Overview

Forrest Hansen represents multinational corporations in complex cross-border regulatory investigations and litigation. His practice focuses on finance, technology, media, manufacturing, antitrust, FCPA, compliance, and fraud. He also is a lecturer of comparative constitutional law at Université Paris Cité: Faculté de Droit.

Mr. Hansen regularly represents institutions in complex litigations in federal and state court throughout the United States. He also counsels institutions in examinations, investigations, and enforcement actions by the United States Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Internal Revenue Service, Federal Trade Commission, and state regulatory agencies.

Mr. Hansen previously served as in-house counsel for a global financial institution and leverages his knowledge of financial processes, procedures, and governance to advise senior executives at corporations on legal risk and litigation strategy. Mr. Hansen has practiced law in Paris, France, and often represents clients in global and cross-border matters involving Europe, South America, and Asia.

Mr. Hansen currently serves as the executive director of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society. Previously, Mr. Hansen served as a law clerk to the Honorable Thomas I. Vanaskie of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Mr. Hansen often speaks on issues concerning corporate internal investigations, professional responsibility, attorney well-being, and comparative constitutional law. Mr. Hansen previously served as the executive secretary and member of the board of directors of Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. 

Mr. Hansen is a 2007 cum laude graduate of American University, Washington College of Law, where he was on the senior editorial board of the American University Law Review, and a 2003 graduate of Brigham Young University. He is fluent in French and Spanish.

Experience

Select Representative Matters

Investigations and Criminal Defense

  • Represented global financial institution before the DOJ and CFTC in connection with investigations related to benchmark interest rates including LIBOR and EURIBOR for possible violations of federal and state antitrust and fraud laws, as well as the Commodities Exchange Act.
  • Conducted internal investigation for financial institution related to equity trade orders.
  • Represented multinational corporation in the formation of a joint venture following an in-depth investigation of the proposed transaction by the United States Federal Trade Commission. This cross-border matter also received clearance in China, Germany, and South Korea.
  • Represented a United States publicly held corporation in an investigation by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
  • Counsel for French multinational corporation in antitrust price-fixing investigation by U.S. and E.U. antitrust authorities.
  • Represented major Mexican chemical manufacturer in responding to inquiry by the United States Federal Trade Commission.
  • Successful defense of federal criminal action against individual charged with obstruction of justice in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; won jury acquittals on both substantive counts.

Litigation and Arbitration

  • Successfully obtained dismissal of consumer putative class action in federal court for global financial institution related to financial structured products and student lending.
  • Successfully obtained affirmance in the Florida State Court of Appeal for global financial institution upholding the dismissal of claims of fraud and breach of fiduciary duty.
  • Represented a global bank in Pennsylvania federal and state court seeking to enforce a foreign judgment.
  • Successfully defended a multinational investment bank and financial services company against fraud and RICO claims related to the securitization of a borrower’s mortgage.
  • Obtained a unanimous ruling for a global investment bank from a FINRA arbitration panel granting a motion to dismiss and declaring the churning and suitability claims ineligible for submission to arbitration.
  • Represented financial institution in FINRA arbitration related to the settlement of trades of preferred stock and corporate actions.
  • Represented financial institution in commercial litigations related to asset backed securities, securities class actions and lender liability actions.
  • Successfully defended mortgage loan servicer against putative class action claims alleging fraud and unfair practices.

Compliance

  • Designed FCPA, U.K. Bribery Act, AML, whistleblower, and antitrust compliance policies, and drafted corporate codes of conduct for global corporations.
  • Performed fraud mapping analysis of internal controls and risk assessment for a European corporation, updated compliance policies and procedures, and provided risk-based training.
  • Provided antitrust and FCPA compliance advice to domestic and foreign corporations; designed antitrust, FCPA, and U.K. Bribery Act compliance policies and training.
  • Conducted in-person antitrust compliance training and drafted compliance training for two Korean corporations, focusing on information exchanges and benchmarking.
  • Regularly counseled multinational corporations on antitrust issues and risks under the Sherman, Clayton, FTC, and Robinson-Patman Acts; drafted antitrust risk analyses for corporations entering into supply agreements, forming new business strategies, and contemplating various acquisition scenarios.
  • Drafted compliance reports and conducted training based on corporation’s consent decree with Federal Trade Commission and agreement with joint venture partners.

Professional Responsibility

  • Conducted investigation to assess potential attorney misconduct and provided recommendations.
  • Advised law department of multinational corporation on attorney registration and reporting.
  • Frequent lecturer on trends in legal ethics and attorney well-being.
  • Former adjunct professor of legal ethics at American University, Washington College of Law

Pro Bono/Community Service

  • Successful representation of applicant under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction following trial in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
  • Represented multiple persons in naturalization applications.
  • Provided constitution drafting advice for foreign states, focusing on equal protection, freedom of expression, separation of powers, and the political question doctrine.
  • Lecturer of comparative constitutional law at the Université Paris Descartes: Faculté de Droit.

