In this episode, Tom Fox welcomes Mike Koenig to talk about his career and his recent move back to private practice after a 5-year stint at JBS. Mike is one of the few folks to move from private practice to an in-house CCO role, then back to private practice.
Mike began by reviewing his career, from 25 years in private practice and a 2003 DOJ Fraud Section stint prosecuting corporate fraud to becoming chief compliance officer at JBS in August 2021 amid DOJ and SEC settlement agreements requiring an effective compliance program. He describes learning to operate within business-driven priorities by building relationships, learning the business and culture, “educating not dictating,” and securing C-suite, board, and audit committee buy-in, including CEO-driven training completion. He explains that he uses trusted outside experts and focuses on the specific problem to solve rather than “boiling the ocean.” After JBS completed the settlements and listed on the NYSE in June 2025, he returned to private practice at Friedman Kaplan to advise on investigations and compliance, emphasizing concise, solution-oriented counsel. He warns against de-prioritizing compliance despite reduced enforcement, urges risk assessments (tariffs, export controls, and human rights), and recommends using DOJ compliance guidance to review programs.
Key highlights:
- Career Journey Recap
- Joining JBS In-House
- Building Compliance Fast
- Relationships Not Dictates
- Leadership Buy-In
- FCPA Pause or a Wake-Up Call
- Compliance Through 2030
Resources:
Mike Koenig on LinkedIn
Mike Koenig at Friedman Kaplan
Tom Fox
My first work of general non-fiction is now out: Deluge Before Dawn, the story of the 2025 flood in Kerr County, Texas, which killed 119 people and devastated a county. It is a story of tragedy, heartbreak, survival, and resilience.
It is available on the following sites:
This week only, the Kindle e-book version is available for $0.99 on Amazon.