Thomas Kokalas is a partner in Bracewell’s New York office in the Government Enforcement & Investigations practice. Tom focuses his practice on responding to regulatory investigations as well as conducting corporate-wide compliance reviews and risk assessments. He has extensive experience in regulatory enforcement, government and internal investigations, white collar criminal defense and complex civil litigation. He counsels corporate clients in a range of complex issues, including US Department of Justice investigations, Regulatory Enforcement actions and internal Compliance Reviews. Prior to joining Bracewell, Tom served as a prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office as a member of the Frauds Bureau, where he successfully prosecuted complex financial crimes involving securities fraud, RICO, larceny and schemes to defraud. He also served in the Trial Division where he prosecuted and tried felony criminal cases in New York County Supreme Court in addition to handling long-term investigations into weapons and narcotics trafficking. Tom is also a member of the firm’s COVID-19 Crisis and Recovery Task Force, advising clients on various issues related to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, including matters related to the government’s stimulus loan programs.

Over the years, Tom has guided clients through sensitive government investigations and related proceedings. His representations have included cases involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, economic sanctions compliance, allegations of government contracting and procurement fraud, RICO claims, bribery, money laundering, accounting fraud, securities law violations, insider trading, tax fraud, construction fraud, labor fraud and violations of the False Claims Act.  

Tom has also led teams on various Monitorship Appointments and Special Master Assignments, including the privilege review of documents seized from Michael Cohen, the President’s former lawyer. In the Matter of Search Warrants Executed on April 9, 2018 19-MJ-3161 (KMW). In addition, Tom plays a critical role in Bracewell’s appointment as the Independent Review Officer for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Union (IBT). 

In his civil practice, Tom has represented clients in a wide array of complex commercial cases in federal and state courts and various forms of arbitration forums. Many of those matters involved high dollar disputes involving many of the most pressing issues businesses face today involving securities fraud, civil RICO actions, civil tax fraud and commercial disputes. Clients have included large multi-national corporations, officers of public companies and limited partnerships.