Eastman & Smith LTD is pleased to announce that Todd A. Long and Karl H. Schneider have joined the Firm’s White Collar Crime & Investigations practice group as of counsel, working with Eastman & Smith attorneys Reg Jackson and Adam Nightingale to provide statewide defense counsel in federal and state courts. The practice group’s expansion addresses the growing impact of investigations of Ohio businesses and individuals for economic and corporate crimes.
Mr. Long and Mr. Schneider are based in Eastman & Smith’s downtown Columbus office, which relocated last month to 250 Civic Center Drive with enhanced technology and collaboration space for the Firm’s staff and clients. Mr. Jackson and Mr. Nightingale are based in the Firm’s Toledo office.
“We are pleased to welcome Todd and Karl to our Columbus office and to the Firm at large. Their arrival aligns with our Firm’s strategy of purposeful growth in Columbus and the opportunity to significantly expand a key practice of the Firm,” said Fadi V. Nahhas, chair of the Eastman & Smith Executive Committee. “Reg and Adam have built a substantial white collar practice and an outstanding reputation for handling sophisticated state and federal investigations, particularly in the Northern District of Ohio. Likewise, Todd and Karl are widely known for their white collar criminal defense practice and significant experience in the Southern District of Ohio. The combination of these four brilliant attorneys provides our Firm’s clients with an unmatched team to defend against white collar criminal charges and provide statewide representation against government investigations and prosecutions.”
“I have long known Karl and Todd and I have great respect for them as advisors and litigators. They enhance our ability to provide counsel to and defend targets of criminal investigations and expand our group’s reach in advising corporate clients across Ohio with respect to internal investigations,” added Mr. Jackson. “Investigations are ramping up on the state and federal level, from Ohio’s Office of the Inspector General to the Ohio Attorney General’s office to the prosecutors in the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio. In fact, we are seeing the Southern and Northern Districts adding prosecutors to focus on the increasing volume of COVID-19 federal funding fraud cases and other consumer scam investigations. Businesses across industry sectors may be subpoenaed in these fraud matters, and our group is uniquely positioned to provide counsel and trial defense.”
Mr. Schneider noted, “It’s exciting to join the Firm at a time when clients need help navigating the increasing number of prosecutions and investigations in Ohio. Our team is fully equipped to handle internal investigations and defend against government investigations at both the state and federal level. Todd and I have always been aware of the fine work that Reg and Adam handle in the white collar space, and we are fortunate to join this bench of talent. Moreover, we admire Eastman & Smith’s long history and commitment to Ohio, its culture of collaboration and its dedication to client relationships. We appreciate the warm welcome.”
“We have always admired the reputation and culture of Eastman & Smith and are excited to integrate our practice with Reg and Adam and expand the reach of the group’s capabilities. White collar criminal investigations are on the rise across industries, and we are honored to join the Firm and help businesses and executives respond to investigations and prepare for trial when needed,” added Mr. Long.
About Todd A. Long
Clients including businesses, executives, public officials, medical professionals, and educators turn to Mr. Long for defense of federal and state prosecutions and investigations. He provides counsel on matters involving fraud, embezzlement, tax controversies, public corruption, regulatory enforcement, and business litigation in both federal and state courts, and appears before government regulatory entities and law enforcement agencies. In 2023, he served as co-counsel with Mr. Schneider, in the highly publicized six-week trial U.S. v. Householder, et. al. in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. Mr. Long earned his J.D. from Capital University and his B.A. from The Ohio State University and is a member of the Columbus and Ohio State Bar Associations as well as the American Bar Association. He is also a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
About Karl H. Schneider
Individuals and businesses in a myriad of criminal matters seek Mr. Schneider’s counsel on issues of public corruption as well as fraud involving tax, health care, securities, and mortgages. With extensive trial experience in white collar criminal defense, he also defends clients in professional liability matters and complex business litigation. He served as co-counsel with Mr. Long in the high-profile trial U.S. v. Householder, et. al., involving former Ohio Republican Party chair Matthew Borges, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. Mr. Schneider received his J.D. from Capital University Law School and earned his B.A. from Denison University. He is an active member of the Columbus Bar Association and serves as chair of the Ohio Board of Building Appeals. Additionally, he is a member of the American Bar Association’s White Collar Crime Institute, the Ohio State Bar Association and the Federal Bar Association.
Eastman & Smith’s White Collar Crime and Investigations group is comprised of attorneys who are uniquely qualified to assist clients through every phase of government investigations and prosecutions, providing strategic counsel both prior to and during investigations and during the grand jury process. The group has represented corporate and individual clients in connection with government investigations in a wide array of substantive areas including:
- Fraud and embezzlement (including wire fraud, mortgage fraud, bankruptcy fraud, health care fraud, mail fraud, and bank fraud)
- Tax crimes (including tax evasion/fraud, willful failure to collect or pay tax, failure to file or supply information, and false statements)
- SEC investigations involving breaches of securities law
- Money laundering and structuring
- Environmental crimes
- Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”)
- Theft of government funds
- Identity theft/fraud and forgery
About Eastman & Smith Ltd.
Founded in 1844, Eastman & Smith is a leading consultant, counselor and advocate on personal, business, nonprofit and governmental challenges. Client satisfaction. Reliability. Innovation. Creative approach to problem-solving. These are cornerstones of Eastman & Smith. The Firm’s 75+ dedicated attorneys serve clients from offices in Columbus, Findlay and Toledo, Ohio, and Detroit, Michigan. For more information, visit the Firm’s website at https://www.eastmansmith.com.