Crowe & Dunlevy Names Co-Chairs of Criminal Defense, Compliance & Investigations Practice Group

Crowe & Dunlevy recently named Sanford C. Coats and Thomas B. Snyder co-chairs of the firm’s established Criminal Defense, Compliance & Investigations Practice Group (CDCI). The practice group includes four former federal prosecutors and former state prosecutors with extensive experience in white collar crime, regulatory compliance, business fraud, government investigations and trials.

“Our team has the experience and resources to represent clients in criminal defense, investigations and parallel proceedings,” said Timila S. Rother, president and CEO of the firm. “The team includes a former United States Attorney, former Assistant United States Attorneys, a former Assistant District Attorney and a former Assistant Attorney General, providing exceptional depth of experience in industries most affected by civil and criminal enforcement actions. Under Sandy and Tom’s leadership, the group is in an excellent position to continue to successfully handle matters as needed by our clients in and outside of Oklahoma.”

The CDCI Practice Group works with companies, their officers and directors facing complicated, high-stakes legal issues brought about by a variety of governmental agencies, unprecedented regulatory oversight, active administrative agencies and increasing civil and criminal enforcement actions.

Coats, a trial lawyer and litigator in the firm’s Oklahoma City office, joined the firm after serving six years as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma—a position to which he was appointed by President Barack Obama. Prior to this appointment, Coats served as an Assistant United States Attorney and chief of the Major Crimes Section for the Western District of Oklahoma. He prosecuted a variety of cases, including securities fraud, banking fraud, crimes against children, tax evasion, crimes in Indian Country, illegal immigration, complex drug conspiracies and more.

During his tenure as United States Attorney, Coats was appointed by Attorney General Eric Holder to the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC). Attorney General Loretta Lynch later appointed Coats as co-chair of the Department of Justice Domestic Terrorism Executive Committee. He also served on several AGAC subcommittees, including Native American Issues, Child Exploitation, Criminal Practice, and Office Management and Budget.

Coats received his Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma College of Law and holds a bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in economics from Tulane University. He is active in several professional and community organizations. Coats served on the board of directors for the Oklahoma City chapter of the Federal Bar Association, Harding Fine Arts Academy and Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School Alumni.

A trial lawyer in the firm’s Oklahoma City office, Snyder is also a member of the Energy, Environment & Natural Resources and Securities Litigation Practice Groups. He specializes in white collar criminal defense, corporate compliance and internal investigations. His practice also includes healthcare fraud and related investigations, securities and shareholder claims, anti-corruption and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Prior to joining the firm, Snyder served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of California. In this role, he handled a variety of cases involving the prosecution of federal crimes, including alien smuggling, controlled substance importation and trafficking, deported alien and illegal entry, bank robbery, firearms trafficking, immigration fraud, bulk cash smuggling, wire fraud and assault.

Snyder received his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. He received his bachelor’s degree in philosophy, magna cum laude, from Baylor University. He is active in the Federal Bar Association, Oklahoma Lawyers for Children and provides pro bono assistance to indigent criminal defendants seeking clemency or other post-conviction relief.

CDCI Practice Group members have worked extensively with numerous state and federal government agencies and have handled all phases of investigations ranging from grand jury subpoenas in criminal investigations to audit requests in civil enforcement actions. Attorneys have handled and effectively resolved dozens of criminal and civil jury trials in state and federal court. Practice group members have also evaluated and developed compliance programs and conducted internal investigations regarding a wide variety of issues, including Medicare fraud and billing audits, Dodd-Frank, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Anti-Kickback and Stark Act and the False Claims Act.