FCPA matters. He is also noted by Chambers USA (2024) as a Band 1 practitioner for white collar criminal defense and by The Legal 500 Latin America (2024) for compliance and investigations in Latin America. Sources say that he is “a master in the field of significant government-facing matters” and that “he has unrivaled experience which he is able to package into very practical advice.” Clients also note that he is “a giant in the white-collar field,” “a true expert ... focused on finding practical solutions” and “he brings a certain depth of expertise and gravitas.” He is said to have “tremendous credibility with boards and government agencies,” he is “one of the best-known and most able advisers for potential criminal issues with the government,” and “he has extremely deep knowledge, is very smart and strategic, and is a pleasure to work with.” They praise his work as “excellent” and describe him as “a leading light” and a “very strong communicator and litigator.” In a similar vein, he is recognized by The Legal 500 US (2024), which includes him in its “Hall of Fame” and has called him a “superstar,” Lawdragon recognizes him as one of the 500 leading lawyers in America, and Benchmark Litigation names him a Litigation Star.
Mr. Yannett joined Debevoise in 1986. In 1987 and 1988, he served on the team of lawyers selected by Lawrence Walsh to investigate the Iran/Contra matter, acting as an Associate Counsel in the Office of Independent Counsel. From 1988 to 1992, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, where he was lead trial counsel in 20 jury trials ranging from bribery to murder. He also served in the Transnational and Major Crimes Unit, where he conducted investigations related to international terrorism, money laundering and sanctions violations. Mr. Yannett returned to Debevoise in 1992.
He is a member of the American Law Institute. Mr. Yannett is on the Board of Advisors for the New York University Program on Corporate Compliance and Enforcement. He previously served as Co-Chair of the ABA Litigation Section’s Task Force on Attorney-Client Privilege and as Co-Chair of the ABA’s Criminal Litigation Committee. He is admitted to appear before the Second, Tenth and D.C. Circuits; the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; and the District of Columbia.
Mr. Yannett has written and lectured extensively on issues relating to white collar criminal defense and regulatory enforcement. He is an editor of the firm’s monthly FCPA Update and a current member of the Editorial Board of Global Investigations Review. Mr. Yannett co-authored a chapter on the FCPA in Defending Corporations & Individuals in Government Investigations, published in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2017 by West.
Mr. Yannett’s recent publications also include articles titled “DOJ Announces Initiative to Combat AI-Assisted Crime,” NYU PCCE (February, 2024); “SDNY Whistleblower Pilot Program Incentivizes Self-Disclosure and Cooperation,” NYU PCCE (February, 2024); “Beginning an Internal Investigation: The US Perspective,” Global Investigations Review (January, 2024); “Congress Passes Foreign Extortion Prevention Act, Targeting “Demand Side” of Foreign Bribery,” NYU PCCE (December, 2023); “Supreme Court Repudiates ‘Right-to-Control’ Theory Under the Federal Wire Fraud Statute,” NYU Compliance & Enforcement (May, 2023); “French Authorities Publish Guide on Anti-Corruption Internal Investigations,” NYU Compliance & Enforcement (April, 2023); "5th Circ. Ruling Leaves Open Questions On FCPA Liability,” Law360 (March, 2023); “Why Ethical AI Initiatives Need Help from Corporate Compliance,” NYU Compliance & Enforcement (April, 2022); “District Court Addresses Issues Arising from Corporate Investigations and Voluntary Cooperation with DOJ,” NYU Compliance & Enforcement (March, 2022); “Recommendations for Combating Bribery of Foreign Officials,” NYU Compliance & Enforcement Blog (December, 2021); “Election Effects on White-Collar Enforcement: What To Expect From a Biden DOJ,” New York Law Journal (December, 2020); “Compliance Tips Amid Rising Fraud Risk In Latin America,” Law360 (August, 2020); “Brazil Announces New Anti-Corruption Cooperation Framework; MPF’s 5th Chamber Opposes It,” Compliance & Enforcement (August, 2020); “Business Crime and Investigations in the United States,” Practical Law: Financial and Business Crime Global Guide (July, 2020); “The Future of Anti-Corruption Enforcement Involving Brazil and the United States” in Política (2019); and chapters titled “Beginning an Internal Investigation: The US Perspective” in The Practitioner's Guide to Global Investigations, Global Investigations Review (2023); “The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act” in Business and Commercial Litigation in Federal Courts, Fourth Edition, Thompson Reuters (2019); “UK vs. US: an Analysis of Key DPA Terms and their Impact on Corporate Parties” in The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Business Crime 2019 9th Edition, Global Legal Group (2018); and “Crisis Management” in Successful Partnering Between Inside and Outside Counsel” Thompson Reuters Westlaw and the Association of Corporate Counsel (April, 2015).
