Summer Forum 2026: Criminal Law & Death Penalty Panel preview. The criminal legal system remains at the forefront of national discourse, especially concerning the pervasive issues of abusive policing, mass incarceration, and the death penalty. These systemic problems not only undermine individual liberties but also perpetuate cycles of injustice and inequality within its communities. Addressing these challenges requires a deep examination of current practices and the implementation of transformative reforms to protect fundamental human rights and ensure equitable justice for all. Learn more about these important topics at its 2026 Summer Forum Panel on Criminal Law & Death Penalty Panel on Thursday, July 9. Register here to join Washington Council of Lawyers! Mindy Johnson will moderate the Criminal Law & Death Penalty panel. Mindy manages pro bono efforts in Fried Franks' Washington, DC Office. As Pro Bono Attorney, she develops and supervises pro bono projects and collaborates with legal service organizations in the Washington D.C. area. Before joining Fried Frank, Mindy was an associate with a civil rights boutique law firm and an associate with a large US law firm, where she litigated cases on a billable and pro bono basis for organizations and individuals, securing successful outcomes in civil rights and immigration matters, veterans' benefits and criminal appeals and in other complex civil litigation. Mindy is a member of the Board of Directors of the Washington Council of Lawyers and the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs. Its panelists will be: Abby Crick, American Bar Association Abby joined the Death Penalty Representation Project in 2023. Abby works with attorneys and law firms interested in pro bono projects to identify cases needing their assistance. Abby found her passion for capital representation as an intern at the Project in 2013, and she is excited to return to the American Bar Association as a Senior Attorney. Prior to her return, Abby worked on pre-trial and post-conviction capital cases in Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina. Abby has a B.A. from Northwestern University, an M.A. from Boston College, a J.D. from the George Washington University School of Law, and an LL.M. from Georgetown Law. When not focused on ensuring that capital defendants receive effective representation, Abby spends her time reading, traveling, and going on long walks with her family. Beth Wilson manages and supports Williams & Connolly LLP engagement in pro bono work. In addition to managing the administration of the firm's pro bono program, Beth provides strategic counsel to attorneys working on a wide range of pro bono litigation matters. She also works closely with individual attorneys to help them establish pro bono practices that complement and enhance their existing firm practices. Beth's own practice focuses on criminal defense and post-conviction matters. While seconded to the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, Beth represented over 200 individuals facing misdemeanor and felony charges. She tried multiple cases as bench and jury trials and represented clients in a variety of adversarial proceedings including bail review and violation of probation hearings. Prior to becoming the firm's first pro bono counsel in 2025, Beth was an associate at Williams & Connolly. She represented individuals, corporations, and law firms in a variety of matters in federal and state courts and in arbitration proceedings. James Moody, Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project James Moody joined the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project in 2021. Prior to working at MAIP, he was a public defender in Miami, Florida, where he served as both a trial and appellate attorney. Outside of law, James has spent time as an executive in the tech industry, ski instructing, and playing in blues bands. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and NYU School of Law. Washington Council of Lawyers look forward to seeing you at this panel! Register here to get your ticket to the keynote and the substantive panels. Join the conversation using #SumFo26!

Nationally recognized trial lawyer Jerrob Duffy joins Fried Frank. Press releases | July 1, 2026 Fried Frank announced today that Jerrob Duffy has joined the firm as a white collar litigation partner in Washington, DC. As a nationally recognized trial lawyer and former senior federal prosecutor, Jerrob brings deep experience representing financial institutions, particularly in the real estate finance sector, in high-stakes investigations, enforcement actions and complex litigation. His arrival builds upon the firm's continued momentum in recruiting prominent former government officials, further strengthening the Litigation Department's white collar defense and enforcement capabilities. "Jerrob's experience serving as lead counsel in more than 18 federal jury trials brings a level of courtroom authority that is invaluable," said Scott B. Luftglass, Fried Frank's vice chairman and co-head of the firm's Securities and Shareholder Litigation Practice. "As our clients increasingly seek counsel who are not only skilled strategists but effective in-court advocates, Jerrob's ability to guide clients through every stage of a dispute adds a critical dimension to our trial team." Prior to joining Fried Frank, Jerrob served as Chief of the Litigation Unit in the Department of Justice (DOJ)'s Criminal Division Fraud Section and as an Assistant US Attorney in the Southern District of Florida. Building on that foundation, he has spent years representing financial services companies, commercial lenders and boards in internal investigations, risk and compliance matters and enforcement actions brought by the DOJ, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Commodity Futures Trading Commission and other federal agencies. Additionally, Jerrob represents large real estate finance companies in regulatory defense, investigations and compliance matters. He also has experience helping clients navigate Congressional investigations. "Jerrob is a highly regarded litigator whose robust trial experience is deeply beneficial to our clients facing high-stakes investigations," said Ilan T. Graff, partner and head of Fried Frank's White Collar Defense, Regulatory Enforcement and Investigations Practice. "His arrival is a significant step in our strategic commitment to expanding our Washington, DC, footprint, and continuing to enhance our white collar defense and enforcement capabilities." Jerrob is the latest in a string of prominent former government officials to join Fried Frank in the past 18 months. His arrival follows that of white collar litigation partner Candice C. Wong, who brings nearly a decade of experience as a federal prosecutor, including serving in senior management positions in the DOJ's Criminal Division and the US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, as well as litigation and asset management partner Dabney O'Riordan, with 17 years of experience at all levels of the SEC's Enforcement Division, including serving as the longest-standing leader of the SEC's national Asset Management Unit, and antitrust and competition partner Kathy O'Neill, who spent nearly 16 years in the DOJ's Antitrust Division, where she held the position of the senior-most career official overseeing all civil antitrust enforcement. "I am excited to join Fried Frank," Jerrob noted. "The strength of the firm's platform, the caliber of its lawyers and its commitment to strategic growth make this a tremendous opportunity." Fried Frank's White Collar Defense, Regulatory Enforcement and Investigations Practice has an international reputation for success in defending corporations, financial institutions, their leadership teams and esteemed executives across an array of white collar matters, regulatory litigations, congressional inquiries and internal investigations. The distinguished team boasts former federal prosecutors, including high-ranking officials from the DOJ and SEC, augmented by seasoned white collar defense and regulatory enforcement professionals. Fried Frank's Litigation Department, led by renowned former US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Geoffrey Berman, is dedicated to safeguarding the interests of global corporations and financial institutions during their most crucial times. This communication is for general information only. It is not intended, nor should it be relied upon, as legal advice. In some jurisdictions, this may be considered attorney advertising. Please refer to the firm's data policy page for further information.