Federal Judge Acquits Glaxo Attorney

On May 10, 2011, Lauren Stevens, former associate general counsel for GlaxoSmithKline, was acquitted of six criminal charges surrounding allegations of obstruction and providing false answers to an FDA inquiry in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1519.

In November 2010, Stevens was indicted on four counts of making false statements, one count of obstruction of justice, and one count of falsifying and concealing documents related to GlaxoSmithKline’s off-label marketing of the anti-depressant, Wellbutrin. Last month, U.S. District Court Judge Roger Titus dismissed the charges after finding that prosecutors had given inaccurate and incomplete information to the grand jury about Stevens’ key defense--that she depended on the advice of counsel. However, the DOJ re-indicted Stevens after dismissal and the subsequent hearing ensued.

Steven’s case is noteworthy for several reasons. First, it raises concerns with in-house counsel that deal with federal government agencies, including those handling FCPA investigations or answering compliance-related questions from the DOJ, SEC, and FDA. Second, it involved an attorney safe harbor provision housed in federal statutes, which protects attorneys who rely on the advice of outside counsel. Finally, Ms. Stevens was not accused of taking part in the actual underlying wrongdoing, but was still charged in connection with the wrongdoing. This is unusual because “in most off-label drug cases, the government charges senior business executives, not attorneys” according to John Wood, former U.S. Attorney in Missouri.

Judge Titus’ ruling was equally unusual—in his tenure as a federal judge, he had never granted a directed verdict of acquittal before the defense presented its case—until now. In his opinion, Titus wrote, “I believe that it would be a miscarriage of justice to permit this case to go to the jury. There is an enormous potential for abuse in allowing prosecution of an attorney for the giving of legal advice. I conclude that the defendant in this case should never have been prosecuted and she should be permitted to resume her career.”

In coming to his decision, he stated, “it is clear that [Ms. Stevens’ statements made to the FDA] were made in good faith which would negate the requisite element [of specific intent to commit a crime] required for all six of the crimes charged in this case.” Moreover, “GlaxoSmithKline did not come to Ms. Stevens and say, assist us in committing a crime or fraud. It came to her for assistance in responding to a letter from the FDA.”

Titus said Congress designed the safe-harbor provision to protect an attorney who is zealously representing her client and “that vigorously and zealously representing a client is no a basis for charging an offense [of] obstruction of justice.” Titus concluded that Steven’s responses to the FDA “were in the course of her bona fide legal representation of a client and in good faith reliance of both external and internal lawyers for GlaxoSmithKline...[and] every decision that she made and every letter she wrote was done by a consensus.”

Accordingly, "I conclude on the basis of the record before me," Judge Titus said, "that only with a jaundiced eye and with an inference of guilt that's inconsistent with the presumption of innocence could a reasonable jury ever convict this defendant."

SHOULD YOUR CIVIL DEFENSE ATTORNEY KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT CRIMINAL LAW?

The anticipated escalation of securities and investment fraud cases prompting criminal charges got off to an unexpected start with the acquittal of two Bear Stearns hedge fund managers last week. Regardless, financial industry members and their attorneys should continue to defend civil investigations and suits and administrative actions with an eye on the possibility of an indictment. Administrative enforcement personnel are in constant referral contact with criminal enforcement agencies such as the US Postal Service and the FBI. It is still all too common for either pro se defendants or targets, or defendants with counsel lacking financial or white-collar defense experience, to "T-up" a criminal prosecution by blindly participating in, or refusing to participate in, a civil or administrative action. Of course, in some cases, such as the Rothstein case coming out of Ft Lauderdale this month, the civil defendant and FBI target would have to be utterly clueless not to contemplate the advent of an indictment. But as the line between civil and criminal cases becomes less clear, and the public and political pressure to bring criminal cases persists, the brazen attorney or arrogant defendant may be in for a rude surprise.

Litigating a civil matter with an eye towards a potential criminal case is not an easy task. For example, asserting the privilege against self-incrimination in a civil or administrative matter is not without significant consequence, but the cost-benefit analysis of such an invocation should be evaluated and given serious and learned consideration. On the other hand, certain conduct in a civil matter--such as a lack of cooperation, witness tampering, or continuing on with the very conduct the regulator considers illegal--may frustrate the regulator or civil litigant to the point of seeking the involvement of a criminal enforcement agency. There are dozens of such points of decision or strategy during the course of any civil investigation or litigation. As such, there are seldom clear answers or boilerplate strategies. But the odds of making it through the treachery without blowing up yourself (or your client)are pretty slim if you don't even realize you are walking through a legal minefield. Remember, even an acquittal is only partial solace and seldom redemtive. The months of stress and distraction, public disgrace and incredible financial burden are not cured by the rare acquittal garnered by the Bear Stearns defendants. The line between civil and criminal investment or securities fraud is in the eyes of the beholder, and the beholder is the government until the case is submitted to the jury.