Wiley Rein LLP (Wiley) recently added Peter Rechter to the law firm’s White Collar Defense & Government Investigations Practice as a partner. The firm touted Rechter’s extensive experience working in the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, White House and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in a press release.
His arrival follows the additions of Diana Shaw, former acting inspector general of the U.S. Department of State and Jason McCullough, a former federal prosecutor, to the practice, which includes former assistant U.S. attorneys, senior government officials and experienced investigations lawyers.
Rechter has led congressional investigations, coordinating federal agency responses to oversight matters and preparing senior executive branch officials to testify at high-profile hearings. The firm said it believes his comprehensive understanding across the congressional oversight and government enforcement processes will make him a valuable asset.
Rechter joins Wiley from the office of the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, where he served as senior counsel and lead Democratic advisor on oversight and investigations. He was in charge of directing the committee’s investigative strategy and advised committee leadership on complex inquiries.
“Congressional investigations increasingly present legal, regulatory, and reputational challenges simultaneously,” Wiley Managing Partner Peter Shields said in the release. “Peter’s experience across Congress and the Executive branch enables him to help clients anticipate investigative priorities, respond strategically and manage scrutiny at every stage.”
Prior to his work in the Senate, Rechter held investigative roles in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he led investigations involving the health care, technology, biopharmaceutical, government contracting and private equity sectors. He also advised committee leadership on oversight strategy and subpoenas and planned and executed closely watched congressional hearings.
While serving in the White House Counsel’s Office, he advised federal agencies and senior White House officials on congressional oversight and investigations. As deputy assistant secretary for legislation at HHS, he directed the department’s strategy for responding to congressional investigations and prepared cabinet and other senior officials for challenging oversight hearings.
“Peter not only understands the strategic decisions that shape government oversight – from investigative agenda-setting and target selection to the scope and trajectory of an investigation – but also how government decision-makers evaluate responses, apply pressure, and pursue resolutions that satisfy competing institutional priorities,” Wiley’s White Collar Defense & Government Investigations Practice Ralph Caccia said in the release. “That rare insight enables him to help clients anticipate pressure points, manage legal and reputational risk, and preserve credibility with investigators, regulators and other key stakeholders.”
“Wiley has assembled an exceptional team of lawyers and advisors with deep government experience,” Rechter said in the release. “Congressional inquiries present unique legal and practical risks – and Wiley knows how to navigate Washington, DC. The firm’s collaborative platform and strength in investigations, litigation, and regulatory matters create a powerful combination for clients facing complex challenges. I am excited to join the team and help clients confronting congressional scrutiny and other high-profile oversight matters.”
Wiley’s White Collar Defense & Government Investigations Practice advises companies and individuals facing complex criminal, civil, regulatory and congressional investigations, enforcement actions and compliance challenges. The team includes former federal prosecutors, senior congressional counsel, inspectors general and senior government officials whose first-hand experience in conducting investigations and congressional oversight gives clients a strategic advantage in anticipating risk and responding strategically to government scrutiny.