WILLIAM M. PEARSON, P.A.

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Professional

William M. Pearson, P.A. is committed to providing you with excellent legal services.  We approach every client with the same focus on integrity, advocacy, and compassion. We are proud to be your counsel.

William M. Pearson, a Miami native, earned his Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Miami School of Law in 1984. Mr. Pearson soon joined the Federal Public Defender's Office in Miami (Southern District of Florida), where he defended the indigent in federal court for more than four years. Mr. Pearson then switched to the other side of the courtroom and, in 1989, joined the United States Attorney's Office in Miami.

Mr. Pearson left government service in 2000, when he went into the private practice of law.  Since that time, he has continued to zealously represent his clients, assisting people and businesses in all stages of criminal and civil litigation.

Mr. Pearson is a member of the Florida and District of Columbia Bars and is licensed to practice in the Southern District of Florida, Middle District of Florida, Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.


Since 2000, Mr. Pearson has been rated AV Preeminent (the highest rating) by Martindale-Hubbell's Peer Review Rating Process and has been named a Florida Super Lawyer from 2006 (inaugural year) thru the present in the area of Litigation / White Collar Criminal Defense.


Prior Professional Experience:


Gray Robinson, P.A., Shareholder, May 2008 – May 2011

As a member of the business litigation practice group, Mr. Pearson was the primary criminal defense attorney for this 250 lawyer (11 office) Florida law firm.  Mr. Pearson concentrated on the entire spectrum of the criminal defense practice including: corporate compliance and investigations, corporate and individual defense of:  business crimes, governmental investigations, banking compliance, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) investigations and compliance, Foreign Corrupt Practice Act (FCPA) investigations and compliance, Health Care (Medicare and Medicaid) Fraud and Abuse investigations and compliance, and forfeiture matters.

William M. Pearson, P.A., July 2007 – May 2008

Mr. Pearson initially set up his solo practice during this time, where he was engaged primarily in federal and state criminal trial and government and corporate investigative matters.


Daylight Forensic and Advisory, LLC, Managing Director, March 2007 – July 2007

In his only professional experience outside of the practice of law, Mr. Pearson briefly worked as the Managing Director of the Miami office of International Risk Investigation Firm, focusing his energies in the area of banking compliance.

 

Shutts & Bowen, LLP, Partner, August 2004 – March 2007

As a member of the business litigation practice group, Mr. Pearson was the primary criminal defense attorney for this 200 lawyer (6 office) Florida law firm.  While there, Mr. Pearson concentrated on the entire spectrum of the criminal defense practice, corporate compliance and investigations, corporate and individual defense of:  business crimes, business opportunity fraud, securities fraud, tax fraud, mail and wire fraud, Medicare and Medicaid Fraud, RICO violations, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations, money laundering violations.  Mr. Pearson was also responsible for responding to federal grand jury and federal and state law enforcement subpoenas directed to the firm's banking clients.


Ferrell, Schultz, LLP
, Partner, May 2000 - August 2004

In his first legal experience outside of government service, Mr. Pearson was recruited to the position of Criminal Defense Practice Group Leader for 70 lawyer international law firm.  Mr. Pearson was engaged in the entire spectrum of the criminal defense practice, including corporate compliance, investigations, the defense of business crimes, business opportunity fraud, securities fraud, tax fraud, mail and wire fraud, Medicare and Medicaid Fraud, RICO violations, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations, Patriot Act violations, narcotics' violations and money laundering violations.  Mr. Pearson was also responsible for responding to federal grand jury and federal and state law enforcement subpoenas, and had extensive involvement in Civil RICO and probate litigation matters.  In addition to being the practice group leader, Mr. Pearson was asked to apply his extensive trial experience and teaching experience as the firm's in-house Trial Skills’ Training Coordinator / Instructor.  Mr. Pearson also served as the firm's Mentoring Program Coordinator.  Mr. Pearson appeared as a panelist in a seminar for Wholesale Pharmaceutical Distributors (responding to criminal investigations, anti-money laundering safeguards) and a panelist for a number of Panamanian Bank executives and officers on the then recently passed U.S. Patriot Act and its implications in the U.S. and abroad.