Select Publications

  • Author, “The Iraqi Constitution: Upholding Principles of Democracy While Struggling to Curtail the Dangers of an Islamic Theocracy,” 12 Roger Williams U. L. Rev. 256, 2006.
  • Co-author, “International Trade Law Decisions of the Federal Circuit 2011,” 61 Am. U. L. Rev. 4, 2012.
  • Co-author, “Freedom of Assembly: A Comparative State Practice,” Public International Law and Policy Group, February 2012.
  • Co-author, “Freedom of Expression: A Comparative State Practice,” Public International Law and Policy Group, August 2011.
  • Lead author, “The Judiciary and Political Questions: Comparative State Practice,” Public International Law and Policy Group, November 2010.
  • Lead author, “Restructuring a State Into A Federalist System,” Public International Law and Policy Group, April 2010.
  • Co-author, “DOJ Updates Guidance on Corporate Compliance with Focus on Data Analysis and Continuous Monitoring for Effectiveness,” Duane Morris Alert/Blog, June 22, 2020.
  • Co-author, “DOJ Makes Clarifying Changes to FCPA Corporate Enforcement Policy,” Duane Morris Alert/Blog, December 2, 2019.
  • Co-author, “DOJ Criminal Division Issues Comprehensive Guidance on Evaluating Claims of Inability to Pay Criminal Fines or Penalties,” Duane Morris Alert/Blog, October 14, 2019.
  • Co-author, “In Major Shift, DOJ Antitrust Division Now Credits Compliance Programs at the Charging Stage,” Duane Morris Alert/Blog, July 31, 2019.
  • Co-author, “DOJ Criminal Division Issues Comprehensive Guidance on Corporate Compliance Programs,” Duane Morris Alert/Blog, May 17, 2019.

Speaking Engagements

  • Instructor, “Researching French Ancestors in France, Canada and the French Caribbean,” Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree, July 2022.
  • Instructor, “Civil Law and Genealogy,” Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research, July 2022.
  • Panelist, “Best Practices for Teaching Lawyer Well-being and Mental Health,” American Bar Association 2021 National Conference for Lawyer Assistance Programs, September 23, 2021.
  • Speaker, “Constitutions Worldwide,” Brigham Young University Alumni CLE, September 11, 2021.
  • Instructor, “Civil Law and Genealogy,” Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research, July 2021.
  • Panelist, “Fighting Loneliness and Burnout During COVID-19,” Duane Morris CLE, Philadelphia, PA, April 2021.
  • Panelist, “Maintaining a Culture of Health in the Shadow of the Coronavirus,” Duane Morris CLE, Philadelphia, PA (virtual), October 21, 2020.
  • Panelist, “Maintaining a Culture of Health and Wellness in the Legal Workplace During COVID-19”, Duane Morris CLE, Atlanta, Georgia (virtual), September 29, 2020.
  • Panelist, “Non-Party Witness Interviews,” Duane Morris Training Program, Philadelphia, PA, December 6, 2019.
  • Speaker, “Local Legal Ethics Rules And Lawyer Well-Being,” Jenkins Law Library, Philadelphia, PA, November 12, 2019.
  • Speaker, “Current Trends In Legal Ethics 2019,” In-House Counsel CLE, New York, NY, October 24, 2019.
  • Panelist, “Legal Ethics Rules For Practicing Before Government Agencies/The Attorney-Client Privilege,” In-House Counsel CLE, Philadelphia, PA, June 20, 2019.
  • Panelist, “Building A Culture Of Health: Perspectives On Addiction And Recovery Issues Affecting The Legal World,” Duane Morris CLE, Philadelphia, PA, April 25, 2019.
  • Speaker, “Lessons in Legal Ethics For Financial Services Industry Attorneys,” In-House Counsel CLE, New York, NY, October 11, 2018.
  • Speaker, “The Persistent Influence of the United States Constitution in the World,” Freedoms Foundation At Valley Forge, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, September 28, 2018.
  • Speaker, “Legal Ethics For Financial Services Industry Attorneys—AML and FCPA Challenges,” In-House Counsel CLE, New York, NY, October 19, 2017.
  • Speaker, “Emerging Trends in AML, Counterterrorism and FCPA,” Duane Morris Financial Institutions CLE Series, September 13, 2017.
  • Panelist, “History of the Church in Pennsylvania,” J. Reuben Clark Law Society Annual Conference, Philadelphia, February 17, 2017.
  • Panelist, "Lawyer in the Foyer: Ethical Considerations," J. Reuben Clark Law Society Annual Conference, Philadelphia, February 17, 2017.
  • Speaker, “An In-House Counsel Perspective,” Duane Morris Trial Group CLE, Philadelphia, PA, February 10, 2017.
  • Speaker, “Lessons In Legal Ethics For Financial Services Industry Attorneys,” In-House Counsel CLE, New York, NY, October 28, 2016.

Practice Areas

Jump to Page

By using this site, you agree to our updated privacy policy and our terms of use.