In a move reminiscent of a top NBA player joining an already stacked team, Steptoe & Johnson LLP has successfully acquired a legal titan. Andrew C. Adams, known for taking down massive money laundering operations and the veil of criminal enterprises, is the latest addition to their New York investigations and white-collar defense group.

Andrew Adams Joins Steptoe & Johnson : From DOJ's Vanguard to Steptoe's Frontline

Adams, previously at the helm as the acting deputy assistant attorney general for the DOJ's national security division, shared his enthusiasm about the transition. "Steptoe is the exhilarating next act in my legal odyssey," Adams remarked, "I’m diving into a pool of seasoned attorneys to elevate the firm's eminence in white collar trials, international probes, and complex economic counteractions."

He isn't just another attorney. At DOJ, Adams was the key player behind their economic sanctions, export controls, and even played a crucial role in spawning the DOJ's national security cyber section. This special unit, launched in June 2023, targets cyber threats from foreign lands that imperil national security.

 KleptoCapture & The Russian Connection

Adams is also the brain and brawn behind DOJ's 'Task Force KleptoCapture' – an initiative so potent it sent tremors through the world of blacklisted Russian oligarchs. From its launch in 2022 till July 2023, the force relentlessly pursued and clamped down on these oligarchs and their accomplices.

And if that wasn’t compelling enough, Adams was the nightmare of Russian mobsters during his stint as co-chief of the money laundering and transnational criminal unit in New York's Southern District. One of his most notable achievements? Dismantling a Russian crime ring spearheaded by Razhden Shulaya – a group notorious for laundering money via a sham vodka business and dabbling in various illicit enterprises. Shulaya, thanks to Adams, is now serving a 45-year sentence since 2018.

 Steptoe & Johnson's Power Move

Gwen Renigar, Steptoe & Johnson's chair, couldn’t hide her elation. "Adams' sterling track record in the realms of sanctions, export controls, and money laundering mesh seamlessly with our team," she proclaimed.

Before his illustrious tenure at DOJ, Adams sharpened his legal prowess at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. This University of Texas at Austin and University of Michigan Law School alumnus now stands poised to make waves at Steptoe & Johnson.