Thomas Hill | Lawyer

An ‘absolutely first-rate lawyer,’ he acts for government contractors, nuclear energy companies and healthcare organizations.

—The Legal 500 U.S.

Tom Hill, a partner in Pillsbury’s Corporate Investigations & White Collar Defense practice, focuses his national practice on white-collar criminal and government enforcement matters and internal corporate investigations.

Tom represents corporate and individual clients at the grand jury stage, at trial and on appeal, during agency investigations, and in civil cases and administrative enforcement actions, including debarment and suspension proceedings. His practice involves many different issues of regulatory crime, among them civil and criminal False Claims Act matters, including qui tam actions, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act matters, criminal tax, criminal antitrust, general financial crime, and other miscellaneous allegations of fraud and other wrongdoing in fields such as environmental, energy, health care, defense, financial services, aviation and communications.

Representative Experience

Successfully resolved a $100 million plus False Claims Act suit against a major Japanese manufacturer with a nominal payment.
Successfully avoided criminal or enforcement proceedings on behalf of the CFO of a Fortune 500 financial services company who was the target of an investigation by the Department of Justice and the SEC concerning allegations of securities fraud.
Succeeded in getting criminal charges of false statement of regulatory compliance dismissed that had been brought against a lead engineer of a nuclear utility.

Representation of the owner/operator of the nuclear power plant in connection with the incident at Three Mile Island.

Representation of a DOD contractor in connection with a False Claims Act investigation of conflict of interest allegations concerning the award and performance of its contract.

Representation of a DOD contractor in connection with a False Claims Act investigation of allegations of violations of the federal bribery and gratuities statutes.

Representation of a large physician group in connection with claims of alleged Medicare fraud.

Representation of physicians in state licensing revocation proceedings.

Representation of a high-ranking executive of a Fortune 50 DOD contractor in connection with a criminal antitrust investigation.

Representation of a major importer of seafood in connection with a criminal and agency enforcement proceeding relating to its alleged false certifications with regard to quality control issues before the Food and Drug Administration.

Representation of a major international company in connection with allegations that it had made false statements to the Federal Election Commission with respect to campaign contributions made by the company.

Representation of a major Japanese company in connection with a grand jury and regulatory enforcement proceeding concerning allegations that it had made false statements to the Environmental Protection Agency in connection with testing of petroleum products.

Representation of a major foreign bank in connection with a grand jury and agency enforcement action concerning allegations of false statements made to the SEC and the Federal Reserve.

Representation of a major U.S. consulting company in connection with a grand jury investigation concerning allegations that it had made false statements to customs officials with regard to work that it had done abroad.

Representation of a major Swiss company in connection with a grand jury investigation concerning allegations that it had made false statements to customs officials in connection with its importation of products produced overseas.

Representation of physicians in state licensing revocation proceedings.

Representation of various government contractors in suspension and debarment proceedings before various government agencies.

This represents just a sampling of cases and investigations involving allegations of wrongdoing handled by Tom and his group. Tom is assisted by other experienced former prosecutors and defense lawyers located both in Washington and in Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman’s other offices, and he collaborates frequently with other Pillsbury lawyers with other relevant substantive specialties, often including our Government Contract and Regulatory practices.

Professional Highlights

The Legal 500 U.S., White-Collar Criminal Defense (2013 – 2016, 2018 – 2021)
Served for five years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia in the Criminal Division, trying more than 75 jury trials and often arguing before appellate courts.
Maintains an active, pro bono death penalty practice in courts throughout the U.S., handling these cases at the trial, sentencing, appellate, post-conviction and clemency stages. All 11 of his clients have been spared the death penalty.

Honors & Awards

Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll (2018)

Associations

American Bar Association, White Collar Crime Section

External Publications

“Fraud and the Risk of FCA Litigation in the Time of COVID-19,” Pratt’s Government Contracting Law Report, July 2020. Co-author.

Education

J.D., Cornell Law School, 1976
magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, Law Review

A.B., Princeton University, 1972
magna cum laude

Admissions

District of Columbia

Courts

District of Columbia Court of Appeals

U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

U.S. Supreme Court

Thomas C. Hill

Areas of Focus

Practices

Representative Experience

Professional Highlights

Tom's Insights