Skip to content
G. Zachary Terwilliger
G. Zachary Terwilliger
Partner — Government Investigations & White Collar Criminal Defense
Partner — Government Investigations & White Collar Criminal Defense

G. Zachary Terwilliger

G. Zachary Terwilliger
Washington, D.C.

2200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Suite 500 West
Washington, D.C. 20037

start quote symbolPiloting clients and their corporate entities through the tumultuous and complex waters of internal and government investigations is our role and one that I find incredibly rewarding.end quote symbol
G. Zachary Terwilliger

Experience Highlights

  • Counseled major public company through ransomware attack to include crisis counseling, technical containment, and myriad of legal issues

  • Representing a Silicon Valley-based technology company in internal and governmental investigations both domestically and in Asia

  • Representing high-profile former government principals before Congressional Committees and the Department of Justice

  • Representing an association with a membership that exceeds 300,000 in response to government inquiry

  • Representing a publicly traded financial services company in connection with Department of Justice grand jury investigation

  • Representing a major university system in connection with an investigation by Congress and a state legislature

  • Representing C-Suite individuals in an ongoing DOJ and internal investigation probe

  • Representing a large corporate entity in connection with Department of Justice False Claims Act investigation

  • Crisis counseling and representing a large government contractor regarding employee misconduct and theft of intellectual property

  • Serving as deputy to court appointed monitor in five-year monitorship following shareholder suit settlement

  • Representing primary collective for Division I Football Program in NCAA Name, Image, and Likeness “NIL” Investigation

  • Representing a corporate entity in DOJ FCPA investigation

  • Representing a corporate entity before state Attorneys General as it pertains to allegations of violation of consumer protection statutes

  • (E.D. Va.) – Led investigation and prosecution of nationwide fraud where the defendants deceived struggling homeowners through false representations regarding the U.S. Government’s Troubled Asset Relief Program via the Home Affordable Modification Program (“HAMP”).  In partnership with the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the individuals were convicted

  • (E.D. Va.) – Led investigation and prosecution of insurance fraud and arson whereby a major commercial building was damaged by fire to conceal other crimes.  The case involved multiple experts, complex science, and forensic accounting.  Ultimately, the defendant was convicted at trial

  • (E.D. Va.) – Led investigation of public official who was misusing his office to benefit another in exchange for gifts, access, and other illicit benefits.  The defendant was convicted

  • (E.D. Va.) – Led investigation of racketeering case involving organized crime with multiple defendants who were engaged in extortion, human trafficking, violence, and drug trafficking.  The defendants were ultimately convicted at trial

  • (E.D. Va.) – Supervised multiple corporate resolutions involving hundreds of millions of dollars.  These cases involved close coordination with outside counsel, the Department of Justice Fraud Section, and Criminal Division leadership

  • (E.D. Va.) – Led entire U.S. delegation for presidential level meetings with the Government of Colombia.  Responsible for addressing and briefing the Colombian President and his cabinet at the presidential palace regarding the U.S. commitment and strategy to combat narco-terrorism.  In addition, participated as the sole U.S. representative in nationally broadcast presidential address from dual podiums with the Colombian President to reassure the citizens of Colombia regarding our commitment to jointly fighting narco-terrorism and corruption

