Vanshika Vij

Vanshika Vij focuses her practice on white collar criminal defense, internal investigations, and advising clients in sensitive matters. She represents companies and individuals in connection with matters involving complex fraud, violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), data security, risk, crisis management.

Vanshika is experienced in working with and defending clients in front of government agencies, including the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), as well as Congress. She has been deeply involved in several corporate cross-border investigations. She has also worked closely with individual clients on matters, including those involving potential criminal charges, Congressional oversight, and significant media attention. Recently, Vanshika was named to Best Lawyers 2021 in the “Ones to Watch” category for Criminal Defense: White-Collar.

Vanshika is also an active pro bono lawyer. Most recently, her practice includes representing individuals and organizations challenging the Department of Education Title IX regulations issued in May 2020, which recently went to trial in the District of Massachusetts. In addition to her legal practice, Vanshika serves as an associate member of the firm’s Women’s Strategy Committee and is a co-chair of the DC office’s Attorneys and Paralegals of Color affinity group.

While in law school, Vanshika clerked for the Honorable O-Gon Kwon at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague, Netherlands. She also previously clerked for the Texas Civil Rights Project in Austin, TX where she worked on a variety of impact litigation cases.

Vanshika received her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law where she was the Associate Editor for the Texas Journal of Civil Liberties & Civil Rights and a Fellow at the Rapoport Center for Human Rights, as well as an Editorial Board Member of the Rapoport Center’s Working Paper Series. Additionally, she was a research assistant for Professor Susan Klein on issues of plea bargaining under federal criminal law.

Representative Experience

• Global Pharmaceutical Company: Representing a global pharmaceutical company in connection with a DOJ and SEC investigation in alleged violations of the FCPA.
• Lobbying Firm Executive: Representing a former executive of a lobbying firm in connection with a criminal investigation into alleged violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
• Financial Institution: Represented a company and several of its employees in connection with the Special Counsel’s investigation into matters involving Paul Manafort, and the related 2018 trial in the Eastern District of Virginia.
• Telecommunications Company Executive: Represented a former executive of a telecommunications company in connection with a DOJ and SEC investigation concerning alleged FCPA violations.
• Oil Services Company: Represented a U.S.-based oil services company in connection with a global anti-corruption investigation, involving U.S. and Brazilian authorities, into alleged FCPA violations arising from the company’s dealings with Petrobras.