Allison O'Neil

Allison O'Neil is Co-Chair of the Firm's White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Group and a member of the Firm's Executive Committee. Her practice includes white collar investigations, internal investigations, employment matters, complex business litigation and crisis management. Allison's clients are companies and individuals facing False Claims Act investigations, FCPA investigations and internal investigations related to employment matters and compliance.

Allison also has extensive experience in the litigation of employment issues, business torts, contract disputes, and fiduciary duty claims arising in closely held companies and partnerships. She has briefed and argued cases in the Massachusetts Appeals Court and the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts.

Allison frequently represents clients in a variety of white collar matters. She is uniquely suited to represent clients who face complex investigations, enforcement actions and compliance issues. Allison understands the impact a government investigation can have on business and tries to pre-empt the financial impact of such an investigation.

As a former Middlesex County Assistant District Attorney, she prosecuted a wide variety of matters, including rape, fraud and civil rights cases in Superior Court. Allison was a member of the prosecution team that tried and convicted John Geoghan, a defrocked priest, for child abuse. 

Allison serves on the Board of Advisors of The American Repertory Theater, A.R.T., at Harvard University and the Governance and Nominating Committee for The Kittansett Club.

Criminal & Government Enforcement Actions

• Represented an employer facing a multifaceted governmental inquiry regarding its employment and hiring practices, with a focus on wage and hour violations and identity theft

Sexual Misconduct Investigations

• Led an independent investigation into sexual misconduct at The Hotchkiss School, an elite Connecticut boarding school
• Advised various schools, boards and businesses as they navigated sexual misconduct and race-based discrimination allegations, including historical claims

False Claims Act

• Represented a large healthcare company in a state Attorney General investigation into a whistleblower’s False Claims Act allegations with no action taken by the state
• Represented witnesses in a federal False Claims Act investigation with no action taken against the witnesses

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

• Conducted an internal investigation on behalf of a private equity firm into the billing and FCPA compliance practices of one of its portfolio companies, a global supplier of specialty adhesives portfolio company

SEC Enforcement

• Represented the controller at a Boston-based father-son hedge fund under SEC Enforcement investigation for its pre-inception performance records. Investigation of the long serving controller terminated with no charges brought against her

Employment

• Represented a Nantucket-based restaurant. Handled offering materials, employment agreements and a related criminal matter once the restaurant was open
• Advised an entrepreneur/venture capitalist negotiating departure from his own firm where restricted stock units, noncompetition and nonsolicitation considerations were at issue
• Represented an individual in a complex business dispute with former venture capital firm, specializing in early and late-stage life sciences investing. The case involved issues of fiduciary duty, fraud, accounting and breaches of contract. Obtained full dismissal of all claims against the individual and an award in favor of the client valued over $15 million

Other Representative DOJ Matters

• Represented an individual concerning the “Operation Varsity Blues” college admissions fraud investigation and case