Gregory M. Williams

Greg's practice focuses on complex commercial litigation and arbitration and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). His diverse experience includes significant commercial litigation involving contractual, business tort, and product liability claims; False Claims Act (FCA) matters; Administrative Procedure Act (APA) issues; intellectual property disputes; international arbitrations; and anti-corruption matters.

Among other high-profile matters, Greg represents a defense contractor in an international dispute with the Republic of Korea stemming from a terminated Foreign Military Sales transaction, in which he obtained a declaration, affirmed by the Fourth Circuit, that Korea’s claims against the contractor were improper under federal common law; represents the same contractor in a multi-million-dollar breach of contract, indemnity, and business tort dispute with its subcontractor, in which the court dismissed all but two of the subcontractor’s multiple claims; represents FastShip, the inventor of a revolutionary hull design, in a misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of contract case against Lockheed Martin Corporation; represented a patent holder in a successfully settled, multi-party infringement litigation concerning wireless e-mail products and systems; represented a New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)-listed French multinational in a $4 billion securities class action suit (settled for less than $7 million, or less than 1 percent of the original claims); represented several oil companies in a breach of contract claim against the United States resulting in a $1.8 billion award; represented a South American pharmaceutical company in an International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration involving contractual and patent claims, successfully negating a non-compete provision in an agreement concluded by two sophisticated companies; and represented a European satellite operating company in an ICC arbitration involving multiple contractual and business tort claims and counterclaims, resulting in a large, favorable award for his client.

Greg's FCPA experience runs the gamut, including managing world-wide internal investigations; conducting due diligence on international agents, joint venture partners, and other third parties; and designing corporate anti-corruption compliance and training programs.

Representative Experience

Litigation:

• Represents defense contractor in multi-million-dollar contractual dispute with the Republic of Korea.
• Represents government contractor in multi-million-dollar dispute with its subcontractor.
• Represents FastShip in multi-million-dollar misappropriation of trade secrets case against government contractor.
• Represented NTP, Inc., in patent infringement suits regarding wireless email products and systems.
• Represented Alstom SA in a worldwide securities class action.
• Represented a South American pharmaceutical company as respondent in an ICC arbitration involving a dispute under a supply agreement and related patent issues.
• Represented a European satellite operating company as claimant against a major European aerospace company in an ICC arbitration involving claims and counterclaims exceeding $150 million.

Anti-Corruption:

• Represented a NYSE-traded company in connection with an internal investigation relating to business in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa and related U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) inquiries.
• Represented a Fortune 500 company in connection with FCPA advice, due diligence, and investigations regarding business throughout the Middle East – including Iraq, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, and Qatar – and China, Central Asia, and Nigeria, among other regions.
• Represented a leading international logistics company and government contractor on a wide range of anti-corruption matters spanning the globe, including conducting multiple internal investigations and due diligence in connection with mergers & acquisitions and third parties.
• Advised a private equity company with respect to investments in portfolio companies in countries across Africa and Asia.
• Advised a leading franchisor with respect to FCPA matters in the UAE, Russia, and China.

Affiliations

• Board Member, Osgood Center for International Studies
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce, International Policy Committee
• Member, Steering Group, International Litigation Committee, ABA Section of International Law (2016)
• Member, International Bribery and Corruption Task Force, United States Council for International Business (2016)

Recognitions

• Named an “Acritas Star Lawyer” (2018)
• Received 2015 Burton Award for Distinguished Legal Writing