A Reserved Confidant
- Experience at the highest levels of law as partner for over 20 years at Akin Gump, representing companies and individuals in government and corporate internal investigations and related civil litigation.
- Experience at senior levels of the Department of Defense and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) in the Southern District of New York.
- Handles a wide range of matters related to federal criminal and regulatory enforcement, particularly related to cross-border issues.
- Represents clients in high-profile Congressional Investigations
Paul W. Butler is a recognized leader in white-collar defense, government investigations, regulatory enforcement, national security matters and Congressional Investigations.
Paul has decades of experience at the highest levels of law, including serving as a partner for over 20 years at Akin Gump, where he led the DC Litigation Section. He draws upon his deep understanding of the inner workings of enforcement authorities to represent clients facing regulatory and criminal enforcement actions. Working in jurisdictions with a high degree of compliance risk, he advises individuals, multinationals and other global organizations.
Most recently, Paul was named Litigator of the Week by The American Lawyer for achieving dismissal of a multicount federal indictment charging a prominent attorney with fraud and money laundering.
According to Chambers USA, market sources “have great regard” for Mr. Butler and consider him a “really outstanding” lawyer whose “practice focuses largely on advising clients during major internal and government-led investigations” and “cases with significant international elements.”
As the founder of Butler Legal Strategies, Paul advises corporations, executives, and global entities facing high-stakes government investigations, enforcement actions, and compliance challenges.
Paul’s expertise spans the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), securities laws, export controls and sanctions, national security matters and Congressional Investigations, with a track record of successfully navigating clients through crises. A sought-after speaker, he provides cutting-edge insights into corporate risk, government enforcement trends, and legal strategy in an evolving regulatory landscape.
Paul also provides advice and counsel on corporate governance and has served on numerous Boards and Committees.
As an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, and at the Department of Defense as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Operations and Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defense, Paul was steeped in crisis management, dealing with issues around highly consequential situations.
As an AUSA, Paul prosecuted major terrorism cases, gaining insight into how the Department of Justice (DOJ), the FBI, and intelligence agencies investigate and make cases to bring them to trial. He has been at the center of some of the most complex legal and national security matters of our time, including serving as trial prosecutor in United States v. Usama Bin Laden, et al, the first indictment of Bin Laden and al Qaeda for the attacks on U.S. embassies in East Africa. He also dealt with many cross-border investigations, gaining a strong understanding of how U.S. law enforcement and regulatory agencies deal with their foreign counterparts.
Over the course of his career, he has received among the highest civilian awards from the United States Departments of Defense, Justice and Central Intelligence Agency.