Michelle Nasser

A former federal prosecutor with extensive investigation and first chair trial experience, Michelle Nasser focuses her practice on white collar criminal defense, internal and government investigations, and complex litigation.

Before joining the firm, Michelle served for more than 13 years as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Major Case, Financial Crimes, General Crimes, and Violent Crimes sections of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago. She led and supervised government investigations, prosecutions, trials and appeals involving various criminal offenses.

Michelle’s cases ranged from complex financial, tax and healthcare fraud, to embezzlement, identity theft, money laundering, cybercrime, racketeering, violent crime, civil rights violations, extortion, human trafficking and public corruption.

Most often serving as first chair, Michelle tried to verdict 14 federal district court jury trials and one federal district court bench trial, with all her trials resulting in convictions against all defendants. In addition, she successfully briefed and argued 11 appeals in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. She also handled countless contested hearings involving constitutional, statutory, evidentiary and sentencing issues.

For most of her tenure as an assistant U.S. attorney, Michelle served as a deputy chief, training dozens of assistant U.S. attorneys in federal criminal practice, investigative strategy and trial advocacy, and supervising the work of both new and senior assistant U.S. attorneys. She has experience working not only with federal agents and state prosecutors, but also with various components of the DOJ.

Outside the courtroom, Michelle has taught trial advocacy and human trafficking seminars as an adjunct professor at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. She also taught trial advocacy at the DOJ’s National Advocacy Center.

Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Michelle was an associate at a large law firm in Chicago.

Representative Matters

• Conducted internal investigation for healthcare company regarding possible violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
• Represented company in USDA accounting investigation.  Conducted internal investigation, and designed and implemented compliance program.  No civil or criminal charges brought.

During her 13 years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Michelle investigated, prosecuted, and tried cases involving allegations including complex fraud, public corruption, tax violations, racketeering, violent crimes and firearms offense. Selected representative matters included:

• U.S. v. Leija-Sanchez, et al, led investigation and achieved convictions after 6-week jury trial as first chair in a multi-defendant international document fraud, money laundering, and racketeering case
• U.S. v. Piros, led investigation and achieved conviction in embezzlement case involving a vice president of St. Xavier University
• U.S. v. Koll, led investigation and achieved conviction after stipulated bench trial in bribery case
• U.S. v. Rago, led investigation and achieved conviction after jury trial as first chair in tax fraud case
• U.S. v. Knox, led investigation and achieved conviction after jury trial as first chair in visa fraud case involving a member of a terrorist group
• U.S. v. Christ, et al, led investigation and achieved conviction after jury trial as first chair in a bribery case involving a Foreign Service Officer
• U.S. v. Copeland, achieved conviction after jury trial as first chair in bank fraud case
• U.S. v. Butman, et al, led investigation and achieved convictions in bribery and extortion case
• U.S. v. Adame, led investigation and achieved conviction after jury trial as first chair in arson-murder case
• U.S. v. Sawyer, et al, achieved conviction after jury trial in human trafficking case.