William V. Roppolo

Biography

William Roppolo is the Lead Partner of Baker McKenzie’s Miami office and the Head of Litigation and Government Enforcement for Baker McKenzie's New York and Miami offices. He serves on the Firm’s global nominating committee, the New York office’s management committee, and as Co-Chair of the North America Trial Team. His practice focuses on high stakes litigation and crisis management. William has represented several iconic companies, families and high-profile individuals as they navigate the most threatening events, including Hall of Fame golfer Phil Mickelson in his antitrust suit against the PGA Tour. He has successfully tried commercial and criminal cases throughout the United States, including matters involving alleged antitrust, fraud and money laundering violations. William began his legal career investigating financial crimes with the United States Customs Service and is a former president of the Federal Bar Association's South Florida chapter. He has published many articles on a wide variety of topics ranging from anti-corruption, PFAS litigation, Federal Trade Commission enforcement trends, trial strategies and successor liability.

Practice Focus

William is a trial lawyer who focuses on high value, bet-the-company disputes concerning multinational corporations and individuals. He has successfully resolved cases involving antitrust and FTC investigations, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, money laundering, trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duties, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, export control laws, customs fraud and financial crimes. William has obtained multiple not guilty jury verdicts for clients and prevented many others from criminal investigation and indictment. He routinely represents high profile individuals and entities in crisis situations.

Representative Legal Matters

Lead counsel for Hall of Fame golfer Phil Mickelson in his antitrust suit against the PGA Tour.
Lead counsel to court appointed liquidators of Premier Assurance Group in their efforts through a Civil RICO action in the Southern District of Florida to recoup funds misappropriated from policy holders.
Lead counsel to Benefytt Technologies in its internal investigation and defense of claims brought by the FTC for alleged consumer protection violations.
Defended healthcare company in SEC investigation alleging misleading and false statement and reporting to investors.
Defended internet technology company in FTC investigation alleging billions of dollars in consumer harm.
Represent pharmaceutical company in arbitration against laboratory accused of gross negligence in manufacturing cancer drug.
Represent iconic American family in trust dispute against purported new spouse of deceased heir.
Defended European banker in PDVSA kleptocracy and money laundering investigation.
On behalf of a global service provider, obtained a multimillion-dollar international arbitration award which included rescission of a stock purchase agreement returning a subsidiary back to its previous shareholders. The tribunal found that the former shareholders did not disclose bribes paid to public officials to win government contracts.
Represented a global distributor of electronics in an investigation by the Bureau of Industry and Security for alleged export violations.

Professional Associations and Memberships

Federal Bar Association, Professional Ethics Committee - Member (2018-2019)
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - Member
Florida International Bankers Association (FIBA) - Member
American Inns of Court, Spellman-Hoeveler Chapter - Member
Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - Member
Florida Bar, Federal Court Practice Committee - Former Member (2010-2012)
Federal Bar Association, South Florida Chapter - Former President (2009-2010)
American Bar Association, Litigation Section - Member
American Bar Association, International Law Section - Member

Corporate Responsibility

Lead, No. 06-71955, Pro-Bono, US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Young Sun Shin v. Alberto R. Gonzales, Attorney General of the United States of America
Drug Free Youth In Town

Admissions

U.S. Supreme Court~United States (2013)
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas~United States (2011)
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida~United States (2010)
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit~United States (2006)
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit~United States (2004)
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida~United States (2004)
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida~United States (2003)
Florida~United States (1999)

Education

University of Miami (JD) (1999)
Tulane University (BA) (1996)

Languages

English
Spanish

Publications

Co-author, "OFAC sanctions parties for links to Brazilian Foreign Terrorist Organization PCC," Global Sanctions and Export Controls Blog, 14 July 2026
Quoted, "LIV and let die?" Daily Journal, 20 May 2026
Co-author, Cos. Face EU, US Regulatory Tension On Many Fronts, Law360, 11 September 2025
Co-author, "How To Navigate The FTC's New Private Equity Frontier," Law360, 19 October 2023
Co-author, "United States: In a novel move, FTC continues targeting private equity by suing Texas Anesthesiology Company and its private equity owner," InsightPlus, 22 September 2023
Co-author, "FTC Puts Companies on Notice That Failure to Provide Support for Their Product Claims Could Result in Civil Penalties," InsightPlus, April 2023

