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Eric B. Bruce

Partner
Eric is a brilliant tactician who thinks five steps ahead in any litigation. He is exceptionally good at breaking down complexities into easily understandable soundbites.
— Chambers USA, Band 1 | 2024
Washington, DCNew York
About

Eric is a first-chair trial lawyer, global corporate investigator, and board advisor, known for his track record of negotiating favorable resolutions, securing declinations, and obtaining acquittals and voluntary dismissals for his clients. He brings deep government experience, representing multinational companies and their executives in complex white-collar criminal defense matters, internal and government investigations, crisis management, and bet-the-company civil litigation.

Eric focuses his practice on defending multinational companies and their executives against allegations of foreign bribery, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations, money laundering, sanctions violations, securities and accounting fraud, insider trading, antitrust violations, terrorist financing, False Claims Act (FCA) violations, tax evasion, and violations of the World Bank’s Integrity Compliance Guidelines. He has a deep understanding of regulatory and enforcement matters and how prosecutors and regulators think, allowing him to anticipate regulatory concerns and strategically position clients from the outset.

Eric represents clients in criminal proceedings, commercial litigation, and arbitrations, often in complex cross-border matters. He has extensive experience in business torts, fraud allegations, and US Anti-Terrorism Act litigation, among other areas. He frequently advises boards of directors and audit committees on complex cross-border litigation and develops strategies to resolve such matters favorably short of litigation.

Areas of FocusArtificial Intelligence and Data AnalyticsLitigation, Arbitration and InvestigationsRegulatory and Government AffairsWhite Collar and Corporate CrimeAerospace and DefenseTechnologyTelecoms
Bar admissionsDistrict of ColumbiaNew York
Eric’s clients rely on him for their most important matters, noting that 'he provides a degree of confidence and assurance that works very well in government-facing matters' and that he 'understands what clients want and delivers it.'
— Chambers USA
Education
  • J.D., University of Maryland School of Law
    Order of the Coif
  • B.A., Lafayette College

EXPERIENCE

Global investigations and monitorships

  • Advised a multinational technology company regarding its plea agreement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) concerning two breaches of a Deferred Prosecution Agreement
  • Led investigations into alleged improper payments in three different African countries on behalf of a multinational manufacturing company and advised the board and executive management on the resulting risks
  • Investigated potential misconduct by company employees and a company supplier in a USD1 billion contract funded by a US government agency on behalf of a multinational company, which had raised sensitive and high-stakes questions regarding potential FCA violations
  • Advised the board of directors of a UK financial services organization regarding options for a potential resolution of an FCPA investigation with the DOJ
  • Investigated potential FCPA violations on behalf of a Fortune 100 company arising from the company’s operations in China and advised on appropriate compliance enhancements

White collar criminal defense and trials

  • Obtained an acquittal on two counts and a hung jury on two counts on behalf of a corporate officer in the highly publicized, eight-week-long “FCPA sting trial” in Washington, DC. Ultimately, the DOJ dropped all charges against the corporate officer and 21 additional defendants in the case
  • Secured rare voluntary dismissal of all charges filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against a foreign brokerage firm charged in connection with more than USD50 million in insider trading following an expedited internal investigation in France and presentation to convince the SEC that the trades at issue were based on legitimate market research
  • Obtained an acquittal on the top count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud after a four-week trial in the Southern District of New York for the former Chairman and CEO of a publicly traded healthcare company
  • Secured a rare declination of prosecution for a corporate executive following allegations that the client had failed to pay taxes on more than USD14 million in Swiss bank accounts over a period of more than seven years
  • Convinced the DOJ and SEC to bring no charges against the former CEO of a global telecommunications company after a three-year investigation into potential FCPA violations arising from the company’s operations in Uzbekistan, and obtained dismissal with prejudice of all counts in a subsequent class action lawsuit filed against the client

Commercial litigation and arbitration

  • Negotiated a pre-filing settlement on behalf of a multinational technology company of a USD4 billion claim by a competitor alleging various business torts for a small fraction of the original claim
  • Obtained a favorable settlement on the eve of trial for a US data analytics and software company in various cross-border proceedings in the US and Germany, asserting and defending against a variety of business tort and contractual claims
  • Advised a multinational telecommunications company on trial strategy for litigation in South Africa that alleged breach of contract and other corporate misconduct
  • Litigated an American Arbitration Association (AAA) arbitration hearing alleging damages resulting from the alleged improper termination of a license on behalf of the players' association for a major sports league
  • Represented a consumer health products company in defending a lawsuit brought by a state attorney general’s office alleging that the company provided false and misleading statements about one of its products to US consumers

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

  • Chambers & Partners
  • Band 1, White Collar Criminal Defense and Government Investigations (2024–2026)
  • The Legal 500 United States
  • Top 500 Leading Global Litigators (2023-26)
  • Top 500 Global Leaders in Crisis Management, (2026)
  • Recognized, Top 500 Leading Global Litigators, LawDragon, (2026)
  • Recognized, Top 500 Global Leaders in Crisis Management, LawDragon (2026)
  • Recognized, Litigation Star, Benchmark Litigation (2026)
  • Recognized, National Practice Area Star, Benchmark Litigation (2026)
  • Recognized, Washington’s Best White Collar Defense Attorneys, Washingtonian magazine (2022-26)
  • Recognized, White Collar Defense Trailblazer, National Law Journal (2012)

Publications and media

Global editor of the Chambers Anti-Corruption Guide and co-author of the “USA Anti-Corruption” chapter. The guide provides an overview of current anti-bribery and corruption laws in a wide range of countries, including insights into key legal standards, enforcement policies, and emerging trends, from the perspectives of leading practitioners in key jurisdictions.

Seminars

Eric has spoken at leading industry conferences on topics including anti-corruption, trial advocacy, and managing global investigations in high-risk jurisdictions, among others.

Prior Experience

Eric previously served as Counselor to the Attorney General of the United States and advised the Attorney General on all of the US DOJ’s complex white-collar cases, cross-border criminal investigations, and national security investigations, including cybersecurity, terrorism, and espionage matters. Additionally, he served as Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division at the DOJ, advising on complex issues arising from securities fraud and insider trading cases, as well as on a variety of highly classified national security matters.

Eric also served for more than ten years as a federal prosecutor in the US Attorney’s Office for the SDNY, where he successfully tried a wide range of cases, including complex white-collar fraud, international terrorism, and high-profile national security matters.

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Senior Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America, The Trial Lawyer Honorary Society
  • Barrister, Edward Bennett Williams Inn of Court
  • Member, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, International Bar Association
  • Member, Federal Bar Association
  • Member, New York State Bar Association
  • Member, New York City Bar Association

My latest insights

News
Abstract architecture DC

DLA Piper further strengthens global investigations and litigation platform with leading...

19 August 2026 .3 minute read

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Phone

+1 202 799 4442
(Work, Washington, DC)
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