Christine Y. Wong

San Francisco

In addition to Christine Y. Wong's position as co-chair of Morrison Foerster's global litigation group, she relies on her unique blend of experiences as a former assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York and the Northern District of California as well as in-house counsel at Fujitsu to conduct internal investigations, develop compliance programs and represent companies and executives in complex white-collar defense cases effectively.

One of her significant cases involved her engagement by the California Attorney General's Office to lead an independent review of the Department of Justice's public release of confidential personal information from a firearm-related database.

The matter garnered substantial media attention and required Wong to investigate the cause of the incident and prepare a comprehensive report with findings and recommendations. The 60-page public report that resulted from this investigation was instrumental in restoring public trust in a key governmental institution.

"In any investigation, one of the most significant challenges is overcoming the government's working theory of alleged wrongdoing," Wong said. "When my team and I are fortunate enough to be involved in the earlier stages of a government investigation -- or better yet, involved before the government launches an investigation, it is easier to advocate for our client. In one of the matters we worked on recently, the government's investigation was already well underway. Nonetheless, by taking a largely cooperative posture, explaining the client's business and the unique regulatory framework under which it operates, and presenting the company's robust compliance efforts, we were able to achieve a favorable result for the client."

Another notable matter Wong led was for Recology, a San Francisco-based resource recovery company. Wong negotiated a three-year deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. attorney's office for the Northern District of California following allegations of bribes paid to San Francisco's Public Works department head. This case was part of a broader investigation related to the arrest of former director Mohammed Nuru. Wong's involvement extended beyond the agreement, as she also worked closely with Recology's in-house team to enhance its compliance program and navigated its rate application process.

Looking to the future, Wong said society as a whole is grappling with the use of AI, and the white-collar defense field is no different. Regulatory agencies are increasingly using AI-enabled tools to detect wrongdoing, and it is not a stretch to expect companies to do the same, she added.

"For example, the Department of Justice has made clear in 2023 that there is a renewed focus on corporate compliance programs and an expectation that corporations will invest in data analytics as part of those programs," Wong said. "It is important for clients to keep track of the development of AI-enabled tools and to be sure to invest in them in a way that is appropriate for the level of sophistication of their business and the risks they may face."