Welcome to the Hughes Hubbard Anti-Corruption and Internal Investigations Practice Group’s Podcast, All Things Investigations. In this podcast, host Tom Fox and returning guest Kevin Abikoff of the Hughes Hubbard Anti-Corruption & Internal Investigations Practice Group, highlight some of the key legal issues in white collar investigations, locally and internationally.

Kevin Abikoff is partner and Deputy Chair at Hughes Hubbard, and Chairman of the firm’s Anti-Corruption & Internal Investigations Practice Group. He specializes in securities and white-collar criminal litigation, enforcement, regulation and counseling with an emphasis on the representation of entities in anti-corruption (including FCPA) matters.

Key ideas we discuss in this podcast:

• The DOJ has instituted a new requirement for CCOs to certify that their programs are “reasonably designed” to detect and prevent violations of the law.
• The potential for liability as a CCO.
• How this new requirement may pressure CCOs to go beyond their usual duties in order to make the certification.
• Corporate governance as a remediation of the CCO certification requirement.
• The board of directors should be responsible for overseeing corporate compliance programs, rather than just nominally doing so.
• The DOJ listens to commentators and evolves in their own thinking.

KEY QUOTE
“Part of the narrative [for CCO certification] is that it gives CCOs a seat at the table. If you don’t have a seat at the table after you’ve gone through a FCPA enforcement action, I think there are bigger problems.” – Kevin Abikoff

Resources

Hughes Hubbard & Reed website 

Kevin Abikoff on LinkedIn