Matthew Holmwood counsels clients in US Securities and Exchange Commission investigations, US Department of Justice investigations, congressional investigations, federal criminal prosecutions, litigation with the SEC and securities class actions. Mr. Holmwood has represented special committees in independent investigations and individual clients responding to independent investigations.

Mr. Holmwood's clients have included major international financial institutions, publicly traded companies and special committees. Mr. Holmwood's internal and government investigation matters have addressed many prominent subjects, including: 

  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act;
  • offshore tax evasion;
  • anti–money laundering;
  • valuation of mortgage-backed securities;
  • revenue recognition; and
  • earnings management.

Recent high-profile and multi-jurisdictional matters include:

  • Representing a major financial institution in criminal tax evasion investigations in multiple different countries, including the United States, France and Belgium;
  • Representing a major financial institution in a high-profile FCPA investigation; and 
  • Representing a major financial institution in investigations arising from allegations that its services were used to facilitate corruption.

Mr. Holmwood's clients reside in the United States and abroad. Working with lawyers at the firm, Mr. Holmwood has conducted or overseen investigations in a number of countries, including Switzerland, the United Kingdom, India, Argentina, Monaco, Singapore, South Africa and Hong Kong. Mr. Holmwood has also worked with local counsel in numerous countries to defend criminal inquiries brought by foreign criminal authorities. In addition to representing clients before the DOJ, SEC and other US regulators, Mr. Holmwood has also appeared before the UK Financial Conduct Authority.

Additionally, Mr. Holmwood has advised individuals in criminal matters related to accounting for stock options and revenue recognition, and defended clients in civil litigation brought by the SEC and class actions. He has represented clients at sentencing and helped clients secure sentences significantly below the guideline range in complex and high-profile securities fraud matters.

In addition to an active securities enforcement and government investigations practice, Mr. Holmwood has experience representing clients in a wide range of civil litigation before federal courts, state courts and arbitrators involving a diverse range of subject matters, such as antitrust, bankruptcy, breach of contract and RICO.

Mr. Holmwood has practiced before the District Court for the District of Columbia, the Southern District of New York, the Northern District of California, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Eastern District of Michigan and the Eastern District of Virginia and drafted briefs in matters before the Court of Appeals for the Third, Fourth and Ninth Circuits.

Prior to joining WilmerHale in 2004, Mr. Holmwood practiced at a law firm in Philadelphia. 

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Credentials

  • Education

    • JD, University of Pennsylvania Law School, 1999

      cum laude Order of the Coif; Articles Editor, Journal of Constitutional Law; Member, National Moot Court Team
    • BA, Dartmouth College, 1996

      magna cum laude
  • Admissions

    • District of Columbia

    • Pennsylvania

  • Clerkships

    • The Hon. Marjorie O. Rendell, US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 1999 - 2000

Credentials

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