Steven Grimes

Steve is a former U.S. federal prosecutor, an experienced trial lawyer, and a former chief compliance officer and senior litigation counsel for a global publicly-traded Fortune 500 company. Steve’s practice encompasses serving as lead trial counsel on complex disputes, providing compliance counseling, and leading sensitive internal investigations and government interactions. Steve’s in-house experiences greatly aid his ability to provide pragmatic service to his clients. Steve also spent two years leading Winston’s Asia Litigation practice and heading Winston’s former Hong Kong office.

Steve is a true trial lawyer, having taken 14 cases to trial as lead or co-lead counsel (having yet to lose at trial). As a trial lawyer, his litigation practice covers many substantive areas, including complex commercial disputes, white collar criminal defense (bribery/corruption), product liability, mass torts/product liability, civil RICO, distributor/supply disputes, shareholder disputes, antitrust/competition, financial/audit claims, technology and trade secret litigation, healthcare fraud, auction and sports memorabilia fraud, environmental claims, and consumer class actions. Steve’s experience is in both federal and state courts in the U.S., as well as various courts and forums around the world. Steve recently tried a highly publicized seven-week case to a hung jury where his client was accused by prosecutors of orchestrating “the largest bribery scheme in Ohio history.” 

In addition to trial work, Steve focuses a portion of his practice conducting internal investigations, often across borders, and interfacing with regulators on behalf of his clients. He works with companies and individuals across financial services, healthcare/life sciences, insurance, technology, manufacturing, energy/utilities, and other industries to investigate allegations related to: trade secret theft; insider trading/securities fraud; sports memorabilia and auction fraud (Steve is one of the few attorneys in the country with significant experience in this area); accounting, banking, and insurance fraud; PPP loan fraud; tax fraud; healthcare fraud; technology and data security breaches; anti-money laundering; conflicts of interest; trade sanctions; financial disclosures; campaign finance; and anti-bribery and corruption laws. In one highly publicized matter, Steve assisted a financial firm with the investigation and ultimate federal prosecution and conviction for theft of trade secrets and obstruction of justice by two of the firm’s employees. 

On the consulting side of his practice, Steve provides advice to companies and boards seeking to build, improve, and defend compliance programs. Having worked with dozens of companies, both private and public, and having built a compliance program from the ground up while in-house, Steve is able to identify and help clients work through common roadblocks.

Steve previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, assigned to the Public Corruption Section in Chicago. As a federal prosecutor, the jury sided with Steve in each case that he tried. He prosecuted corporate executives, public officials, and law enforcement officers for: fraud, bribery, extortion, and perjury, including the prosecutions of a member of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley’s cabinet; a county commissioner; a former Chicago alderman; the president of a large pharmaceutical company; the CEO, president, and vice president of a large privately held sports memorabilia auction house; and several Chicago building inspectors.

As a prosecutor, working hand-in-hand with law enforcement, Steve also investigated and prosecuted a wide range of criminal cases involving corporate fraud, cybercrime, theft of trade secrets, tax fraud, healthcare fraud, racketeering, terrorism, sex trafficking, drug and gun trafficking, murder, and gang violence. Steve’s work often garners local and national headlines, and he has been featured in various media forums, including a featured role on CNBC’s “American Greed.”