John Irving

His clients have included Members of Congress, senior executives, political appointees, and corporate entities navigating complex criminal, civil and regulatory matters – including matters that have dominated national headlines. John’s practice today is defined by sophisticated representation in sensitive investigations, classified matters, and strategic crisis response – often involving multiple enforcement authorities.

John served for over a decade in the U.S. Department of Justice, including as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Washington, D.C., where he prosecuted a wide range of criminal cases and appeared regularly in court. He later served as Counsel to two Deputy Attorneys General and as Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General of DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, advising on department policy and enforcement matters at the highest levels.

Prior to his tenure at DOJ, John served as Investigative Counsel to the (then-named) U.S. House Committee on Government Reform & Oversight and Associate Independent Counsel in the investigation of former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros.

Prior to joining SECIL Law, John was a Partner at E&W Law, a boutique firm focused on environmental and white-collar litigation. Prior to that, John served as the Deputy Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA). He also spent more than a decade at Holland & Knight LLP in Washington, D.C., where he was a key member of the firm’s White-Collar Defense, Investigations & Compliance team. His experience includes representing a co-defendant in the Mar-a-Lago Special Counsel classified documents case, serving as defense counsel in United States v. Peter Navarro, advising Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) in matters involving the Speech or Debate Clause, and representing individuals and entities in investigations involving the FCPA, False Claims Act, campaign finance, and various environmental statutes. He also counseled witnesses and targets in congressional investigations, including matters before the January 6 Select Committee, and serving as Assistant Special Counsel to the House Judiciary Committee during the impeachment proceedings of a U.S. District Court Judge.

Clients value John’s deep understanding of government processes, strategic judgment, and ability to navigate high-stakes matters with discretion and precision.

Bar Admissions

• District of Columbia
• Maryland

Court Admissions

U.S. Courts of Appeal:

• D.C. Circuit
• Eleventh Circuit

U.S. District Courts:

• D. D.C.
• D.Md

Education

• J.D., American University Washington College of Law
• B.A., Political Science, Fordham University