As Chairman of Venable's Congressional Investigation Practice Group, Mr. Shepherd applies his intimate knowledge of Congressional investigations and his experience litigating white collar matters to provide insightful counsel to clients conducting internal investigations or responding to a Congressional investigation, voluntary request for information, subpoena, or testimony under oath.

In addition to his investigative experience while conducting oversight investigations, Mr. Shepherd has significant experience litigating white collar matters. He leverages that experience to conduct rigorous internal investigations for and to support the litigation activities of his clients.

During more than a decade serving on Capitol Hill, Mr. Shepherd has earned intimate knowledge of the legislative process. As a Congressional staff member and later as a member of the professional staff on House and Senate committees, Mr. Shepherd advised members and helped craft high profile port security and border protection legislation, including the SAFE Port Act signed by President Bush in October 2006. He uses this experience to provide clients with insight into the legislative process and create effective legislative strategies.

Responding to congressional investigations requires a hybrid approach that will include aspects of litigation, white collar criminal defense and lobbying. In the past three years, Mr. Shepherd has represented over two dozen companies, trade associations and individuals embroiled in congressional investigations being conducted by numerous congressional committees, including: Senate Finance Committee, Senate Commerce Committee, Senate Select Committee on Aging, Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, House Energy and Commerce Committee, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, House Homeland Security Committee and the House Financial Services Committee.

Significant Matters

As Staff Director and Chief Counsel of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), Mr. Shepherd managed and supervised subcommittee staff on substantive and bi-partisan investigations. During his tenure, he managed 25 hearings on topics of national and global concern, including: abusive tax shelters, money laundering, foreign corruption, the effectiveness of the Patriot Act, abusive practices in the credit counseling industry, the dangers of Internet pharmacies, corruption and mismanagement of the United Nations Oil for Food Program, the Container Security Initiative, the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, the federal government's response to nuclear terrorism and identifying more than $12 billion in waste, fraud, abuse and potential taxpayer savings.

In addition to conducting witness interviews and depositions, Mr. Shepherd drafted, edited, and approved more than 100 subpoenas and Chairman's letters as well as reviewed and responded to assertions of privilege and diplomatic immunity. Mr. Shepherd also drafted numerous pieces of legislation that provided Customs and Border Protection more authority to seize and destroy illegally imported controlled substances, shut down dangerous domestic Internet sites that dispense pharmaceuticals without a prescription, combated abusive tax shelters, helped reform the United Nations, and required the U.S. Treasury Department to develop more effective methods to combat terrorist financing. During Mr. Shepherd's tenure, the PSI conducted oversight of numerous federal departments and agencies, including the Departments of Homeland Security, Energy, Treasury, State and Defense, as well as the Food and Drug Administration and the Internal Revenue Service.

As Oversight Counsel of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Shepherd conducted committee investigations into nuclear terrorism, border and port security, drug safety and efficacy, telecommunications, and consumer safety, as well as the review of policies and operations of numerous federal agencies.

His duties included drafting document requests, interviewed witnesses, reviewed responses and assertions of privilege, and participated in meetings with key agency decision makers, industry representatives and other stakeholders to assess the impact of agency actions. Planned hearings, prepared witnesses, drafted opening statements, questions and other briefing materials for Committee and Subcommittee Chairmen.

Before joining the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Shepherd advised private-practice clients on legal and political aspects of congressional and agency investigations. He gained significant trial experience through support of white collar litigation and pro bono work in the DC Superior Court.

Activities

Member, Vienna Presbyterian Church (February 2003 to present)

Member, Old Presbyterian Meeting House, Alexandria, VA (2000 to 2003)

Trustee, Jeffrey's Charitable Trust, Sewickley, PA (1999 to present)

Member, Riverbend County Club (2009 to present)