Alex Rene
Partner
Alex, based in Ropes and Gray’s Washington, D.C. office, is a member of the firm’s governing Policy Committee and a former co-head of the firm’s litigation and enforcement practice group. Alex has extensive experience representing corporate entities and their executives in connection with litigation and investigations arising out of white collar criminal prosecutions, grand jury investigations, criminal antitrust investigations, and corporate compliance matters. Alex spent two years on secondment in London advising clients primarily on anti-bribery issues. Notably, as part of a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the government, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) selected Alex to serve as the Independent Corporate Monitor for Embraer, S.A., a Brazilian aircraft manufacturer. Alex has also represented well-known cultural and academic institutions in internal investigations involving diversity, equity and inclusion concerns.
Prior to entering private practice, Alex served as a prosecutor in the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, was an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, and a Trial Attorney in the DOJ’s Criminal Division, Fraud Section. While in the Fraud Section, Alex served as a member of the DOJ’s Corporate Fraud Task Force and prosecuted matters involving mail, wire and procurement fraud, campaign finance and securities fraud, obstruction of justice, money laundering, and violations of the Travel Act and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), among other offenses. Known for his extensive experience handling matters with cross-border elements, Alex is individually recognized by leading publications, including Chambers Global for FCPA and Chambers USA for FCPA- Nationwide and Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations – District of Columbia.
Experience
- Appointed by the DOJ and the SEC to be an Independent Compliance Monitor pursuant to DPA settlement.
- Representing an EU based senior executive of a multinational entertainment industry company in a corruption related investigation by DOJ, SEC, and the Canadian International Anti-corruption Unit.
- Representing a South American-based international airline company in a joint DOJ and SEC FCPA investigation.
- Represented a multinational energy sector company before the DOJ and SEC in the “Lava Jato” investigation in Brazil.
- Represented a senior executive in the Unaoil Investigation before the DOJ and SEC.
- Represented multinational energy sector companies before the DOJ and SEC in global investigations related to allegations of FCPA violations in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
- Represented a senior executive of an international company against allegations of misconduct under the FCPA. The investigation involved both U.S. and foreign authorities.
- Represented senior executive of multinational energy sector company in a DOJ and SEC investigation into alleged FCPA violations.
- Represented a multinational corporation in an internal investigation into alleged violations of domestic and international antibribery laws in Asia.
- Represented an executive before the DOJ Antitrust Division on charges related to allegations of price fixing and cartel activity in the Marine Hose investigation.
- Obtained a declination from the DOJ Antitrust Division in relation to an investigation of criminal antitrust violations by a food industry executive.
Publications
- Co-author, “Racial Equity Audits Can Help Bridge the Gap Between Words and Actions,” New York Law Journal (March 23, 2022)
- Featured, “The Top FCPA Practitioners: Alex Rene,” Global Investigations Review ( June 15, 2021)
- Co-author, “FCPA to Remain Enforcement Priority Under New Administration Against Backdrop of COVID-19,” Ropes & Gray Alert (March 18, 2021)
- Quoted, “Ropes & Gray Boosts Latin America Business,” Latinvex (January 27, 2021)
- Quoted, “White Collar Group Of The Year: Ropes & Gray,” Law360 (February 5, 2020)
- Co-author, “Investing in Africa: Mitigating Fraud and Corruption Risks,” Into Africa (September 2019)
- Co-author, “DOJ commentary underscores importance of pre-acquisition diligence,” International Law Office Corporate Finance/M&A Newsletter (May 15, 2019)
