On July 11, 2019, and on the heels of Dysart Willis Houchin & Hubbard kicking off its new antitrust practice, the U.S.Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, announced a change in policy to incentivize corporations in implementing effective compliance programs by crediting compliance efforts throughout the entire investigation and prosecution of criminal violations of antitrust law. This change in policy is significant because Division prosecutors had not previously considered robust compliance programs when considering criminal charges against a corporation or its employees.
Antitrust Division Announces New Policy to Incentivize Corporate Compliance
In announcing revisions to its Justice Manual, the Antitrust Division will evaluate compliance programs at both the charging and sentencing stages and outline processes for prosecutors to recommend indictments, plea agreements, and selecting monitors for compliance programs. This historic change of policy serves to provide compliance officers and the public greater transparency of the Antitrust Division’s compliance analysis.
Dysart Willis Houchin & Hubbard is encouraged that the Antitrust Division now sees wisdom in deterring antitrust violations before they happen and rewarding corporations for being good corporate citizens after they happen. In the thriving business environment of the Raleigh, North Carolina area, which includes the many global businesses of Research Triangle Park, our locally based firm can navigate you through the intricacies of antitrust and corporate compliance law throughout the world. Please don’t hesitate to contact our highly skilled attorneys within our antitrust and white collar crime practice area to help you develop and implement an effective compliance program for your company.