Credentials

  • William & Mary School of Law, J.D., 2007 (Order of the Coif)
  • University of Virginia, B.A., 2003
  • United States Attorney, United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, June 2018 – Jan. 2021
  • Associate Deputy Attorney General & Chief of Staff, United States Department of Justice, Office of the Deputy Attorney General, Jan. 2017 – May 2018
  • Assistant United States Attorney, United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, Sep. 2008 – Jan. 2017
  • Counselor to the United States Attorney, United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, Apr. 2013 – Nov. 2013
  • Majority Counsel (Assistant United States Attorney, Detail), United States Senate Judiciary Committee, Office of the Chairman, Sep. 2015 – Sep. 2016
  • Adjunct Professor, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, 2015 – Jan. 2018
  • Law Clerk to Chief Judge K. Michael Moore, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, 2007 – Sep. 2008
  • Chambers USA, Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations (District of Columbia), 2023 and 2024
  • The Legal 500 Latin America, Compliance and Investigations, 2023–2025
  • The Legal 500 U.S., Dispute Resolution: Corporate Investigations & White-Collar Criminal Defense, 2022–2024; Government: Government Relations, 2022; Antitrust: Merger Control, 2023; Sport, 2024
  • Selected to the 500 Leading Litigators in America, Lawdragon, 2023–2025
  • Selected to the 500 Leading Cybersecurity Lawyers in the World, Lawdragon, 2024
  • The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), Qui Tam Law (Washington), 2024 and 2025
  • Global Investigations Review (GIR) 100, 2023
  • Global Investigations Review (GIR) 30, 2024
  • JD Supra, Top Author in White-Collar Defense, Reader’s Choice Awards, 2022
  • ATF Director’s Award for Leadership, 2020
  • National Law Journal’s 40 Under 40: D.C. Rising Star, 2019
  • Alexandria Chamber of Commerce’s 40 Under 40 Award, 2019
  • Council of Inspectors General Award for Prosecution, 2018
  • ATF Financial Services Division Highest Award: “Glass Gavel,” 2015
  • Member and Former Executive Board Member: Northern Virginia Federal Bar Association
  • Member: Edward Bennett Williams White Collar Inn of Court
  • Virginia
  • District of Columbia
  • Call Your Next Witness: Moving Toward a More Efficient and Equitable Criminal Investigation Process, Published in National Law Journal, August 21, 2023 (author)
  • Gang-Controlled Sex Trafficking, 3 Va. J. of Crim. L. 342 (2015) (co-author with Michael J. Frank)
  • Utilizing all Available Tools to Safeguard COVID-19 Relief Funds, Published in National Law Journal, June 18, 2020 (author)
  • Protecting the rule of law during the pandemic, Published in Richmond Times-Dispatch, Mar. 30, 2020 (author)
  • No Free Lunch: How to Chart Your Course to Success as a Government Lawyer, Published in National Law Journal, Feb. 24, 2020 (author)
  • Opioid Crisis Demands Full-Court-Press, Published in The Virginian-Pilot, Mar. 24, 2019 (author)
  • Conversation with G. Zachary Terwilliger, 2020 Crowell & Moring Ounce of Prevention Seminar (Featured Speaker) (Oct. 2020)
  • Understand DOJ’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force and Avoid Being a Target, Association of Corporate Counsel (Featured Speaker) (Oct. 2020)
  • Special Panel with U.S. Attorneys Craig Carpenito (NJ), G. Zachary Terwilliger (EDVA), and Richard Donoghue (EDNY), American Conference Institute: 22nd New York Conference-Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (Panelist) (July 2020)
  • Ethics at Risk in High Profile White Collar Cases, 34th Annual ABA White Collar Crime Institute (Panelist) (June 2020)
  • Procurement Collusion Strikeforce Seminar, Professional Services Council Foundation (Featured Speaker) (Jan. 2020)
  • Discussion on Government Contracts and DOJ Enforcement Trends, Crowell & Moring (Featured Speaker) (Dec. 2019)
  • U.S. Attorney’s Perspective on Federal Criminal Prosecution of Financial Fraud, Annual Securities Commodities Fraud Working Group Conference (Panelist) (Dec. 2019)
  • Plea Bargaining in White Collar Cases, Edward Bennett Williams, White Collar Inn of Court (Featured Speaker) (Nov. 2019)
  • Fireside Chat with G. Zachary Terwilliger, National Security Institute & American Bar Association Standing Committee on Law and National Security (Sep. 2019)
  • Current Trends in White Collar Criminal Enforcement, American Bar Association Annual Conference (Panelist) (Aug. 2018)
  • Navigating Parallel Federal, State, and Congressional White Collar Investigations, The 32nd Annual National Institute on White Collar Crime (Panelist) (Mar. 2018)