- Co-author, “Navigating Corruption Challenges in India,” The FCPA Report, (February 18, 2015)
- Co-author, “Trade Secret Traps for the Unwary: Potential Corp. Criminal Liability as U.S. Trade Secrets Enforcement Accelerates,” Bloomberg BNA Corporate Law & Accountability Report (September 12, 2014)
- Co-author, “Minimising Corruption Risks in African Investment Opportunities,” Financier Worldwide (July 2014)
- Co-author, “Investment Opportunities, Corruption Risks In Nigeria,”Law360 (May 12, 2014)
- Co-author, “Section 1504: A Burden For Resource Extraction Cos.,”Law360 (September 7, 2012)
- Author, “Anti-Corruption: Minimizing FCPA Risk on Two Fronts: Through Corporate Policy and Corporate Culture," Bloomberg Law Reports, (February 2012)
- Co-author, “Importance of Effective Anti-Corruption Programmes,”International Law Office - White Collar Crime USA, (November 2009)
- Co-author, “Valuable U.S./U.K. Cooperation,”International Financial Law Review, (April 2009)
- Co-author, “Nowhere to Hide: The UK’s Enforcement of Foreign Bribery Laws is Long Overdue,” New Law Journal, (February 2009)
- Author, “Corruption and the SFO: Enforcement Practices,”Legal Week, (February 2009)
- Co-author, “Honest Services Fraud—Not Just For Public Officials Anymore (Part II),”American Bar Association Trial Practice Journal, (Winter 2008)
- Author, “Honest Services Fraud—Not Just For Public Officials Anymore (Part I),”American Bar Association Trial Practice Journal, (Fall 2007)
Presentations
- Speaker, “Next Generation Anti-Corruption Compliance Programs: Transforming a Policy-Based Program to a Controls-Based Program,” Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics 18th Annual Compliance & Ethics Institute, National Harbor, MD (September 17, 2019)
- Speaker, “A Compliance Monitor’s Mandate,” Roundtable Event with Ropes & Gray, Mattos Filho and FTI Consulting, São Paulo, Brazil (June 28, 2017)
- Presenter, “Tendencias de FCPA en América Latina para Empresas Farmacéuticas,” Cámara Argentina de Especialidades Medicinales, Buenos Aires, Argentina (May 27, 2016)
- Panelist, “Lava Jato Investigation and the U.S. Perspective,” Demarest Advogados, São Paulo, Brazil (May 23, 2016)
- Host, “Best Practices in Anti-corruption and Compliance,” Roundtable Discussion, Washington D.C. (May 2015)
- Speaker, “Risk Management Strategies for joint Ventures and Alliances,” Trace Forum, Washington DC, October 2011
- Moderator, “Government and Internal Investigations: Be Prepared When the Government Comes Knocking,” Association of Corporate Counsel Europe, Paris and London, November 2008
- Co-panelist, “Compliance Challenges: the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act,” Trace International Seminar, Denver, Colorado, February 2008
Education
- JD, University of Maryland School of Law, 1995
- BA (Criminal Justice), University of Maryland, 1991
Admissions / Qualifications
Qualifications
- District of Columbia, 2005
- Florida, 1996
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- District of Columbia Court of Appeals
Awards
- The Legal 500 Latin America: Compliance & Investigations (2023)
- Global Investigations Review “Top FCPA Practitioners” (2021)
- Chambers Global: FCPA (2018-2023)
- Chambers USA: FCPA – Nationwide (2018-2021)
- Chambers USA: Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations – District of Columbia (2020)
- Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business (2017-2023)
- Shortlisted, Chambers Diversity & Inclusion - North America Diversity & Inclusion Lawyer of the Year (2020)
- The Best Lawyers in America (2022-2023)
- Chambers Latin America (Firm award)
- The Washingtonian Washington, D.C.’s Best Lawyers, Criminal Defense-White Collar (2018, 2019, 2021)
- The Washingtonian “Top Lawyer” (2017, 2020)
- Diversity & The Bar / MCCA Rainmaker Award (2020)
- BTI Client Service All-Stars (2015)
- The International Who's Who of Investigations (2014-2015)
- Winner of 2015 Burton Awards for Legal Achievement in legal writing: Co-author, “Trade Secret Traps for the Unwary: Potential Corporate Criminal Liability as U.S. Trade Secrets Enforcement Accelerates,” Bloomberg BNA Corporate Law & Accountability Report (September 12, 2014)
- Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers (2013-2021)
