John Rowley

John specializes in complex civil litigation and white-collar criminal defense. He also represents clients in investigations conducted by federal agencies and the U.S. Congress.

John believes that “nothing beats preparation.” He is a trial attorney at heart, first chairing numerous bench and jury trials. But he recognizes that even more cases are won outside the courtroom and brings his meticulous preparation to the many settlements he has reached for clients.

Prior to private practice, John served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Southern District of West Virginia. His prosecution work enhances his credibility with U.S. Attorney’s offices and the Department of Justice and provides an insider’s understanding of law and regulatory enforcement.

John has led the defense of a wide range of important complex matters, including:

• Heading the U.S. legal team that defended Brazilian aerospace company, Embraer S.A., in a first-of-its-kind Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigation by the U.S. Justice Department and Securities Exchange Commission.
• Defending SAIC in a False Claims Act jury trial filed by the U.S. Department of Justice.
• Winning a jury verdict for Belgian company, Picanol, S.A., in a bet-the-company software patent infringement case brought by a European competitor.
• Preparing and defending individuals in investigations by the U.S. Congress.
• Obtaining a trial judgment for the Chairman of the Board of a technology company in a case filed by investors under the Virginia Securities Act.

In 2011, John earned an Executive MBA from the University of Notre Dame. He pursued a rigorous MBA program while meeting the demands of his busy legal career to better serve his clients and obtain an enhanced understanding of their businesses. (In a proud father moment, he and his son graduated on the same day from their respective programs at Notre Dame).

After two decades in multinational D.C.-based law firms, John enjoys the collaborative environment of a specialized boutique and working alongside friends and trusted colleagues with in-depth legal experience. He also is a regular contributor to WMAL Radio’s Saturday Morning Update with Rick Fowler, where he discusses topical issues at the intersection of law and policy.

Prior to helping found SECIL Law, John was a partner in two multinational law firms where he represented clients in high-stakes litigation and white-collar investigations. In addition to serving as a federal prosecutor, John’s government service includes working as Chief Investigative Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform; Staff Director for the Congressionally mandated U.S. Department of Defense panel created to investigate allegations of misconduct at the U.S. Air Force Academy. After graduating from law school, he had the privilege of serving as law clerk to the Honorable John A. Field, Jr., Senior U.S. Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Bar Admissions

• District of Columbia
• Virginia

Court Admissions

Federal Court:

• U.S Supreme Court

U.S. Courts of Appeal:

• D.C. Circuit
• Fourth Judicial Circuit
• Federal Circuit

U.S. District Courts:

• D.D.C.
• E.D. Va.
• S.D. W. Va.

Education

• J.D., University of Richmond School of Law
• M.B.A., University of Notre Dame
• B.A., Political Science, State University of New York at Oneonta