LAWYER PROFILE
Karen A Popp

Karen A Popp

Global 2026

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Ranked in 1 practice area

About

Provided by Sidley Austin LLP

Global

Practice Areas

KAREN POPP is a highly regarded and well known leader in the field of white collar defense, internal investigations, crisis management, and compliance. Her practice focuses on high-stakes matters with legal, political, and public relations components, such as global internal investigations, defense against U.S. Department of Justice and SEC Enforcement investigations, Congressional investigations, OIG and State Attorney General actions, corporate compliance, and litigation.

Karen represents clients across a host of industries and often in crisis situations. Her clients range from major corporations to non-profit/higher education institutions, and to prominent business, political, and sports figures, including a U.S. Presidential Cabinet Member, Corporate CEO, Corporate General Counsel, Congressional candidate, senior FBI official, NFL team senior officer, NFL coach, and Big Ten football coach. She has been retained to conduct confidential internal investigations in more than 70 countries, defend corporations and individuals in government investigations, and advise corporate boards and management relating to alleged FCPA and OFAC violations, securities and financial fraud, accounting irregularities, environmental crimes, kickbacks, tax fraud, qui tams, misuse of corporate assets, false claims, antitrust, corruption, fraud, whistleblower, campaign finance violations, “Me Too,” racial, gender, inequality, other misconduct claims and post-Dobbs related issues.

Karen previously served as Associate White House Counsel to President Clinton, a lawyer in the Office of Legal Counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice, and an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York.

Karen has been a trailblazer for diversity in the legal field. Karen is the co-founder and global chair of the Women’s White Collar Defense Association (WWCDA), a non-profit organization that advances women in law. The group started with 10 members in Washington, D.C., growing to membership today of almost 4,000 women in 49 locations around the world.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chambers Global Guide

FCPA - USA

Band 2
Band 2

Individual Editorial
Karen Popp is global cohead of Sidley Austin's white-collar and investigations group and maintains a respected practice that sees her handle external and internal investigations, as well as compliance counseling. She is also commended by peers for her invaluable contributions to the legal community.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Karen always goes the extra mile for her clients, thinking ahead and providing the highest level of strategic advice and practical counsel of true value to the client.

    FCPAChambers Global Guide

Ranked Individuals at Sidley Austin LLP (161)

Asia-Pacific Region

Australia

Belgium

China

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