Mr. Yannett received his B.A. magna cum laude from Brown University in 1980, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and earned his J.D. cum laude from New York University Law School in 1985, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif and was the executive editor of the New York University Law Review. From 1985 to 1986, he served as a law clerk to the Hon. Edward Weinfeld of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Superb excellence and strong expertise.
A very talented lawyer.
—Chambers USA
Bruce Yannett é Vice-Gestor do escritório, membro de seu Comitê Gestor e Líder do Grupo de Colarinho Branco e Defesa Regulatória. É especializado na defesa de crimes de colarinho branco, cumprimento de normas regulatórias e investigações internas. Representa uma ampla variedade de empresas, instituições financeiras e executivos em questões envolvendo fraudes de valores mobiliários, fraude contábil, prática de corrupção no exterior, segurança cibernética, utilização abusiva de informações privilegiadas e lavagem de dinheiro. Bruce tem vasta experiência na representação de pessoas físicas e jurídicas fora dos Estados Unidos em respostas a inquéritos e investigações.
Bruce também atua em litígios complexos, incluindo casos relacionados a derivativos, ações propostas por acionistas e disputas comerciais.
O Chambers Global (2022) e o Chambers USA (2021) reconhecem Bruce como advogado de Nível 1 em questões relacionadas à Lei dos Estados Unidos sobre a Prática de Corrupção no Exterior (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act - FCPA). Também o Chambers USA (2021) o reconhece como um dos mais importantes advogados de crimes de colarinho branco e direito regulatório, o Chambers Global (2021), na área de crimes e inquéritos empresariais na América Latina e o The Legal 500 Latin America (2022), na área de compliance e inquéritos na América Latina. Clientes dizem que Bruce tem “imensa credibilidade perante executivos e agências governamentais”, é “um dos mais renomados e mais capazes advogados em questões perante os órgãos governamentais com potenciais implicações criminais” e “tem profundo conhecimento e é muito inteligente e estratégico. É um prazer trabalhar com ele”. Qualificam seu trabalho como "excelente" e descrevem-no como um "comunicador e um advogado de contencioso muito competente", assim como uma "luz de liderança na área". Observam que "é muito sério", ganhando o "respeito imediato de todos". De forma semelhante, é reconhecido pelo Legal 500 US (2021), que o incluiu em seu “Hall da Fama”, como um "superstar", pelo Lawdragon, como um dos 500 principais advogados dos Estados Unidos e pelo Benchmark Litigation, como um "Litigation Star".
Bruce ingressou no Debevoise em 1986. Durante os anos de 1987 e 1988, integrou a equipe de advogados selecionados por Lawrence Walsh para investigar o caso Irã-Contras, atuando como Procurador Associado no Office of Independent Counsel. De 1988 a 1992, Bruce foi Promotor Assistente do Distrito de Columbia, onde atuou como o advogado principal em 20 júris em temas que variavam de corrupção a homicídio. Também trabalhou na Unidade de Crimes Relevantes e Transnacionais, onde conduziu investigações relacionadas a terrorismo internacional, lavagem de dinheiro e violações de sanções. Bruce retornou ao Debevoise em 1992.
