Legal Ethics Expert Witness

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2003- Present
American University, The Transnational Crime & Corruption Center (TraCCC); Scholar-in-Residence, AU's School of International Service; Washington College of Law and Georgetown University Law Center, Adjunct Professor, Washington, D.C.
Researching corporate governance, economic crime, judicial corruption, and terrorism. Giving guest lectures and meeting with foreign governmental officials, researchers and students on aforementioned issues. Monitoring political developments in Belarus and Russia. OSCE Election Observer in Belarus, October 2004. Writing a book on the law of India.

2003 - Present
An International Legal Malpractice Consulting Firm; General Counsel & Managing Director, Washington, D.C.
Managing a start-up legal/consulting firm that provides legal and consulting services on international legal malpractice matters and law firm management issues. Acting as an expert on questions on foreign law (Russian and Belarusian) in U.S. judicial proceeding. Serving as an arbitrator in attorney/client fee disputes. Conducting research in support of ongoing litigation and performing case assessments.

2001-2003
American University, The Transnational Crime & Corruption Center (TraCCC); Project Director, AU's School of International Service; Research Associate Professor; Washington College of Law, Adjunct Professor, Washington, D.C.
Managed overseas research centers studying international criminal activities and corruption. Engaged in research on money laundering, economic crime, human rights and illegal weapons exports. Solicited and edited research papers. Conducted seminars and made presentations concerning transnational crime and corruption. Supported TraCCC's development activities. Served as an election observer of the Belarusian Presidential Election, September 2001.

Ludwig & Robinson, P.L.L.C.; Member (Partner), Washington, D.C.
Conducted a general corporate and commercial practice involving small and medium companies. Participated in all aspects of commercial litigation and alternative dispute resolution, with an emphasis on cases involving recovery of assets lost as a result of embezzlements, and inaccurate advice on foreign investments. Worked with private investigators to locate laundered funds. Handled lawsuits in the area of auditing, engineering and medical malpractice. Was responsible for various aspects of firm's management.

1997-2001
Russin & Vecchi, L.L.P.; Senior International Counsel, Washington, D.C. and Moscow, Russia (Russian-Ukrainian Legal Group).
Advised clients on all aspects of doing business in Russia and Ukraine. Ensured quality control over Russian and Ukrainian attorneys' work product. Counseled on enforcement of international arbitral awards and the resolution of disputes with debtors. Advised clients on how to deal with corrupt officials and threats made by organized crime groups. Analyzed political and legal risk of proposed investments/transactions. Led team of attorneys for a USAID Net Assessment of Contract/Judgment Enforcement and Alternative Dispute Resolution in Ukraine. Performed assessment of the independence of lawyers in Belarus for Lawyers Committee for Human Rights.

1992-1997
Salans, Hertzfeld & Heilbronn; Associate, London and Paris.
Advised clients on corporate and commercial matters in Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Belarus. Principal activities included: (i) structuring and restructuring of foreign investment, (ii) preparation of loan, pledge, purchase-sale and real estate contracts, including in connection with project finance and privatization, and (iii) due diligence on potential acquisitions and joint ventures. Advised clients on political and economic risk of particular transactions (including that posed by corrupt officials and organized crime groups). Had primary responsibility for establishing a corporate department for the Russian practice in the firm.

1989 - 1992
Patton, Boggs & Blow; Associate, Washington, D.C.
Represented clients on international trade regulation, SEC, HUD, FDIC and environmental matters. Researched and wrote complaints and motions, conducted depositions, and argued motions in judicial and administrative proceedings, principally involving legal malpractice committed by attorneys in Texas in connection with the failure of three Savings & Loans. Participated in investigation of activities at BCCI and a Civil RICO matter involving the trucking industry. Served as Special Counsel to the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights on Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) matters. Worked on numerous legislative projects.

1983 - 1986
Systems Research and Applications Corporation; Research Associate, Arlington, Virginia.
Wrote reports for the U.S. Government on Soviet strategic planning, crisis military planning and terrorism. Assisted in preparation of training scenarios for the Naval War College. Developed informational requirements for the U.S. Joint Operational Planning and Execution System (JOPES). 1982 - 1983 Titan Systems, Inc.; Arms Control Analyst, McLean, Virginia. Wrote reports for the U.S. Government on: (i) arms control constraints on the U.S. space-based laser program, (ii) methodologies for analyzing strategic missile inventory issues, and (iii) concepts for including sea-launched cruise missiles within strategic arms control agreements.

