DALLAS and WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 2005 – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – The national law firm of Fish & Richardson P.C. has strengthened its white-collar defense practice with the addition of former federal prosecutor Bill Mateja as a principal in the
firm’s Dallas and Washington, D.C. offices.
Mr. Mateja most recently served as Senior Counsel to Deputy Attorneys
General Larry Thompson and James Comey in Washington, D.C. During his tenure
at Main Justice, Mr. Mateja oversaw the Justice Department’s corporate and
health care fraud efforts, and served as the point person for President Bush’s
Corporate Fraud Task Force.
“Quite frankly, we’re lucky to get Bill,” said former United States
Attorney and current Fish & Richardson principal Paul Coggins. “It’s not
everyday you get a chance to land one of the top white collar lawyers in the
country and the person who ran the Justice Department’s corporate and health
care fraud efforts. Our clients will benefit greatly from the tremendous
white collar background and experience that Bill brings to the table.”
Mr. Mateja’s legal background extends nearly 20 years, including 14 years
as a federal prosecutor. Prior to becoming Senior Counsel to the Deputy
Attorney General, Mr. Mateja was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern
District of Texas, where he prosecuted significant white collar cases from the
Lubbock, Amarillo, Abilene and San Angelo offices.
“Ultimately, I chose Fish & Richardson so I could reunite with my old
boss, Paul Coggins, and join what is the best white collar defense practice in
the Southwest,” said Mr. Mateja. “I’m particularly looking forward to taking
what I learned on the Corporate Fraud Task Force in coordinating massive white
collar cases such as Enron, WorldCom, and HealthSouth, and using that
experience to help my clients at Fish & Richardson.”
Mr. Mateja’s work at the firm will include assisting corporate clients in
internal investigations, as well as defending clients in criminal cases and
government regulatory and enforcement actions. He also will advise clients on
compliance, enforcement, and Sarbanes-Oxley matters before the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
With the addition of Mr. Mateja, Fish & Richardson’s Dallas office is now
home to five former federal prosecutors, including Tom Melsheimer, managing
principal of the firm’s Dallas office; and firm principals Mr. Coggins, Matt
Yarbrough and John Helms.
“Our team of former prosecutors has no equal in the Southwest,” Mr.
Melsheimer says. “The addition of Bill substantially strengthens our
commitment to be a go-to firm for white-collar defense.”
For more information on Bill Mateja and Fish & Richardson, please call
Kelly Largey at 617-542-5070, or contact Mike Androvett at 800.559.4534 or
mike@legalpr.com .