Bruce é membro do American Law Institute e do Conselho Consultivo do programa de Corporate Compliance and Enforcement da New York University. Anteriormente, foi um dos Presidentes da Força-Tarefa da Seção de Advocacia Contenciosa da American Bar Association (ABA) sobre Sigilo entre Cliente e Advogado, assim como do Comitê de Processo Criminal da ABA. Ele tem permissão para atuar perante os Segundo, Quinto e Décimo Circuitos e o Circuito do Distrito de Columbia; os Distritos Sul e Leste de Nova Iorque; e o Distrito de Columbia.
Bruce escreveu e lecionou extensivamente sobre questões relacionadas à defesa de crimes de colarinho branco e cumprimento de normas regulatórias. É um dos editores do FCPA Update, publicado mensalmente pelo escritório, e membro do Conselho Editorial da Global Investigations Review. Bruce é coautor de um capítulo sobre o FCPA no livro Defending Corporations & Individuals in Government Investigations, publicado em 2011, 2013, 2014 e 2017 pela editora West.
Dentre as recentes publicações da autoria de Bruce incluem-se os artigos “Recommendations for Combating Bribery of Foreign Officials”, no NYU Compliance & Enforcement Blog (dezembro de 2021); “Election Effects on White-Collar Enforcement: What To Expect From a Biden DOJ”, no New York Law Journal (dezembro de 2020); “Compliance Tips Amid Rising Fraud Risk In Latin America”, no Law360 (agosto de 2020); “Brazil Announces New Anti-Corruption Cooperation Framework; MPF’s 5th Chamber Opposes It”, na Compliance & Enforcement (agosto de 2020); “Business Crime and Investigations in the United States”, no guia Practical Law: Financial and Business Crime Global Guide (julho de 2020); “O futuro do combate à corrupção envolvendo Brasil e Estados Unidos”, no Estadão (2019); e os capítulos “Beginning an Internal Investigation: The US Perspective”, do guia “The Practitioner's Guide to Global Investigations”, Global Investigations Review (2019); “The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act”, do livro “Business and Commercial Litigation in Federal Courts”, 4ª Ed., Thompson Reuters (2019); “UK vs. US: an Analysis of Key DPA Terms and their Impact on Corporate Parties”, do guia “The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Business Crime 2019 9th Edition,” Global Legal Group (2018); e “Crisis Management”, do livro “Successful Partnering Between Inside and Outside Counsel”, Thompson Reuters Westlaw and the Association of Corporate Counsel (abril de 2015).
Bruce graduou-se Bacharel magna cum laude pela Brown University em 1980, quando foi eleito para a Phi Beta Kappa, e Bacharel em Direito cum laude pela Faculdade de Direito da New York University em 1985, quando foi eleito para a associação estudantil Order of the Coif, tendo sido também editor executivo da New York University Law Review. De 1985 a 1986, Bruce trabalhou como assistente do Juiz Edward Weinfeld, do Tribunal do Distrito Sul de Nova Iorque.