Co-author, "US Court of Appeals Holds That Supreme Court’s AMG Capital Holding Does Not Limit the FTC’s Powers Under § 19 of the FTC Act," InsightPlus, 8 February 2023
Co-author, "How The PFAS Litigation Landscape Is Expanding," Law360, 13 January 2023
Co-author, "Beware FTC's Expanded Focus On Private Equity, Individuals," Law360, 21 November 2022
Author, "INSIGHT: College Admissions Scandal Shows Ethical Lapses by Prosecutors," Bloomberg Law, 17 April 2020
Co-author, "Adapting to Global Standards of Compliance," Bloomberg BNA's World Securities Law Report, 4 January 2017
Co-author, "The Broad Reach of Successor Liability with a Federal Claim: Asset Sales and Bankruptcy Fail to Shield," Bloomberg BNA's Bankruptcy Law Reporter, 12 December 2013
Co-author, "Are Money Laundering Laws DOJ's Tools in Expanding Reach of FCPA? Ruling in Siriwan Case Could Undo DOJ's Strategy," The National Law Journal, 15 November 2012
Co-author, "FCPA Compliance Beyond The Basic Red Flags," The National Law Journal, 8 March 2010
Co-author, United States Chapter, International Guide To Money Laundering Law And Practice, Third Edition, 2010 and Fourth Edition, 2013
Author, "Always Think Before You Seize: Not All Assets Are Worth Forfeiting," Asset Forfeiture Watch, Miami, Florida, January 2009
Author, "Don't Let Poor Communications Cripple Your Forfeiture Case," Asset Forfeiture Watch, Miami, Florida, December 2008
Co-author, "Limiting the Extraterritorial Reach of U.S. Criminal Law," Business Crimes Bulletin, ALM Law Journal Newsletters, New York, New York, November 2008
Co-author, "Practice Points - Knowing How to Navigate the System: Lessons Learned from Successfully Defending a Federal Criminal Trial," The Champion, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Washington, DC, August 2008
Author, "Hard Landing," Fraud Intelligence, London, England, June-July 2008
Co-author, "U.S. Enforcement - The Long Arm Reach of U.S. Law," Complinet, London, England, May 2008
Author, "Can Money Laundering 'Travel With the Business'? Buying a Business Under Indictment," Business Crimes Bulletin, ALM Law Journal Newsletters, New York, New York, June 2007
Author, "Beware of the Myths in Choosing Administrative Over Judicial Forfeiture Proceedings," Committee on Criminal Litigation, American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Committee on Criminal Litigation, Chicago, Illinois, Fall 2006

Presentations

Co-Presenter, "You've Been Served – Are You Ready to Respond?" Corporate Counsel Business Journal Webinar, 1 November 2023
Co-Presenter, "Effective Strategies for Managing PFAS Risks," Baker McKenzie Webinar, 4 May 2023
Presenter, "Foul – The FIFA Debacle and How it Affects Financial Institutions," Fourth Annual Anti-Money Laundering/Counter-Financing of Terrorism Conference, New Kingston, Jamaica, 12 October 2015
Co-presenter, "Appropriately Scoping an Internal Investigation," Baker McKenzie Insights into Litigation Webinar Series, 15 May 2014
Presenter, "The Expanding Scope of Successor Liability," Baker McKenzie Webinar, 16 April 2014
Presenter "Compliance Procedures and Best Practices: Limiting liability and the potential for loss," 2012 Annual Convention, Independent Armored Car Operators Association Inc., Orlando, Florida, 7 May 2012
Presenter, "Keeping Crime Away From and Out of Your Business - A discussion of where companies and individuals went wrong," 2012 Annual Convention, Independent Armored Car Operators Association Inc., Orlando, Florida, 6 May 2012
Luncheon Speaker, "Compliance Trends, The Explosion of Anti-Bribery Enforcement Actions," Baker McKenzie Annual Latin American Trade & Commerce Seminar, Miami, Florida, 17 February 2011
Presenter, "Corruption in Emerging Markets - Recent Legislative and Regulatory Anti-Corruption Developments in the United States, UK, China and Latin America," Baker McKenzie Briefing, Miami, Florida, 20 January 2011
Presenter, "Corporate Compliance," 9th Annual Business Ethics Conference, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, 14 April 2009
Presenter, "FCPA and Anti-Corruption Perspectives from Around the World," Baker McKenzie Global Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Industry Group Meeting, New York, New York, 28 October 2008
Presenter, "The Extraterritorial Reach of U.S. Laws," Venezuelan-American Chamber of Commerce, Caracas, Venezuela, 5 June 2008
Presenter, "Regulatory Do's and Don'ts with Clients in Latin America," Florida International Bankers Association (FIBA) Seminar, Miami, Florida, 10 March 2008
Presenter, "Global Hot Topics in Corporate Compliance: Hot Topics in Anti-Money Laundering," Baker McKenzie Corporate Compliance Retreat, Washington, DC, 8 February 2008
Presenter, "The Long Arm of U.S. Law: The Extraterritorial Application of U.S. Anti-Money Laundering Laws," Baker McKenzie Corporate Compliance Retreat, Washington, DC, 8 February 2008