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Michael W.
Magner

Position
Partner
Office
New Orleans

Mike Magner is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group. A former federal prosecutor, he represents clients in a wide range of commercial disputes, investigations, and white-collar criminal matters.


Mike is a preeminent and widely respected trial attorney and Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He has more than 40 years of experience litigating complex criminal and civil matters, including more than 45 jury trials. He provides preventive and litigation services for businesses and individuals in corporate and white-collar criminal matters. He also represents individuals and companies in connection with grand jury and other investigations.

Mike has particular experience in anti-corruption compliance and litigation matters on the domestic and international levels, with broad experience in civil and criminal RICO matters. He served as a federal prosecutor in New Orleans for 20 years. In that role, he was a key member of the team that successfully prosecuted former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards, following a five-month trial. He was also the lead prosecutor in the Department of Justice's long-term investigation and prosecution of judicial and related public corruption known as "Operation Wrinkled Robe." In recognition of his work, Mike was awarded the Department of Justice's highest award for litigation, the John Marshall Award, as well as the Director's Award for Superior Performance by a Litigative Team.

He has also served as a supervisor of the US Attorney's Office's Anti-Terrorism/Crisis Response Unit, Organized Crime Strike Force, and Violent Crime Unit, and has tried cases in virtually all sections of the US District Court for the Eastern and Middle districts of Louisiana.

Mike is particularly adept in handling long-term, complex white-collar investigations and trials, including export control, mail and wire fraud, government contract fraud, bribery, money laundering, police misconduct, and civil rights violations. In 2011, he served as the Federal Bureau of Investigation's advisor to the Kenyan Anti-Corruption Commission in Nairobi, Kenya, where he was embedded in their principal headquarters for nearly two months, and provided training to KACC's investigators, auditors, and attorneys on corruption compliance, investigative, and prosecution matters. He has also trained foreign judges and prosecutors in Central Asia and Africa and has regularly trained federal prosecutors through the Attorney General's Advocacy Institute.

Following Hurricane Katrina, Mike prosecuted the first criminal case upon the re-opening of federal court and also successfully tried several high-profile civil rights cases against New Orleans policemen. He was the US Department of Justice's first counsel for emergency management and crisis response in the Office of Director, Executive Office for US Attorneys in Washington, DC, for 18 months, where he represented the DOJ at various White House-level emergency exercises and planning meetings relating to the federal government’s response to major criminal events, natural disasters, and pandemics. While with the DOJ, Mike was also selected as a trained evaluator of other US Attorneys' Offices throughout the country on various substantive legal areas, as well as ethics and professionalism. 

Mike is also an associate professor at the Tulane Law School, where he teaches a course in trial advocacy.

Noteworthy

  • American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
  • Best Lawyers®, "Lawyer of the Year," Corporate Compliance Law, New Orleans, Louisiana (2020 and 2022)
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Corporate Compliance Law (listed annually since 2018)
  • New Orleans Magazine, Top Lawyer (listed annually since 2018) 
  • Chambers USA, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (listed annually since 2017)
  • The American Lawyer, "Litigator of the Week" (June 2015)
  • National Law Journal, White Collar Trailblazers Award (2015)
  • Law360, White Collar MVP (November 2015)
  • Corporate Counsel and The American Lawyer magazines, "Top Rated Lawyer," International Law (2013)
  • Louisiana Super Lawyers, Criminal Defense: White Collar (listed annually since 2013)
  • Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, Distinguished Service Award (2011)
  • Metropolitan Crime Commission Award, Excellence in Law Enforcement (2000–2004)
  • Department of Justice, Director's Award (for superior performance of a litigative team); John Marshall Award (for excellence in litigation)
  • AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating in Martindale-Hubbell

