Dan Collins is a nationally recognized trial lawyer who represents clients in complex litigation matters. An award-winning former federal prosecutor, Dan regularly defends clients in investigations conducted by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other government agencies.
A trusted advocate
Dan is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a distinction reserved for the top one percent of trial lawyers across the United States and Canada. Dan has been recognized repeatedly by Chambers USA, in which clients and peers have described him as “a very savvy, tactical and hard-working lawyer who is held in high esteem in the community,” with “first rate cross-examination skills” and “a great bed-side manner.”
Dan has led numerous internal investigations on behalf of public companies and other organizations on a wide spectrum of issues, including securities and accounting fraud, health care fraud, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), pay-to-play regulations, antitrust, money laundering, and trade secret theft. Dan draws upon his experience as a federal prosecutor, frequently advising on self-disclosure issues and navigating issues presented by DOJ’s Principles of Federal Prosecution of Business Organizations.
Dan is a tireless advocate on behalf of his clients — companies and individuals alike — with the primary goal of persuading authorities not to bring charges. When needed, he aggressively defends clients’ interests and works to obtain favorable results at trial. For example, in a recent high-profile, health care fraud trial, Dan obtained the dismissal of all felony charges against his client after six weeks of trial. According to the Chicago Tribune, the case “fizzled in stunning fashion in the midst of trial.”
Domestically and abroad, Dan frequently speaks on a variety of enforcement topics, including international sanctions and export controls, FCPA and internal controls relating to fraud. Dan is a faculty member with the Practicing Law Institute, where he has presented on conducting effective internal investigations. During his time as a prosecutor, Dan was a faculty member at the DOJ’s National Advocacy Center, presenting on topics related to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) and the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA). He also has taught courses in trial advocacy, national security and computer crime at law schools in Chicago.
