LAW 6818: White Collar/Corporate Crime

This class will consider the theory and practice of white collar litigation in the criminal arena. We will begin with a survey of basic principles and theories and then turn to the main substantive areas of white collar criminal liability, examining the most common regulatory schemes encountered in the interface between corporations and criminal law: mail and wire fraud, money laundering, RICO, and obstruction of justice. Next, we will discuss practice in white collar defense and prosecution, looking at discovery, plea negotiation and trial challenges unique to allegations of criminal malfeasance in corporate settings. We will examine federal laws, sentencing regulations, and Supreme Court pronouncements that control punishment for common white collar offenses. Finally, we will return to overarching policy questions, considering the role of federal courts in the imposition of criminal liability, and the consequences of overlapping state and federal jurisdiction over white collar offenses, particularly as revealed in the investigation and prosecution of public corruption cases.

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