United States Department of Justice, U.S. Attorneys Office, Southern District of Florida,
AUSA;
April 1989 - April 2000

Public Corruption Section, 1998-2000, Narcotics Section, 1990-1998, Deputy Chief, 1996-1998, Major Crimes Section, 1989-1990, Received Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award, July 1999, for successful racketeering, narcotics and money laundering prosecution of more than 100 members of the infamous Cali Cartel.  Successfully prosecuted narcotics and obstruction of justice case against more than a dozen Miami-Dade County Department of Corrections officers, who introduced narcotics and other contraband into Corrections facility.  Successfully prosecuted Vice-Mayor of the City of South Miami, Florida on money laundering charges. Participated as lead or supervisory prosecutor in dozens of federal criminal trials and a number of oral argumets beforethe 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Federal Public Defender, Southern District of Florida, AFPD, January 1985 - April 1989

Represented indigent defendants accused of violating entire spectrum of federal criminal statutes, participated as sole criminal defense attorney in more than thirty federal criminal jury trials and numerous oral arguments before 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.



TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

University of Miami School of Law / Litigation Skills Program, Coral Gables, Florida    Adjunct Professor, 1998-present;

Adjunct Professor for trial skills program, 1999-present.  Adjunct Professor for pretrial skills program, 1998-1999.

Emory University School of Law / Litigation Skills Program, Atlanta, Georgia, Faculty, 2006-present;

Visiting instructor for trial skills program for law students.

 

United States Department of Justice / Criminal Trial Advocacy Program, Washington, D.C., 1993 - 1995;

Visiting instructor for trial skills program for Federal prosecutors.


Federal Bureau of Investigation / Public Corruption Seminar, Quantico, Virginia, December 2000;
Visiting instructor for public corruption field agents on developing and prosecuting corruption cases.


REPRESENTATIVE DEFENSE WORK: 


Represented Fortune 100 company in multi-national internal investigation and FCPA investigation in South America, resulting in charges being brought against ex-employees and investigation being dismissed. 


Represented Fortune 100 company in internal investigation, resulting in embezzlement charges being filed against employee.

 

Represented numerous health care providers in State and Federal Medicare and Medicaid investigations to successful conclusions.


Represented numerous people involved in all aspects of Bank and Mortgage fraud.

 

Represented worldwide bank in various quasi-criminal investigations, involving corporate investigative work, subpoena response and document production.

 

Represented indicted business opportunity fraud defendant in $20 million fraud.

 

Represented indicted business opportunity fraud defendant in $13 million fraud.

 

Represented national accounting firm in federal grand jury investigation, internal investigation, and subpoena response.

 

Represented exporter in DEA money seizure and criminal investigation.

 

Represented bank and armored car robbery defendants.

 

Represented adult defendant accused of sexual battery on a minor.

 

Represented federal prosecutor in appeal of contempt finding for discovery violations.

Represented attorney charged with tax fraud and money laundering.
 

Represented plaintiff real estate developer in Civil Rico litigation.

 

Represented bookkeeper of accounting and forensic investigative firm on fraud charges.

 

Represented numerous professionals in different South Florida Ponzi schemes.

 

Represented numerous indicted health care providers in State and Federal Health Care Fraud (Medicare and Medicaid) prosecutions.

 

Represented health care providers in administrative hearings.

 

Represented multi-national company in dealings with OFAC (compliance and investigation).

 

Represented foreign telecom provider in SEC investigation.

 

Represented indicted defendants in Securities Fraud prosecutions.

 

Represented Securities' Brokers in NASD proceedings.

 

Represented foreign banks in DEA, ICE and FBI investigations of money laundering and other criminal offenses of their account holders.

  

Represented freight forwarders in federal money laundering investigations and subsequent asset forfeiture matters.

 

Represented numerous business owners in federal money laundering  investigations and asset forfeiture matters.

 

Represented professionals and non-professionals for tax evasion and tax fraud.

Represented numerous defendants for federal money laundering offenses.

 

Represented defendants charged with federal gambling violations.


Represented corporate clients charged with environmental crimes.

 

Represented banking clients in Anti-Money Laundering, U.S. Patrio Act and Sarbanes Oxley compliance.

 

Represented numerous individuals in federal pharmaceutical and medical device diversion prosecutions.

 

Represented numerous defendants in federal narcotics' prosecutions.

 

Represented numerous defendants in federal firearms prosecutions, including arms export violations.

 

Represented numerous defendants in criminal immigration matters.

  

Represented litigants in complex probate litigation matters.

 

Represented defendants in DUI prosecutions, including airline pilot for DUI on airline.

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