Simon Latcovich brings nearly two decades of experience representing clients in high-stakes criminal and civil litigation. His practice spans a broad range of sensitive investigations and trials, with clients including Fortune 500 companies, senior executives, founders, and elected and appointed government officials.
Recognized by Chambers USA as a leading lawyer in White Collar Crime & Government Investigations, Simon has handled matters involving allegations of fraud, political corruption, money laundering, false statements, obstruction of justice, and environmental crimes. His work also encompasses the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), antitrust, bank fraud, and disclosure of classified information.
His practice also includes significant civil matters, including representing individuals and companies in defamation suits, antirust matters, trade secrets matters, partnership disputes, and professional liability claims.
Simon is Co-Chair of Williams & Connolly’s Anti-Money Laundering & Economic Sanctions practice group. He is also the co-author of Federal Criminal Discovery, a widely cited treatise described by the American Bar Association as an “invaluable resource for judges, academics, prosecutors, and defense lawyers.”
Simon also serves as General Counsel to the White House Correspondents’ Association.
Drawing on his trial experiences, Simon has taught Trial Practice and Federal White Collar Crime at Georgetown University Law Center, where he served on the Board of Visitors from 2017 to 2023. He also created the Latcovich Family Scholarship for veterans attending Georgetown.
Simon earned his B.S. in Economics with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1998 and an M.Phil. in Economics from Oxford University in 2000. He served as a Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy before graduating magna cum laude from Georgetown Law in 2006. Following a clerkship with Judge Thomas B. Griffith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, Simon joined Williams & Connolly in 2007.
Originally from Washington, D.C., Simon was raised in Indianapolis and Richmond.
Representative Experience
Though all cases vary and none is predictive, Simon’s experience includes:
- Lead counsel in a federal trial regarding a business partnership dispute; judgment issued for both compensatory and punitive damages after jury trial
- Represented a prominent lobbyist in criminal investigations regarding the Foreign Agents Registration Act by Special Counsel Mueller and the SDNY; government declined to prosecute
- Represented international bank in federal criminal sanctions litigation
- Lead counsel in an administrative trial regarding the security clearance for a senior (four-star equivalent) Pentagon official; government conceded mid-trial
- Represented the heirs in litigation challenging a multi-billion dollar estate plan; case settled favorably after successful bench trial that led to removal of adverse trustee
- Lead counsel in trial for a successful writ of innocence claim in Maryland for inmate imprisoned for thirty-five years
- Represented United States Senator Ted Stevens in a federal corruption trial; government dismissed based on misconduct uncovered by the defense
- Successful summary judgment on defamation claim regarding statements in a securities disclosure
- Trial verdict on defamation claim involving allegations regarding theft
- Representation of multiple media companies in criminal investigations
- Represented Chief Executive Officer of an international bank in multi-national money laundering and securities fraud investigations
- Counsel for large pharmaceutical company in antitrust cases that resulted in a successful settlement on the eve of trial
- Representaton of law firm in criminal investigation; no charges brought
- Represented the former Chief Executive of a Fortune 100 company in a class action securities lawsuit; favorable settlement reached in which client paid nothing
- Represented a national pharmaceutical company in a government false claims investigation; government declined to intervene and ultimately moved to dismiss qui tam relator’s claims
- Represented health care clinic owner in federal criminal trial
- Represented real estate developers in litigation against a fellow developer and various banks; obtained settlement in which clients paid nothing
- Represented Army veteran pro bono in first-degree murder trials
- Represented a manufacturing plant manager in an environmental criminal investigation; government declined to prosecute
- Represented health care clinics in a government false claims investigation; government declined to prosecute
- Represented a senior intelligence official in an investigation involving the destruction of interrogation videotapes; government declined to prosecute
- Represented a senior real estate executive in New York federal corruption investigation; government declined to prosecute
- Represented bank charged with criminal securities fraud; government settled with a civil resolution on eve of trial
- Represented multiple pro bono clients at trial, including successful criminal defense and judgment for renter in dispute with condo association