A former federal prosecutor and prominent trial lawyer, Zachary Hafer is a Partner in the Firm’s Government and Internal Investigations Practice and is based in the Firm’s Boston office. Zach represents companies, boards and individuals in highly complex and sensitive internal and government investigations, including matters related to the Anti-Kickback Statute, FCA, FCPA, the CARES Act and related SEC matters, among others.
Notable experience includes:
Companies and organizations:
- Financial services firm in a DOJ grand jury investigation concerning potential irregularities in a public procurement process;
- Global e-insurance broker in a DOJ enforcement action against the nation’s leading insurance carriers and insurance brokers for alleged False Claims Act violations;
- Clinical-stage biotechnology company in internal investigation related to potential impurity in therapeutic and related FDA issues;
- Global call tracking and analytics company and its executives in DOJ and FBI investigation of sophisticated fraud;
- Global philanthropic organization in connection with a high-profile DOJ antitrust investigation and litigation;
- Multinational investment bank and financial services company in connection with various compliance due diligence, including reports of an ongoing criminal investigation by the DOJ; and
- Global lobbying firm in connection with DOJ investigation of potential fraud related to COVID relief funding.
Individuals
- Several physicians in large-scale DOJ investigation related to promotion of GLP-1s;
- C-suite executive of a public healthcare company in a high-profile criminal investigation by the DOJ and FBI, and Massachusetts Attorney General;
- Casino owner and former state senator in DOJ pandemic fraud investigation and license revocation proceedings;
- Former employee of a global defense company in a DOJ FCA investigation regarding multi-billion dollar defense U.S. Army contract;
- Former C-suite executives for a medical device company in connection with a DOJ/FDA investigation regarding purported safety issues with the device;
- An executive of a global apparel company in connection with a DOJ and FBI obstruction of justice investigation being run by the USAO for the District of Massachusetts; and
- Several physicians in connection with criminal health care fraud prosecutions by the USAO-DMA.
Prior to private practice, Zach served with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts for 14 years, including as Chief of the Criminal Division, where he supervised approximately 100 federal prosecutors and managed the investigation and prosecution of some of the nation’s most important federal criminal cases. In addition to prosecuting and supervising numerous corporate fraud and public corruption cases, Zach helped prosecute James “Whitey” Bulger and was awarded the “Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service” in 2014 and the “Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement” in 2011.
Recently named among
Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s “Lawyers of the Year,” he is also recognized for White Collar Crime and Government Investigations by
Chambers USA, where sources note that he “works tirelessly and never gives up. He out-works, out-thinks and out-performs,” is “a true warrior,” and “has a very keen intellect and great strategic decision-making skills.” Zach has been characterized as “exceptional in every regard,” a “skilled trial lawyer with intelligence and a strong sense of what will persuade the court,” and “an outstanding attorney who knows how to leverage his prior experience as a federal prosecutor for the benefit of the client.” He has been featured in numerous publications, including
The Boston Globe and
The AmLaw Litigation Daily, for cases he handled as an Assistant U.S. Attorney.
In addition to his practice, Zach serves on the
Law360 White Collar Editorial Advisory Board and is a recognized thought leader in the white collar crime and government investigations space. He authors thought leadership for a variety of publications including
Law360 and NYU’s blog,
Compliance and Enforcement. Zach taught a class on white collar crime as an adjunct professor at the Boston University School of Law and presented on behalf of the DOJ to the Advisory Committee on Criminal Rules. He is also a frequent lecturer at Harvard Law School, Boston College Law School and several bar associations and organizations.
Zach received his B.A.,
cum laude, from Dartmouth College in 1999. He received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2003, followed by a clerkship with the Honorable Judge Shirley W. Kram of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York from 2003 to 2005.