David E. Carney brings more than two decades of experience representing individuals and companies in high-stakes government enforcement matters, internal investigations, complex civil litigation, and compliance program design. His practice is defined by strategic problem-solving, disciplined advocacy before regulators, and a pragmatic approach to mitigating risk while protecting business objectives.
David is recognized for his ability to quickly identify core issues, marshal complex factual records, and guide clients through parallel proceedings with clarity and precision.
David has successfully represented clients in investigations and enforcement proceedings brought by a wide range of federal and state authorities, including the U.S. Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, General Services Administration, and the U.S. Postal Service.
His enforcement work spans matters involving accounting and disclosure deficiencies, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigations, False Claims Act allegations, fair-lending and redlining inquiries, safety and soundness compliance, suspension and debarment, and regulatory reporting obligations. David tailors his advocacy to the specific enforcement posture and priorities of each agency, with a consistent focus on achieving efficient and favorable outcomes.
David has conducted internal investigations for a broad spectrum of clients, including global pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers, financial institutions, accounting firms, technology companies, government contractors, and nonprofits. His investigations have addressed allegations of corruption, accounting fraud, disclosure misstatements, money laundering, data suppression, conflicts of interest, compliance failures, and breakdowns in internal controls.
He is particularly attuned to minimizing operational disruption while developing a thorough and defensible factual record that enables clients to make informed decisions and engage regulators from a position of strength.
David has also served in independent compliance and monitorship roles, including day-to-day management of an independent compliance consultancy for the U.S. Agency for International Development and its contractor that operated in high-risk jurisdictions. In this role, he emphasized collaboration, disciplined skepticism, and practical remediation over adversarial oversight, and the contractor was able to secure an early exit from the oversight.
Throughout his career, David has litigated a wide array of complex civil matters, often arising alongside enforcement or investigative proceedings. His experience includes securities class actions, antitrust litigation, creditor and bankruptcy disputes, third-party subpoena matters, and high-stakes commercial disputes.
David has represented multinational financial institutions, public company executives, technology firms, manufacturers, and individuals facing existential litigation risk. He brings a trial-ready mindset to every matter, positioning cases for resolution on favorable terms while remaining prepared to litigate through trial when necessary.
David advises clients on the design, implementation, and evaluation of compliance programs, with a particular emphasis on anti-corruption. He has led multidisciplinary compliance reviews assessing client programs against Department of Justice guidance and regulatory expectations, and he regularly assists clients with remediation and continuous-improvement efforts.
He has also conducted extensive anti-corruption and litigation due diligence for public companies, private equity firms, and strategic buyers, including diligence on transactions involving active or recently resolved enforcement matters. His experience allows him to identify heightened risk, develop practical mitigation strategies, and support informed deal-making in challenging environments.
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