David Rybicki of K&L Gates/courtesy photo

In anticipation of numerous government investigations related to the novel coronavirus and how companies responded to its spread, K&L Gates has hired a former Justice Department attorney to build on its investigations, enforcement and white-collar practice in Washington, D.C.

David Rybicki has joined K&L Gates as a partner, the Pittsburgh-based international firm announced Monday. Most recently, he held multiple positions at the Department of Justice's criminal division, including acting principal deputy assistant attorney general and deputy assistant attorney general, the second- and third-in-command titles, respectively, in the division.

Before joining the federal government, he was counsel at Weil, Gotshal & Manges and an associate at Wiley Rein.

"My role as a DAAG [deputy assistant attorney general] in the front office for three years provided me with invaluable insights on the wide array of matters the criminal division prosecutes—everything from opioid-related healthcare fraud matters to transnational cybercrime—and how these investigations develop and are ultimately resolved," Rybicki said in an email. "There's no better job anywhere, in my view, for getting such deep experience with high-level investigations and prosecutions."

At the DOJ, Rybicki oversaw the investigation, prosecution and coordination of white-collar criminal matters involving money laundering, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, cybercrime and cryptocurrencies, civil and criminal RICO, public corruption, health care fraud, consumer fraud, immigration fraud, labor racketeering, affiliated benefit plan corruption and gaming law.

Among the higher-profile cases he prosecuted were United States v. Bondarenko, the DOJ's largest enterprise prosecution, with estimated losses of $2.2 billion; United States v. HGlobal, a cross-border telemarketing fraud and money-laundering scheme involving $300 million in estimated losses; and United States v. Sartini, a RICO conspiracy indictment involving Italian and U.S. defendants accused of various offenses relating to clinics and pharmacies unlawfully distributing opiods.

Rybicki said the decision to go back to private practice was difficult, and driven by K&L Gates' global platform, competitive investigations team and policy practice. "Given my interest in starting a white-collar and investigations practice that includes providing clients with advice in the congressional investigations space, K&L Gates was a natural fit," he said.

Rybicki said he plans to use his background on federal criminal investigations and prosecutions to counsel clients with complex regulatory and enforcement-related needs, and that he will work with the firm's policy group to build a book of business.

"We are thrilled by the addition of David because his blend of high-level DOJ experience, particularly his substantial cross-border experience relative to anti-money laundering, health care fraud, and cybersecurity, and his time on the Hill with the Senate Judiciary Committee, will enhance our ability to do what matters most: driving positive results for clients," said Stephen Topetzes, leader of K&L Gates' investigations, enforcement and white-collar practice, in a statement. "As governmental activity ramps up in response to the [novel coronavirus] pandemic, David's experience will provide significant advantages for companies that need to engage with the federal government."

Rybicki said that he expects the pandemic to affect every area of his practice.

"The national public health and financial crisis posed by COVID-19 has changed everything," he said. "I expect that not only how we work but the kind of investigations we will focus on in upcoming months will be driven to a significant extent [by] how the crisis changes, how it is resolved, and how federal prosecutors and regulators react to those developments."