Jeanne M. Cors

Jeanne is a partner in Taft’s Compliance, Investigations, and White Collar Defense practice. Drawing on nearly 25 years of experience, she represents companies and individuals in all stages of white collar criminal defense, including internal and government investigations, compliance and risk assessment counseling, trials and appeals, and parallel proceedings. While she is a trial-proven advocate, Jeanne’s first priority is resolving these high-stakes matters behind the scenes, preventing indictment and damaging publicity.

Jeanne has particular experience in:

• Asset recovery, including the recovery of currency seized by the Department of Homeland Security, Drug Enforcement Administration, and other law enforcement agencies.
• Alleged economic espionage and theft of trade secrets, including the representation of Chinese nationals and U.S. citizens of Chinese origin investigated for violations of the Economic Espionage Act or in connection with federal grant programs.
• Regulatory matters involving controlled substances and List 1 Chemicals.
• Health care fraud, including investigations and prosecutions.
• Visa and other immigration services fraud.
• Government enforcement inquiries and investigations before the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and other federal and state agencies.

As a seasoned first-chair trial lawyer, Jeanne understands the inner workings of government cases. This insight benefits all aspects of her practice, whether litigating on behalf of a multinational corporation, helping a privately owned company navigate a complex government investigation, or developing and implementing a compliance program with executives to proactively avoid such exposure. Jeanne understands the wide-ranging impact of white collar cases on clients’ business operations, employees, and families, and she provides sound counsel on these sensitive matters.

Representative clients for whom Jeanne has served as lead or primary counsel include:

White Collar Defense

• An alleged high-ranking Intelligence Officer with China’s Ministry of State Security in federal jury trial in the Southern District of Ohio. Defendant was charged by the Department of Justice of conspiring to and attempting to commit economic espionage and theft of trade secrets. He was the first Chinese intelligence officer to be extradited to the United States to stand trial.
• A senior level partner at KPMG indicted for violation of federal tax law. Following a five-week jury trial the partner was acquitted of all charges.
• Multiple health care organizations investigated for alleged visa application fraud.
• A former CEO of a Dayton, Ohio, public company indicted for violation of federal securities law. Following a negotiated plea and contentious amount of loss and sentencing hearings, the individual obtained a sentence significantly below the recommended U.S. Sentencing Guidelines range.
• A global manufacturer of healthcare equipment investigating its Indian subsidiary for possible violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). This matter was investigated under the U.K. Bribery Act and involved FCPA violations by company representatives and individuals.
• A CEO of a pharmaceutical distributor investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration for diversion.
• A veterinary clinic investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration for records violations and diversion.
• A corporate client entering into consent decrees with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Taft negotiated several consent decrees on behalf of the client.

Antitrust

• Currently representing a large pharmacy benefit manager sued by a state attorney general for violation of state antitrust law.
• Multiple Japanese auto suppliers investigated by the Department of Justice Antitrust Division for alleged criminal violations of the Sherman Act. After multi-year investigations, Taft obtained declinations on behalf of two of its Japanese clients and their U.S. subsidiaries.
• A large manufacturer of packaged ice investigated by the Department of Justice Antitrust Division for alleged criminal violations of the Sherman Act.

Additional Litigation

• Clients that span industries, litigating on behalf of Tokai Kogyo, Home City Ice Company, Duke Energy, Morton Salt, International Speedway Corporation, The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., Cincinnati Bengals, and Barr Pharmaceuticals, among other high-profile companies.
• A client in a death penalty habeas corpus action in the Southern District of Ohio and on appeal to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Represented the client as part of a CJA panel appointment.
• A client indicted on drug and gun charges in the Southern District of Ohio and on appeal to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Represented the client as part of a CJA panel appointment.