EDUCATION

Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., cum laude, 1989; Member: American Criminal Law Review, 1987-89.

Georgetown University, Russian Area Studies Program (completed coursework towards masters degree, transferred to law school before completing thesis), 1983-85.

Harvard University, Slavic Language and Literature (Russian and Soviet Area Studies), A.B., magna cum laude, 1981 (Russian Language Certificate, 1980 from Leningrad State University).

BARS AND PRINCIPAL PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

District of Columbia Bar, 1989 - Present; Maryland State Bar, 2000 - Present.
Member, American Bar Association, 1989-Present.
Mediator and Arbitrator, D.C. Bar Attorney/Client Arbitration Board, 1997-Present.
Member, American Society of International Law, 1999-Present.
Member, American Academy of Legal Studies in Business, 2004-Present.
Member, D.C. Bar's Rules of Professional Conduct Review Committee, 2005-Present.
Member, International Bar Association, 1997-2001 and 2006-present.
Member, Canadian Bar Association, 2005-Present.
Member, Georgetown University Law Center Alumni Committee, 2007-Present.

PRINCIPAL PUBLICATIONS

Available upon request.

COURSES TAUGHT

"Business Organizations," Legal and Ethics M.A. Program, University of Baltimore.

"Conflict and Resolution in Post-Soviet Russia," School of International Service, American University.

"Comparative Corporate Governance," Washington College of Law, American University and Georgetown University Law Center.

"International Economic Crime," Georgetown University Law Center.

"International Practice and Ethical Dilemmas," Washington College of Law, American University.

MAJOR PRESENTATIONS

"Not Only Will the Dog Eventually Bark, It Will Also Bite," St. Mary's Law School 6th Annual Symposium on Ethics.

"The Divergence Between Declaratory and Action Policy: U.S. Non-Recognition of the Results of the Belarusian March 2006 Presidential Election," at the International Conference "The Geopolitical Place of Belarus in Europe and the World," Warsaw, Poland.

"The State of the Russian Arbitrazh Court System: Are We Being Too Unrealistic in our Expectations?," The Davis Center, Harvard University.

"Why is the Price of Real Estate So High in London and Moscow: The Thin Line Between Tax Avoidance and Tax Evasion," Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

"The Lukashenka 'Victory' in Belarus and Sources of Instability in Europe's Last Dictatorship," Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars' Kennan Institute.

"Can the Private Sector Lead the Fight Against Corruption?," National Law School, University of India (Bangalore), NALSAR (Hyderabad) and Management Development Institute (Gurgaon).

"Is It Ethical for Attorneys [and Judges] to Require Journalists to Reveal Confidential Sources?," Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers, Chicago.

"The Need to Get Priorities in Order: Human Rights and International Law for the 21st Century," Muskie Fellowship Commencement, U.S. Department of State.

"The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and International Corporate Governance," The German Marshal Fund, Washington, D.C.

"Corruption in the Russian Arbitrazh Court System," The Kennan Institute, D.C.

"Globalization and International Legal Malpractice," The Center for International Legal Studies, Whistler, Canada.

"Russia's Actions in the Near Abroad: Back in the U.S.S.R.," New York University School of Law.

"The State of the Russian Court System," The World Bank, Washington, D.C.

"The U.S. Approach to Combating Money Laundering After September 11, 2001: A New Era of 'Forced Transparency'?," Royal Institute of International Affairs, London, England.

"A Brief Conceptual Framework for Understanding Corruption," IMF, Washington, D.C.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Russian

References Available Upon Request

KEYWORDS

Legal Ethics Expert Witness, Legal Malpractice Expert Witness, Liability and Ethical Issues for Lawyers and Law Firms Expert Witness, U.S. Lawyers Handling International Matters Expert Witness, Foreign or International Law Expert Witness, Legal Malpractice or Attorney Breach of Fiduciary Duty Cases Expert Witness

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