2026 Annual Government Enforcement & Investigations Seminar Draws D.C. Crowd

Joe D. Whitley moderating fireside with Rod Rosenstein. Original Image Source.

The Federal Bar Association's Maryland and District of Columbia Chapters held their 5th Annual Government Enforcement & Investigations Seminar on May 28, 2026, at Baker McKenzie's Washington, D.C. office. The full-day program brought together in-house counsel, federal judges, and former government officials for a wide-ranging look at the current enforcement landscape, drawing attorneys from across highly regulated industries.

The seminar's keynote featured the Hon. Rod Rosenstein, former United States Deputy Attorney General, in a fireside chat moderated by Joe D. Whitley, former U.S. Attorney for Georgia's Middle and Northern Districts and the first General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Rosenstein, who oversaw 115,000 employees and a $28 billion budget during his tenure at the Department of Justice, brought decades of experience in government investigations, national security, and tax controversies to the conversation.

Attendees also earned continuing legal education credit, with four hours available for Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, and California, and a certificate available for self-submission in other states. The program's reach and the caliber of its speakers reflect the growing prominence of this joint chapter event on the Mid-Atlantic legal calendar.

2026 Government Enforcement Seminar Features Full Day of Panels

The seminar opened with a morning panel on enforcement trends from the in-house perspective, featuring Daniel Kearney, Alan Modlinger, Steve Helvin, and Diana Wielocha. The panelists drew on their experience inside highly regulated companies, including Verizon's ethics and investigations team, to describe how organizations are responding to a shifting enforcement environment.

A second morning panel turned to trade and tariff enforcement, with speakers Ashley Akers, Neil Ellis, Sean O'Connell, and P. Lee Smith examining a topic that has taken on new urgency for companies with international supply chains. Following a networking lunch, the afternoon program shifted to healthcare enforcement trends, with Sarah Hall, Colin Huntley, and Kendra Wharton joining Moderator and 2026-2027 FBA Maryland Chapter President Thomas Barnard to unpack current risk areas for healthcare organizations.

The day closed with a "View from the Bench" panel, a seminar tradition, featuring the Hon. Royce C. Lamberth, the Hon. Loren AliKhan, the Hon. Richard D. Bennett, and the Hon. Dabney L. Friedrich. Judge Lamberth, appointed to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in 1987 and a former Chief Judge of that court, joined his fellow jurists from the District of Columbia and the District of Maryland for a candid discussion of timely litigation topics from the judiciary's own perspective.

Speakers and Attendees Praise the 2026 Government Enforcement Seminar

Reaction to the seminar was enthusiastic across social media in the days that followed. Rosenstein posted his own recap thanking lead organizers Thomas Barnard and Eric Nitz for what he called an insightful conference on government enforcement and the rule of law. He specifically praised the morning panel of in-house counsel experts and the judges' candid afternoon remarks, and thanked Whitley for moderating their fireside conversation and Baker McKenzie's Olivia A. and her team for hosting the event at their D.C. office.

Panelist Sarah Hall, Partner at Epstein Becker Green, shared her own appreciation for the day, highlighting her healthcare panel alongside moderator Thomas Barnard and the judges who took part in the closing bench panel.

Steve Helvin, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Ethics and Investigations at Verizon, echoed that sentiment, noting the value of sharing his team's perspective and learning from the experience of other panelists in the room.

Thoma Barnard (left) and Sarah Hall (right) following a successful 5th Annual Government Enforcement & Investigations Seminar. Original Image Source.

Navigating the Federal Enforcement Landscape

Now in its fifth year, the Government Enforcement & Investigations Seminar has become a fixture for attorneys navigating the federal enforcement landscape, and this year's lineup, from a sitting former Deputy Attorney General to four federal judges, underscores why. Pairing a substantive agenda on trade, healthcare, and enforcement trends with genuine access to the judiciary and senior government alumni gives the program a rare combination of practical value and prestige. The strong turnout and the enthusiastic response from speakers and attendees alike suggest the seminar's audience continues to grow alongside its reputation.

The FBA Maryland and D.C. Chapters plan to continue the tradition in the years ahead, building on a program that draws larger crowds and higher-profile speakers each year. As enforcement priorities continue to shift across industries from healthcare to international trade, programs like this one give practitioners a direct line to the judges, government alumni, and in-house leaders shaping that landscape.

Attorneys interested in future programming, including next year's seminar, are encouraged to explore the FBA Maryland Chapter's event calendar.