Ballard Spahr
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State Attorneys General

Ballard Spahr’s State Attorneys General Team brings together lawyers from across legal disciplines to help clients mitigate risk, conduct internal investigations, navigate policy changes, and respond to civil or criminal actions.

State attorneys general have sweeping enforcement powers and significant investigatory resources at their disposal. The scope of their oversight includes virtually every organization—public, privately held, or nonprofit—that interacts with consumers, competes for market share, pays taxes, maintains a workforce, or manages funds and other resources for public benefit.

Adrian King and Stephen Stigall lead the practice. Adrian King is the former First Deputy Attorney General in the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Stephen Stigall is the former Assistant U.S. Attorney in New Jersey and Attorney-in-Charge of the Camden, New Jersey branch office. Our law firm also includes attorneys with specific government and industry experience related to state AG enforcement matters, many of whom have held senior-level positions in state AG offices, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and state and federal agencies with overlapping jurisdiction, such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Experience 

Finance and Lending

  • Representation of a national specialty consumer reporting agency in a privacy investigation by the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General.
  • Representation of a fintech company in response to a data breach investigation by the Office of the California Attorney General.
  • Representation of a large regional mortgage lender and affiliated real estate brokerage in investigations by the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware Offices of the Attorney General involving allegations of discriminatory lending practices.

Consumer and Retail

  • Representation of a multinational technology company in a consumer protection investigation by the Pennsylvania Attorney General, relating to issues with device batteries.
  • Representation of a summer camp operator in an investigation by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office in connection with a pandemic-related business suspension and subsequent consumer refund requests. Resolved on favorable terms.
  • Representation of a multinational consumer electronics retailer in an investigation by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office regarding alleged gift card fraud. Investigation concluded with no action taken by the Attorney General’s Office.

Nonprofit and Charitable Entities

  • Representation of a nonprofit physician-evaluation organization that certifies physicians practicing in certain specialties in an investigation by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office involving allegations of waste and mismanagement. Investigation concluded with no action taken by the Attorney General’s Office.
  • Representation of board members of several nonprofits in fraud and corporate governance investigations conducted by the Charities Bureau of the New York Attorney General.
  • Obtained the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office approval of a historic tax credit deal to raise funds for a substantial renovation of a nonprofit children’s playground.

Environmental Matters

  • Representation of a multinational chemical manufacturing company in investigations by the Delaware and Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Offices involving allegations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination of groundwater.

Criminal Matters

  • Representation of individuals in public corruption investigations by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
  • Representation of a company in criminal tax fraud investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and numerous state Attorneys General.
  • Representation of a company in a health care fraud investigation by the DOJ and the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office.

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