Olivia S. Singelmann
Partner
Olivia Singelmann is a litigation partner with Foley & Lardner LLP in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.
Olivia primarily advises multinational corporations across industries on adhering to the business conduct and compliance expectations of various U.S. regulators, including the DOJ, SEC, and PCAOB. She advises these corporations on strategically managing and mitigating their risk at all stages of the regulatory compliance and government enforcement lifecycle. Her wide-ranging experience spans conducting global compliance risk assessments; building effective international trade and anti-bribery/anti-corruption compliance programs; leading internal investigations; defending companies and executives in government enforcement actions; and advising on compliance remediation. Olivia leverages this breadth of experience to represent clients in complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts and collaborate with clients to resolve disputes and strategically mitigate litigation risks. Additionally, through the use technology, including AI, to facilitate the review of large volumes of electronic data, Olivia ensures maximum efficiency in managing investigations and litigation.
International Government Enforcement Defense & Investigations
Olivia has significant experience advising multinational corporations on complying with global anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.. She also advises these corporations on issues related to U.S. economic sanctions (OFAC), export controls, and the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).
Securities Enforcement
Olivia has extensive experience leading internal investigations for corporations on matters involving U.S. securities laws. She also represents accounting firms and their partners in SEC and PCAOB enforcement proceedings.
Commercial/ Business Disputes
Olivia represents a diverse range of national and international businesses, from pharmaceutical companies to insurance brokers, in complex litigation before state and federal courts.
Latin America
Olivia, a fluent Spanish speaker, has extensive experience leading investigations and defending enforcement actions arising out of Latin America. She advises companies and their Latin American operations, including within Mexico, Peru, Nicaragua, and Ecuador, on compliance with U.S. laws. Her language skills and in-depth knowledge of U.S. regulatory risks make her an invaluable asset to clients operating in Latin America.
Representative Experience
- Key member of team representing a publicly traded U.S. manufacturing company that discovered suspicious payments to an agent made by its Peru subsidiary. The investigation led to discovery of a number of additional compliance issues, including suspicious payments in China, sales to Cuba, and additional Peru bribery allegations. Olivia helped the company navigate through the complex landscape this presented, including defending U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and Peruvian government investigations.
- Key member of FCPA counsel team for an independent compliance monitor engaged by a financial institution, as mandated by its FCPA settlement agreements with the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. In this role, Olivia helped advise the organization in the review and assessment of the company’s compliance anti-bribery policies, procedures, and internal controls, and reported to the regulators on the team’s findings and conclusions.
- Conducted an internal investigation for a mining company regarding the alleged misappropriation of company funds, employee harassment, wage and hour violations, potential tax violations, and successfully avoided any associated SEC investigation for civil or criminal liability against client.
- Conducted an internal investigation for a not-for-profit company alleged to have mishandled and misappropriated tens of millions of dollars in donations.
- Audit committees in internal investigations and related SEC investigations/proceedings involving accounting, compliance and disclosure issues
- Representation of individuals in DOJ and SEC FCPA investigations.
- Representation of individuals in a variety of SEC enforcement investigations.
Awards and Recognition
- Received a Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recognition for Commercial Litigation (2022-2024).
- Named a 2023 National Law Journal Washington D.C. Rising Star.
- Selected for inclusion in the 2018–2021 Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers® – Rising Stars lists.
- 2020 Tahirih Justice Center Pro Bono Attorney of the Year.
Community Involvement
Olivia represents clients seeking asylum and other similar relief in the United States, with a focus on women and girls fleeing gender-based persecution. She has experience representing clients before both U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services asylum offices and the Executive Office for Immigration Review courts. Olivia is also a co-founder and co-chair of the Firm’s Racial Justice and Equity pro bono practice group (RJEPG).
Olivia also stays engaged in her community through her membership in the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church and the Junior League of Washington.
Presentations and Publications
- Co-authored the article “Corporate Monitor ships – The Nuts and Bolts,” for a CLE presentation by the ABA Women in White Collar Subcommittee on June 15, 2017
- Co-authored, “Naming Bribe-Paying Third Parties Would Improve FCPA Compliance,” in the publication, The Anti-Corruption Report.
Languages
- Fluent in Spanish
- Proficient in German
DOJ Criminal Division Updates (Part 3): New Reasons for Companies to Self-Disclose Criminal Conduct
DOJ Criminal Division Updates (Part 2): Department of Justice Updates its Corporate Criminal Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program
DOJ Criminal Division Updates (Part 1): DOJ’s New White Collar Crime Enforcement Plan
Breaking Language Barriers with Generative AI: How Foley & Lardner Conducted Multilingual Document Review with Relativity aiR for Review
What Every Multinational Company (Doing Business in Mexico) Should Know About … Mitigating Risks From ATA Scrutiny in a New Enforcement Regime
