Former Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Vipal Patel has joined the global Litigation Practice at Squire Patton Boggs as partner. His arrival follows several recent additions that deepen the firm’s national jury trial and government investigations capabilities, including former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Benjamin Glassman, who joined the firm two years ago.
“Vipal has built an incredible 20 year career at the Department of Justice, prosecuting a diverse range of complex civil, criminal and appellate cases,” said global managing partner Michele Connell. “He is a dedicated public servant and skilled practitioner who is a very welcome addition to our team.”
Connell continued, “Following the recent confirmation of our former partner Marissa Darden to become the next U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, Vipal’s arrival marks another exciting milestone for our government investigations and litigation teams.”
Mr. Patel was named Acting U.S. Attorney in March 2021. He was named First Assistant U.S. Attorney in April 2016 under former U.S. Attorney Benjamin Glassman and also served as the Office’s Criminal Chief, and as Deputy Criminal Chief, filling management roles under both Republican- and Democrat-appointed U.S. Attorneys and Attorneys General. He spent 2011 in Afghanistan, serving a one-year anti-corruption and counter-narcotics assignment as a U.S. Department of Justice civilian advisor.
“I am thrilled to be able to practice again with Vipal,” said Glassman. “He is among the most effective lawyers I’ve ever had the privilege to work with. Together with the rest of our team in Ohio, D.C., and around the globe, Vipal bolsters our ability to provide clients with best-in-class representation for significant disputes, particularly government-facing ones.”
Mr. Patel was the lead prosecutor in the first ever international terrorism trial in the Southern District of Ohio in 2018, both prosecuting the case and successfully arguing its appeal. He also represented the United States in the investigation stemming from the August 2019 mass shooting in Dayton and in the prosecution of weapons-related charges against a friend of the shooter. He is being recognized for that work this year with the Attorney General’s Award – the top honor of the Department of Justice.
Mr. Patel has significant expertise with the False Claims Act, having previously pursued affirmative civil enforcement actions on behalf of the United States. He also has extensive legal experience in the cybercrime area.
Commenting on his move to the firm Mr. Patel said, “Serving the people of the Southern District has been the honor of a lifetime and I am grateful to have had the opportunity. Squire Patton Boggs has a tremendous reputation and the more I learned about the scale of its disputes and government investigations capabilities, it became clear that this was where I wanted to return to private practice. I am excited for this new chapter, getting reacquainted with old friends and working with my new colleagues.”
A graduate of George Washington University Law School, he has been called upon by the Department of Justice to serve as an evaluator of other United States Attorney’s Offices, teaches at the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Advocacy Center, in Columbia, South Carolina, and has taught abroad as part of DOJ’s Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training program. Mr. Patel also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Dayton Law School and is the former President of the Dayton chapter of the Federal Bar Association.
Squire Patton Boggs has made several additions to its Litigation Practice in Ohio and nationally including the former Solicitor General of the Commonwealth of Kentucky Chad Meredith, GE Aviation Chief Compliance Officer & Deputy General Counsel W. Breck Weigel, former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Benjamin Glassman and former Ambassador and jury trial lawyer Randy Evans.