Snell & Wilmer’s Washington, D.C. Office Welcomes New Partner, Sam Crockett Neel

Washington, D.C. – Snell & Wilmer is pleased to announce that Sam Crockett Neel has joined the Special Litigation and Compliance Practice Group as a partner in the firm’s Washington D.C. office.

“We are thrilled to welcome Sam as we continue to grow our Washington, D.C. office,” said Washington, D.C. Office Managing Partner Richard Kim. “He has a fantastic reputation in the market and will be valuable to our clients across the firm.”

Neel’s practice focuses on defending corporate and individual clients in civil, criminal, and administrative enforcement matters, congressional investigations, internal investigations, corporate compliance matters, and government contracts. He also advises political candidates, individuals, corporations, non-profits, trade associations, and PACs on campaign finance, lobbying, pay-to-play, and Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) issues. Neel is also a go-to lawyer for small businesses navigating the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and other government loan programs. Neel has represented hundreds of small businesses facing SBA audits and administrative appeals of prior SBA decisions denying loan forgiveness, and he has extensive experience defending businesses and individuals in connection with False Claims Act investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) related to SBA loans.

“We are committed to growing our practice and brand in Washington D.C., and we are excited for Sam to join and contribute to our team,” said Brett W. Johnson, head of the firm’s Special Litigation and Compliance Practice Group. “His experience representing clients in congressional investigations, federal agency investigations, and political law matters makes him an exceptional fit for our national practice and Snell & Wilmer.”

Prior to joining Snell & Wilmer, Neel was a partner at McDermott Will & Emery, where he spent more than a decade representing clients in a range of complex government investigations, litigation, and political law matters. Neel’s professional background also includes valuable federal and state legislative experience with the U.S. Congress and the Tennessee General Assembly.

Neel earned his J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law, where he was on the senior editorial board of the American University Law Review, and his B.A. from Vanderbilt University (cum laude). He is licensed to practice in the District of Columbia and before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.