Karen P.Hewitt

Partner-in-Charge California Region

San Diego + 1.858.314.1119

Karen Hewitt is a former United States Attorney and an experienced trial lawyer who has successfully litigated hundreds of cases in federal court for more than three decades. She is nationally recognized as a leading practitioner conducting internal investigations involving criminal and civil issues. Karen has represented major public and private companies in internal investigations on highly sensitive topics, crisis management, compliance, contested proceedings before regulatory agencies, and "bet-the-company" litigation. In the matters Karen leads, she routinely reports to senior management, the board of directors, the audit committee, or a special committee and develops the comprehensive strategy for the company to protect and defend itself from a range of legal and regulatory risks. Major technology, retail, medical device, and pharmaceutical companies have turned to Karen to lead their most important investigations involving cutting-edge issues.

In her litigation practice, Karen also leads the defense of companies in some of their most important complex business litigation. Karen's litigation practice focuses on possible violations of federal law, including the Anti-Kickback Statute, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the Controlled Substances Act, and the False Claims Act.

Karen is Partner-in-Charge of Jones Day's California Region, and she is a co-chair of Jones Day's Task Force on Generative AI.

Before joining Jones Day, Karen served as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, where she focused on national security, border security, cyber and intellectual property crime, white collar and financial crime, civil fraud, violent crime, and narcotics enforcement.

Karen is a former president of the National Association of Former U.S. Attorneys and a member of the Board of Visitors of the University of San Diego School of Law.

Experience

  • Board committee of major technology company investigates shareholder demand and formulating recommendationsJones Day advised a board committee of a major technology company in its investigation of a shareholder litigation demand asserting claims of personal misconduct by a senior leader and of mishandling of whistleblower reports relating to the alleged misconduct.
  • National retailer concludes DOJ and SEC FCPA resolutionsJones Day advised a national retailer on compliance with its DOJ and SEC FCPA resolutions, including the terms of its independent DOJ monitorship, compliance program obligations, and self-reporting obligations.
  • Medical device manufacturer obtains successful resolution of multiple government investigationsJones Day successfully represented a medical device manufacturer in obtaining a combined settlement of qui tam False Claims Act cases filed in four federal districts, which alleged violations of the federal health care Anti-Kickback Statute.
  • National retailer defends against tort and public nuisance claims related to prescription opiate MDLJones Day is defending a national retailer against tort and public nuisance and related industry claims asserted in In re: National Prescription Opiate Litigation, MDL No. 2804.
  • Qualcomm defends Apple's patent infringement claims relating to processor power saving techniquesJones Day defended Qualcomm Incorporated against Apple, Inc.'s allegations that Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors – CPU/GPU/Baseband Modem System on Chip – infringe a number of Apple's patents directed to power saving techniques for use in processors.
  • Qualcomm achieves global settlement with AppleJones Day represented Qualcomm Incorporated against Apple Inc. and four contract manufacturers of Apple devices in a lawsuit involving claims for breach of contract and violations of federal antitrust laws and the California Unfair Competition Law.
  • Qualcomm defeats series of appellate writs by Apple in trade secret litigationJones Day represented Qualcomm Incorporated and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. at the California Court of Appeal's Fourth District in opposing a series of three petitions for writ of mandate or prohibition brought by Apple Inc.
  • Qualcomm pursues patent infringement claims against Apple relating to non-standard-essential patents for mobile electronic devicesJones Day represented Qualcomm Incorporated against Apple Inc. in a patent infringement lawsuit regarding non-standard-essential patents for mobile electronic devices.
  • Qualcomm pursues trade secret and contract claims asserting Apple's misuse of Qualcomm's trade secret software and source codeJones Day represented Qualcomm Incorporated and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. in a lawsuit asserting trade secret misappropriation and breach of contract claims against Apple Inc.
  • Qualcomm sues Apple for patent infringement on inventions for power saving techniques for mobile devicesJones Day represented Qualcomm Incorporated against Apple Inc. in a patent infringement lawsuit relating to power saving techniques for mobile devices.
  • Qualcomm sues Apple for patent infringement over pioneering smartphone technologyJones Day represented Qualcomm Incorporated against Apple Inc. in a patent infringement lawsuit relating to breakthrough smartphone technologies.
  • Hospital system conducts investigation of circumstances leading to criminal prosecution of employeeJones Day was retained by a multi-state health care system to conduct an investigation and advise the board regarding the practices of hospital staff and leadership regarding a sensitive issue that resulted in a criminal prosecution of an individual who worked at the hospital.
  • Medical device manufacturer secures declination and dismissal of FCA complaint without any settlement paymentJones Day represented a medical device manufacturer in a False Claims Act case involving whether the company violated the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute.
  • Manufacturer receives “Not a Target” letter from DOJJones Day represented a manufacturer in a multi-year investigation related to widespread union corruption.
  • Professional sports team defends DOJ investigation into corruption and OFAC issuesJones Day is defending a professional sports team in a DOJ investigation into allegations of corruption and OFAC violations in Latin America.
  • U.S. company investigates potential anti-corruption violations in sales to state-owned enterprises in ChinaJones Day assisted a U.S. company in investigating allegations that sales personnel violated anti-corruption laws when selling to state-owned enterprises in China.
  • Celgene resolves False Claims Act case related to alleged off-label promotion of Thalomid® and Revlimid®Jones Day represented Celgene Corporation in a False Claims Act lawsuit related to allegations that Celgene promoted the cancer treatment drugs Thalomid® and Revlimid® for off-label uses prior to their FDA approval for such uses, and paid kickbacks to physicians in order to get them to promote and prescribe those drugs.
  • Large energy company conducts FCPA due diligenceOn behalf of a large energy company, Jones Day conducted anti-corruption due diligence in relation to a multi-billion energy project in Latin America and evaluated applicable laws and disclosure issues.
  • Energy company seeks advice on anticorruption investigation, compliance, and transactional due diligence matters relating to operations in Latin AmericaJones Day represents a Fortune 500 U.S. energy company on anticorruption investigation, compliance, and transactional due diligence matters relating to its operations in Latin America.
  • Health care management company conducts internal investigation relating to alleged overpayment of federal health care fundsJones Day represented a privately-owned health care management company in an internal investigation relating to alleged overpayment of federal health care funds.
  • Additional Speaking Engagements

    • June 20, 2017
      Current Issues in Internal and Government Investigations: What Companies Should Know
    • March 2017
      ABA White Collar Institute Faculty and Panelist, The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
    • June 9, 2015
      KKR General Counsel & Regulatory Affairs Conference
    • March 2015
      ABA White Collar Institute Faculty and Panelist, The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act — Recent Developments and New Trends
    • September 17-19, 2014
      Women, Influence & Power in Law Symposium
    • October 8, 2013
      Current Issues in FCPA Compliance – Meet Our Professionals From Around the World
    • June 7, 2012
      Jones Day Chicago 2012 MCLE University
    • March 30, 2011
      Effective Federal Discovery Practice: Taking and Defending Depositions, Federal Bar Association Civil Practice Series
    • December 1, 2010
      Cybersecurity Issues for Business, San Diego Policy Forum
    • October 4, 2010
      Security, Data Protection and Privacy: U.S. and International Legal Considerations, National Defense Industrial Association, San Diego Fall Symposium