Bob Sims retired from the partnership in June 2020. He was a trial lawyer in the White Collar Defense & Investigations and Export Controls, Economic Sanctions & Customs Practices, representing US and global companies, organizations, and individuals in criminal and civil proceedings in jurisdictions across the United States and throughout the world.
Bob has drawn on more than three decades of legal experience to provide clients with sophisticated advice and representation. He developed a particular focus on trial advocacy in high-stakes disputes and enforcement actions related to:
- White collar criminal defense and internal investigations
- US export controls and sanctions
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) compliance and investigations
- Anti-money laundering compliance
- Complex commercial litigation
He regularly represented clients in all types of courts and before government agencies, including:
- US Department of Justice (DOJ) in criminal, civil, and administrative proceedings
- Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
- Department of Commerce
- Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- State and local authorities
Bob also advised clients on sanctions and anti-money laundering issues in cross-border M&A, commercial, and banking transactions.
He frequently writes and speaks about US sanctions, anti-corruption, and fraud issues.
In 2018, Bob was named to Savoy Magazine’s Most Influential Black Lawyers List.
Public Service Experience
Bob has drawn on extensive experience as a federal regulator and prosecutor to provide clients strategic insights. He served in the Clinton Administration as the Senior Adviser for the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. He served as a delegate to: the G-7 Senior Experts Group on Transnational Organized Crime, the United Nations Crime Commission, and the Financial Action Task Force.
Bob served as an Assistant US Attorney for the District of Maryland, during which time he ran a Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) Task Force, conducted a number of investigations of banks involving alleged BSA, fraud and money laundering violations, and he also prosecuted narcotics offenses.
At the time of his retirement, he served on the board of the GlobalGiving Foundation and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in Washington, D.C. He is a past board member of the Ploughshares Fund in San Francisco and currently serves on its audit committee.
Pro Bono Leadership
At the time of his retiement, Bob served on the board of the GlobalGiving Foundation and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in Washington, D.C. He is a past board member of the Ploughshares Fund in San Francisco and currently serves on its audit committee. Bob has long maintained an active pro bono practice and was awarded the Robert M. Dell Prize for Extraordinary Pro Bono Service in 2019.