Ryan Hedges

Practice Areas

A former federal prosecutor and seasoned trial lawyer, Mr. Hedges represents companies and individuals in their most sensitive and high-profile matters involving the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG) and many other government agencies. In more than 20 years of practice, Mr. Hedges has successfully tried numerous cases to verdict. Most recently as lead trial counsel in a three-week federal criminal jury trial, Mr. Hedges obtained a complete defense verdict for a former accounting executive of a publicly traded transportation company, acquitting him of all 14 counts charged in an alleged $245 million securities and accounting fraud scheme.

Mr. Hedges routinely handles white collar and complex civil litigation matters involving the False Claims Act (FCA) and parallel criminal investigations, the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) and Stark Law, health care fraud, whistleblower claims, securities and financial fraud, accounting irregularities, insider trading, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), official bribery, defense contractor fraud, export control laws, immigration, environmental crimes, tax, antitrust, bank fraud, RICO, money laundering, obstruction of justice, extortion, consumer protection, and mail, wire and honest services fraud. Mr. Hedges also conducts internal investigations into possible wrongdoing and counsels clients regarding compliance in these areas.

Prior to joining Vedder Price, Mr. Hedges served for more than seven years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Chicago investigating and prosecuting complex financial crimes. Selected to the U.S. Attorney’s team dedicated to prosecuting health care fraud, Mr. Hedges investigated and prosecuted some of the largest and most complex health care fraud cases recently charged in the Northern District of Illinois. Notably, Mr. Hedges co-led the multi-year investigation and resulting prosecution of 11 administrators and doctors at the former Sacred Heart Hospital, which culminated in a seven-week jury trial and guilty verdicts against the hospital’s CEO and two other top administrators.

Mr. Hedges demonstrates a commitment to pro bono service by representing low-income individuals in federal criminal defense matters and by devoting time to other criminal justice reform matters. Mr. Hedges serves on the firm’s Pro Bono Committee, Diversity Committee, Associate Evaluation Committee, and as the Associate Development Coordinator for the Litigation Practice area.

Mr. Hedges previously served as a law clerk to the Honorable Kim McLane Wardlaw of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. While in law school, Mr. Hedges served as Editor-in-Chief of the Southern California Law Review.

Professional Memberships

Member, American Bar Association

Member, Federal Bar Association