Mcgregor (Greg) Scott

Sacramento

In his current role, King & Spalding partner McGregor (Greg) Scott represents major companies in investigations by various government entities, including the Department of Justice, the California attorney general and district attorneys.

His representation of high-profile clients from diverse political backgrounds, such as both the Trump administration and Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration, illustrates his versatility and ability to navigate different legal and political landscapes.

One of Scott's significant achievements is his work on behalf of the California Employment Development Department and the office of the governor as special counsel. In this role, he coordinated investigations and prosecutions into California's unemployment fraud scandal, which resulted in the recovery of $1.1 billion in fraudulent payments.

"The EDD fraud special counsel role we are performing for the governor's office is a terrific public/private partnership where the skills and experience of a white-collar lawyer in the private sector can be brought to bear on a specific issue confronting a government agency -- in this case, the fraud arising from a once-in-a-century pandemic and the commensurate governmental programs designed to deal with it," Scott said. "The network of contacts I have developed over decades across local, state, and federal law enforcement and prosecutors' offices has been essential to EDD's response to the vast level of fraud it has encountered. While we have a long way to go, we are making steady progress in referring fraud cases to law enforcement for investigation and prosecution."

There were significant challenges in the case.

"Because the fraud special counsel was a very rare appointment, we had to overcome within EDD a certain level of skepticism about what we brought to the role," Scott said. "A significant part of our time early in the assignment was devoted to demonstrating our worth and value and that we truly are here to help the agency. After that initial time and some successes, we now have the complete confidence of our client."

Sharing additional insight, he notes the logistical challenges posed by the vast amount of discovery created by technology in complicated white-collar cases, along with the implications of social media and a well-funded U.S. Department of Justice.

"The explosion of discovery created by technology in complicated white-collar cases is simply amazing and is at the forefront of issues that must be dealt with," Scott said.