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Lawyers

Raul F. Yanes

Lawyers

Raul F. Yanes

Partner
White Collar Defense & Investigations
New York

Chair of White Collar Defense & Investigations, with deep experience in government and internal investigations. Former risk management executive at a leading bank.

Raul is chair of our White Collar Defense & Investigations practice. He represents clients in government investigations, including by the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission and Congress, and has conducted numerous internal investigations. Raul frequently handles matters involving multiple non-U.S. jurisdictions.

Clients benefit from Raul’s deep experience as a litigator, as well as his wide-ranging background in government and as a senior financial services executive. From 2017 to 2023, he served in senior positions at Morgan Stanley, including Head of Non-Financial Risk and Chief Compliance Officer. He was a member of the bank’s Operating Committee, its senior-most executive body. From 2003 to 2009, he held a variety of senior positions in the Bush administration, including as Staff Secretary and Assistant to the President and Senior Counselor to the Attorney General.

Experience highlights

Raul’s representations include:

  • A major U.S. financial institution in an SEC FCPA investigation of hiring practices in Asia
  • A large European company in a joint DOJ and SEC FCPA investigation of the activities of a subsidiary in Latin America
  • A major U.S. industrial company in an internal investigation regarding corruption allegations in Latin America
  • A major U.S. financial institution in an SEC investigation of an investment in a company in Asia
  • A senior executive in a joint DOJ/SEC FCPA investigation of activities in Mexico
  • A Japanese executive in a DOJ criminal antitrust investigation
  • A major financial institution in an SEC investigation involving structured products that was closed with no action
  • A manufacturing company in connection with whistleblower allegations
  • A financial services company in connection with an investigation by the CFPB into alleged deceptive marketing practices and real estate settlement procedures
  • The audit committee of an oil and gas services company on the settlement of criminal investigations alleging violation of the FCPA and U.S. trading sanctions and in connection with a 10A investigation relating to financial and tax reporting

Insights

DOJ adopts new whistleblower policy
Education
J.D., Harvard Law School
  • cum laude
A.B., Dartmouth College
  • summa cum laude
Clerkships
Law Clerk, Hon. John L. Coffey, U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, 1991-1993
Professional history
  • Partner, Davis Polk, 1999-2003, 2009-2017 and 2024-present
  • Morgan Stanley, 2017-2023
    • Head of Non-Financial Risk, 2023
    • Head of Non-Financial Risk and Chief Compliance Officer, 2022-2023
    • Chief Compliance Officer, 2017-2022
  • Staff Secretary and Assistant to the President, White House, 2006-2009
  • General Counsel, Office of Management and Budget, 2005-2006
  • Senior Counselor to the Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, 2005
  • Associate Counsel to the President, White House, 2003-2005
  • Davis Polk, 1993-1999
Qualifications and admissions
  • District of Columbia
  • State of New York
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