Neil H. MacBride
Chair of both White Collar Defense & Investigations and Foreign Investment & National Security. A leading litigator and two-time Senate-confirmed senior U.S. official.
Neil is chair of both our White Collar Defense & Investigations and Foreign Investment & National Security practices. He is one of the nation’s leading litigators and has successfully defended dozens of companies, boards and individuals in high-stakes crisis management matters. He focuses on government enforcement actions, complex civil litigation and regulatory matters, trials, and congressional and internal investigations.
Neil returned to Davis Polk in January 2025, after serving as General Counsel of the Treasury Department under Secretary Janet Yellen. He was previously a Davis Polk partner from 2014 to 2022, after earlier serving as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Associate Deputy Attorney General and Chief Counsel on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Neil has been recognized as a premier litigator by publications including the National Law Journal, Chambers USA, Benchmark Litigation and Global Investigations Review. A client quoted by Chambers said Neil is “an extraordinarily gifted lawyer blessed with impeccable judgment and unwavering integrity,” who has “earned the trust and confidence of the judiciary.”
Experience
Corporate and Internal Representations
- Secured declinations from DOJ on proposed criminal charges against multiple global financial institutions
- Secured declinations from DOJ and the SEC in FCPA investigations of Cisco Systems
- Secured declination from the SEC in FCPA investigation of Fortune 200 multinational company
- Conducted multiple internal investigations for global companies into compliance and regulatory issues
Congressional Matters
- The CEO of a global financial institutions company in U.S. Senate oversight hearing of Wall Street firms
- The President of a vehicle manufacturer in U.S. Senate oversight hearing related to anti-competition allegations
- A global pharmaceutical company in Senate and House inquiries into drug-pricing investigation allegations
- A large U.S. financial institution in investigations by U.S. Senate and House committees of the Paycheck Protection Program under the CARES Act
- A global medical device company in parallel congressional and DOJ inquires relating to FDCA allegations
Civil Enforcement Representations
- Morgan Stanley in connection with its FIRREA settlement with DOJ and lawsuits by several states related to RMBS
- McGraw Hill Financial and Standard & Poor’s Financial Services in connection with lawsuits brought by DOJ, SEC and the Attorneys General of numerous states concerning the ratings of RMBS
- Relator qui tam lawsuit alleging violations of False Claims Act by import company
Individual Representations
- A witness in the “Varsity Blues” college admissions investigation
- A precious metals trader in DOJ/CFTC investigation into alleged spoofing and market manipulation
Civil Litigation
- Successfully sued the U.S. Treasury Department on behalf of ExxonMobil to overturn an OFAC sanctions penalty notice
- General Dynamics Information Technology
- Successfully defended in a class action lawsuit alleging violations of the TCPA
- Won dismissal of federal WARN Act class action
- A major pharmaceutical company in civil lawsuit alleging violations of the Antiterrorism Act
- A major financial institution in a civil lawsuit alleging wrongful blocking of payments under U.S. sanctions law
Recent Trial Representations
- Successfully defended Cisco Systems in a six-week patent infringement bench trial in 2020 conducted entirely over Zoom. Cisco ultimately achieved total victory, which the Federal Circuit affirmed, based on the 2020 trial record.
Insights
News
Recognition
Chambers USA – White Collar Crime and Government Investigations, District of Columbia (prior to government service)
Benchmark Litigation – District of Columbia, Star (prior to government service)
Lawdragon – 500 Leading Litigators in America, 2026
U.S. Department of the Treasury – Alexander Hamilton Award, 2024
Washingtonian – “Top Lawyers,” Criminal Defense, White Collar, 2020
Global Investigations Review – “DC Sanctions Lawyers to Have on Speed Dial,” 2019
Ethisphere – “Attorneys Who Matter,” 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
National Law Journal – “Cybersecurity Trailblazer,” 2016
U.S. Department of Justice – Distinguished Achievement Award
Education
- magna cum laude
Clerkships
Prior experience
- General Counsel, U.S. Department of the Treasury, 2022-2024
- Administrative Conference of the United States, Council Member, 2023-2024
- Biden-Harris Transition Team (Justice Department), 2020-2021
- U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, 2009-2013
- Associate Deputy Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, 2009
- Obama-Biden Transition Team (Justice Department), 2008-2009
- Vice President and General Counsel, Business Software Alliance, 2005-2008
- Chief Counsel and Staff Director to Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Senate Committee on Judiciary, 2001-2005
- Assistant U.S. Attorney, Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia, 1997-2001
- Associate, Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson & Hand, 1993-1997
Qualifications and admissions
- Commonwealth of Virginia
- District of Columbia
- State of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court, E.D. Michigan
- U.S. District Court, E.D. Virginia