James T. Parkinson

James Parkinson concentrates on enforcement defense, internal investigations and compliance counseling, primarily in an international context where the client is operating or living outside the U.S. As head of the firm’s London office since its opening in 2014, Mr. Parkinson coordinates Buckley LLP’s relationships with international law firms, frequently working with non-U.S. firms on multi-jurisdictional matters and advising on compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the U.S. sanctions regimes administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and anti-money laundering (AML) regulations pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), among other matters.

His most recent work includes:

• Representations of senior executives, including:
  • Global head (former) of foreign exchange trading for U.S. based international bank
  • Global head of algorithmic trading for Europe-based international bank
  • Numerous other individuals in foreign exchange-related investigations
  • Senior-level investment bankers in a multi-jurisdictional investigation related to an African country’s debt
  • CEO (former) of a mining concern in an investor-state arbitration matter
  • A CEO in U.S. civil litigation related to a bank fraud in a CIS jurisdiction
• Corporate internal investigations related to potential FCPA matters in China, India and Latin America
• Compliance counseling on FCPA, sanctions and AML matters for U.S. and non-U.S. entities in a variety of sectors, including banking (both U.S. and non-U.S. banks), fintech, heavy manufacturing, retail, and food service.

Over his career, Mr. Parkinson has represented clients in criminal and civil enforcement actions — both litigated and settled — involving FCPA, extradition, securities fraud, insider trading, false statements, and environmental issues. He has also conducted internal investigations involving the conduct of companies operating in India, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Italy, Egypt, Korea, and numerous other non-U.S. jurisdictions.

A frequent writer and speaker on financial crimes and international anti-corruption topics, Mr. Parkinson has made dozens of presentations internationally and throughout the U.S. (including in Kiev, Tokyo, Seoul, Oxford, Paris, and many other locations), and has served as a visiting lecturer at law schools in Mexico, Chile, and the United States. He is a member of the U.K. chapter of Transparency International, the Fraud Lawyer’s Association, the Anti-Corruption Committees of the American Bar Association and the International Bar Association, and is an associate-at-large with the Edward Bennett Williams American Inn of Court. He has been recognized by Legal 500 in Corporate Investigations and White-collar Criminal Defense, and in Who’s Who Legal: Investigations as a top practitioner in the U.K.

Prior to joining Buckley, Mr. Parkinson was a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Mayer Brown LLP, and was an associate with Beveridge & Diamond PC. He received his J.D. from The American University, an M.S. from the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.A. from Gettysburg College.