María González Calvet

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View the Portuguese version.

María González Calvet is an anti-corruption and international risk partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. Recognized for her deep understanding and experience in the application of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other anti-bribery statutes in Latin America, she has worked with leaders in government, business and finance to investigate and assess risk across the region for more than a decade. She has substantial experience conducting investigations on behalf of companies and individuals concerning multi-jurisdictional matters involving corruption, money laundering, and other forms of financial fraud.

María has conducted internal and government investigations in more than 20 Latin American countries and draws on her past work in government and the corporate sector to help clients across industries and geographies to identify and mitigate corruption risks and implement effective compliance programs. In addition to her Latin America knowledge, María has experience in anti-corruption and other investigative matters in Asia, Africa, and Europe, and in every significant business sector.

She has particular experience in the following areas:

• Jurisdictional questions and challenges that arise from coordinated prosecution by multiple enforcement authorities
• Transactions and business dealings with government entities and financial institutions
• Risks associated with consortia and other partnerships
• Pre- and post-acquisition due diligence in high-risk markets

Prior to joining Ropes & Gray in 2018, María served as Executive Counsel, Global Investigations for General Electric where she led and managed government, regulatory and internal investigations for the company’s business in Latin America. Earlier in her career, she was a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Fraud Section, and was a member of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Unit where she led some of the Department’s most important investigations involving allegations of corruption and other white collar offenses in Latin America. 

María is a fluent, native Spanish speaker, and an advanced Portuguese speaker. Before becoming a lawyer, she worked in education, focusing on adult literacy and bilingual education. 

• Publications
• Presentations