Publications

  • "Real-Time Strategies for Healthcare Providers: Preparing for Government Investigations and Litigation Arising From the COVID-19 Pandemic," Jones Walker LLP Healthcare & Litigation Client Alert, April 2, 2020
  • "The Creeping Criminalization of Maritime Incidents," Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, June 2019
  • "Prosecution of BP Deepwater Horizon Well Supervisors Ends With a Misdemeanor Plea For One and a Trial Acquittal of the Other," Benedict's Maritime Bulletin, Second Quarter, 2016
  • "DOJ and SEC Release Much-Anticipated Resource Guide to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ("FCPA")," Jones Walker LLP Corporate Compliance EBulletin, November 16, 2012
  • "The United States Attorney's Role in Emergency Management and Crisis Response: A Primer," Crisis Response and Related Litigation, U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office for United States Attorneys, 2009
  • "Section 506 of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936," Permanent Waiver of Domestic Trade Restriction Upon Repayment of Construction-Differential Subsidy - Seatrain Shipbuilding Corp. v. Shell Oil Co., 5 Maritime Lawyer 281, 1980

Presentations

  • "Cryptocurrency – Virtual Assets, Real Enforcement Issues," 14th Annual White Collar Crime Symposium, April 22, 2022
  • "Criminal Liabilities and Exposure in Maritime Cases," CMA Shipping Virtual Conference & Exhibition, October 15, 2020
  • "The New Era of the War on Opioids," Leading Your Practice to 2020 Vision, Alabama Medical Group Management Association's 2020 Winter Conference, Birmingham, Alabama, March 5, 2020
  • "What To Do When The Feds Come Knocking, Practical Advice for Navigating Modern Healthcare Fraud Investigations in 2020," Leading Your Practice to 2020 Vision, Alabama Medical Group Management Association's 2020 Winter Conference, Birmingham, Alabama, March 5, 2020
  • "Civil Representation of a Party Arising from Criminal Allegations," International Association of Defense Counsel Annual Meeting, Asheville, North Carolina, July 8 and 9, 2019
  • "IADC Talks: Go Pro Bono!" International Association of Defense Counsel Annual Meeting, Asheville, North Carolina, July 8 and 9, 2019
  • "Criminal Prosecutions and Defenses Relating to Maritime Operations and Activities," Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, June 27–29
  • "White Collar Pre-Trial Motions and Trials - Special Considerations," LSBA's Ninth Annual White Collar Crime Symposium, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 7, 2017
  • "Selected Evidentiary Issues," LSBA's Eighth Annual White Collar Crime Symposium, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 8, 2016
  • "Parallel Proceedings - Pending Civil and Criminal Proceedings Covering the Same Facts," Louisiana State Bar Association's Sixth Annual White Collar Crime Symposium, April 16, 2014
  • Jones Walker’s Banking & Financial Services Practice Hosts Birmingham Seminar, Birmingham, Alabama, November 1, 2012
  • Investment Management Legal Services Quarterly Roundtable Luncheon Series, New Orleans, Louisiana, May 23, 2012
  • "Company Indemnification of Employees for Criminal Matters," 4th Annual White Collar Crime Symposium, April 2, 2012

Memberships

  • American Bar Association, Co-Chair, Louisiana Region Subcommittee, Section of Criminal Justice, White Collar Crime Subsection
  • International Association of Defense Counsel, Chair, White Collar Defense and Investigation Committee
  • Louisiana State Bar Association
  • Tulane Law School, American Inn of Court
black and white headshot of Michael W. Magner
  • English
  • Español
New Orleans
201 St. Charles Ave
New Orleans, LA 70170-5100
D: 504.582.8316
F: 504.589.8316
Emailmmagner@joneswalker.com

Education

  • Tulane University School of Law
    JD, cum laude, 1982
    Managing Editor, The Maritime Lawyer
  • The George Washington University
    BA, Political Science/International Relations, 1979

Bar Admissions

  • Louisiana
  • Texas

Court Admissions

  • US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • US District Court for the Southern District of Alabama
  • US District Court for the Central District of California
  • US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • US District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
  • US District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana
  • US District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
  • US District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
  • US District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
  • US District Court for the Southern District of Texas

Related Practices

  • Corporate Compliance & White Collar Defense
  • Energy & Natural Resources Practice
  • Energy Litigation
  • Energy Regulatory
  • Environmental Criminal Defense
  • Environmental Enforcement & Litigation
  • International
  • Latin America
  • Litigation
  • Maritime Regulatory and Government Relations

Related Industries

  • Energy, Environmental & Natural Resources
  • Maritime
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