Christopher Cooke
Senior Associate
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Biography
Chris is a battle-tested legal advisor with experience navigating sensitive legal issues both in and out of government. His practice focuses on white-collar defense, government investigations, internal investigations, crisis management, and litigation.
Having served in the White House, DOJ, the Department of the Treasury, and the U.S. Senate, Chris understands government processes and has particular experience with congressional and criminal investigations, enforcement, and litigation. In 2020, Chris helped stand up the Office of the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, which was established under the CARES Act to investigate pandemic-relief fraud. In this role, Chris helped establish the office's investigative processes and worked with officials across the Treasury, the Federal Reserve Board, DOJ, the Small Business Administration, and the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee. More recently, Chris served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, where he prosecuted financial and other crimes.
Given Chris's high-level government experience, he is no stranger to being in the trenches, and he understands the importance of discretion and judgment to helping clients succeed on the law and on public messaging.
Professional experience
Collapse all- JD, cum laude, Georgetown University Law Center, 2015
- BS, Civil Engineering, Virginia Tech, 2011
As an undergraduate student, Chris was President and co-founder of Bridges to Prosperity at Virginia Tech and a member of Pi Kappa Phi. Before attending law school, Chris cycled across the country to support people with disabilities.
- District of Columbia Bar
- New York State Bar
- Texas State Bar
- Represented Texas healthcare provider in connection with parallel state and federal fraud investigations.
- Represented US public company in connection with criminal US DOJ/FDA inquiry into alleged misbranded nutritional supplements. Case resolved by Non-Prosecution Agreement.
- D.C. Bar & Dallas Bar Association, "The Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR): Investigating CARES Act Fraud," Feb. 24, 2021
- American Conference Institute, "8th Annual Advanced Forum on False Claims and Qui Tam Enforcement, The Impact of COVID- 19 on False Claims and Qui Tam Enforcement," Mar. 24, 2021
- DC Bar
- Criminal Law and Individual Rights Section
- Litigation Section
- Volunteer, Texas YMCA Youth and Government (2018)
- Volunteer, Supreme Court of Texas Meals-on-Wheels Program (2017)