Bruce Yannett是本所职务和监管辩护团队主席，并于 2011 年 7 月至 2022 年 6 月期间担任本所副主任合伙人、其主要执业领域为白领职务犯罪辩护，监管执法及内部调查。他曾代表众多公司、金融机构及其高级管理人员处理证券欺诈、会计欺诈、外国贿赂、网络安全、内幕交易以及洗钱的相关事务。他在代表美国以外的公司及个人处理询问及调查方面具有丰富经验。
Yannett律师的执业领域还涵盖重大诉讼，其中包括代位诉讼、股东诉讼以及商业纠纷。
Yannett律师被《钱伯斯全球》（2022年）和《钱伯斯美国》（2022年）认可为FCPA事务的一等律师。Yannett律师还被《钱伯斯美国》（2022年）认可为职务犯罪辩护及监管执法的一等律师，《钱伯斯全球》（2021年）认可为拉美公司犯罪与调查的杰出律师，拉美法律500强（2022年）拉美合规与调查的杰出律师。消息人士称他是“职务领域的巨人”、“真正的专家……专注于寻找实用的解决方案”并且“他带来了一定深度的专业知识和庄严”。客户还指出“他在董事会和政府机构中享有极高的信誉”，他是“最著名、最有能力的处理与政府有关的潜在犯罪问题的顾问之一。”“他学识渊博，非常聪明，处理事务有全局性，和他一起工作非常愉快”。客户称赞他的工作“非常出色”，将他描述为一个“十分有力的沟通者及诉讼律师”，以及“本领域中的领导者”，认为“他与生俱来的庄重”使他“立刻赢得在场所有人的尊重。”Yannett律师被《美国法律500强》（2022年）纳入其“名人堂”名单，并称其为“超级明星”；被《Lawdragon》评为美国500名杰出律师之一；被《基准诉讼》称为“诉讼之星”。
Yannett律师于1986年加入德普律师事务所。在1987年和1988年，他供职于Lawrence Walsh挑选的律师团队以调查伊朗门事件，担任独立法律顾问办公室联合顾问一职。自1988年起至1992年，他担任哥伦比亚特区助理检察官一职，并在20起陪审团庭审中（其中包括贿赂及谋杀）担任主检察官。他还曾供职于“跨国与重大犯罪部门（Transnational and Major Crimes Unit）”，进行与国际恐怖主义、洗钱、以及违反制裁有关的调查。Yannett律师于1992年重回德普律师事务所。
Yannett律师是美国法律协会的成员。他还是纽约大学公司合规及执法项目顾问委员会的成员。他曾担任美国律师协会诉讼部门成立的律师-客户特权专门小组的联合主席，以及美国律师协会刑事诉讼委员会的联合主席。他可在第二、第五、第十以及华盛顿特区巡回法院，纽约南部及东部地区法院，以及哥伦比亚特区法院出庭。
Yannett律师就白领犯罪辩护及监管执法有关事务大量发表文章及举行讲座。他是本所每月《FCPA更新》的编辑，以及《全球调查综述》的编委会成员。Yannett律师与人共同编写了《在政府调查中为公司及个人辩护》一书中关于FCPA的章节，该书由West出版社于2011、2013、2014和2017年出版。
Yannett律师最近发表的文章还包括：“开始内部调查：美国视角”，《全球调查评论》（2023 年 1 月）；“为什么人工智能伦理计划需要公司合规的帮助”，《纽约大学合规与执法》（2022年4月）；“地区法院解决由公司调查和与司法部自愿合作引发的问题”，《纽约大学合规与执法》（2022年3月）；“关于打击贿赂外国官员的建议”，《纽约大学合规与执法博客》（2021年12月）；“选举对白领执法的影响：对拜登领导下司法部的预期”，《纽约法律杂志》（2020年12月）；“对于拉丁美洲欺诈风险升级的合规提示”，《法律360》（2020年8月）；“巴西公布新的反腐败合作框架；警察总署五院表示反对”，《合规与执行》（2020年8月）；“美国商业犯罪和调查”，《实用法律：全球金融与商业犯罪指南》（2020年7月）；“巴西和美国参与下的反腐败执法的未来走向”，Política（2019年）；《全球调查律师指南》中题为“开始一次内部调查：以美国的视角为例”章节，《全球调查综述》（2019年）；《联邦法院商业和商事诉讼》（第四版）中题为《海外反腐败法》章节，Thompson Reuters（2019年）；《商业犯罪国际比较法律指南2019年第九版》中题为“英美之对比：对暂缓起诉协议主要条款及其对公司方影响的分析”章节，Global Legal Group（2018年）；以及《内部法务与外部律师之间的成功合作》中题为“危机管理”章节，Westlaw以及Association of Corporate Counsel（2015年4月）。
Yannett律师于1980年以优等成绩取得布朗大学文学学士学位，在校时入选斐陶斐荣誉学会（Phi Beta Kappa）；于1985年取得纽约大学法学博士学位，在校时入选白帽协会（The Order of the Coif），并担任《纽约大学法律评论》的执行编辑。Yannett律师于1985年至1986年间在纽约南区地区法院担任Edward Weinfeld法官的助理。