Jeffrey S. Nestler
Jeff possesses a unique blend of trial experience, a government leadership background, and cross-agency coordination skills honed through years of service in senior roles at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Most recently, he served as associate deputy attorney general, where he helped oversee all 94 U.S. attorneys offices and led major initiatives targeting transnational organized crime. His portfolio included advising DOJ leadership on enforcement strategy, reviewing global corporate resolutions with penalties exceeding $200 million, and liaising with agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and Department of State on high-impact prosecutions, seizures, and sanctions.
For more than a decade, Jeff served as a assistant U.S. attorney in the District of Columbia, where he first-chaired more than 50 trials centering on complex conspiracy, fraud, homicide, and terrorism cases. He served as lead counsel in a landmark federal trial and the first seditious conspiracy case, earning national recognition for his prosecutorial excellence. He also led the Major Crimes Section, supervised more than 30 attorneys and staff, and oversaw key DOJ training and policy development initiatives.
Related Practices
Experience
Government Experience
- U.S. Department of Justice, Associate Deputy Attorney General, 2023 – 2025
- U.S. Department of Justice, Assistant United States Attorney, 2012 – 2023
Representative Matters
- Represented a major U.S. parcel delivery service and nationwide logistics provider in more than fifty pending putative class-action lawsuits in forty-two states seeking to reclassify as “employees” thousands of independent contractors engaged in package pick-up and delivery services. Obtained summary judgment in favor of independent contractor status in all class-certified cases
- Represented an international airline in an industry-wide DOJ criminal antitrust investigation, as well as two follow-on multi-district litigations involving passengers and air cargo.
- Conducted a comprehensive Foreign Corruption Practices Act (FCPA) compliance review for an international real estate company
- Represented an Assistant United States Attorney being investigated for contempt of court and obstruction of justice in connection with DOJ’s prosecution of Senator Ted Stevens
- Represented a senior executive of an international construction company in an FCPA investigation by the SEC and DOJ
- Represented a professional basketball player charged with firearms offenses
- Represented a senior executive of a textile company in a federal criminal investigation and a related civil case involving his company’s alleged theft of trade secrets
Representative Clients
- Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, and senior executives
Insights
Credentials
Education
- J.D. University of Pennsylvania Law School 2006
- Executive editor, University of Pennsylvania Law Review
- Winner, Edwin R. Keedy Moot Court Competition
- Arthur Littleton and H.Clayton Louderback Legal Writing Instructor
- Certificate, Business & Public Policy, Wharton School
- B.A. Political Science and Political Communication magna cum laude George Washington University 2003
Bar Admissions
- District of Columbia
- New York
Court Admissions
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
Clerk Experience
- The Honorable Eduardo C. Robreno U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Professional Memberships and Activities
- Barrister, Edward Bennett Williams Inn of Court
- Member, Committee for Revisions to Criminal Jury Instructions
- Commissioner, D.C. Advisory Neighborhood Commission, elected 2019 – 2021
Recognition
- U.S. Department of Justice
- Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Technology and Privacy, 2024
- Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service, 2023
- Association of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Award for Outstanding Advocacy, 2022
- U.S. Attorney's Award for Exceptional Performance, 2017
- Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office Service Award, 2023
- Anti-Defamation League, SHIELD Award, 2023
Community
Pro Bono
- Represented underserved individuals in criminal, appellate, and administrative matters