Louis J. Freeh is a founder and Managing Partner of the law firm of Freeh Sporkin & Sullivan, LLP.
Freeh offers expert legal counsel to senior members of multinational corporations and government entities, focusing on complex matters concerning governance, compliance, and regulatory matters. Freeh has been selected by judges, corporate boards, high-profile clients as well as U.S. and foreign government officials to conduct complex investigations, assess compliance risks, settle multi-billion dollar claims and disputes, and to provide legal counsel in major civil, regulatory and criminal matters.
Freeh served as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (1975-1980), before joining the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, and later as Chief of the Organized Crime Section, Associate U.S. Attorney and Deputy U.S. Attorney (1980-1991). Freeh was also a commissioned U.S. Army JAG Officer while assigned to the SDNY.
In 1991, Freeh was appointed as a United States District Court Judge by President George W. Bush and confirmed unanimously by the Senate. Two years later, President Bill Clinton appointed him as the fifth Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a position for which he also received unanimous Senate confirmation.
Freeh retired from the FBI in May 2001 and joined MBNA America Bank, N.A. in Wilmington, Delaware, as Vice Chairman and General Counsel. After MBNA was acquired by Bank of America in 2006, Freeh established Freeh Group and Freeh Sporkin & Sullivan LLP in 2007. Freeh also was a partner and board chairman of Pepper Hamilton, a 500-lawyer firm with a national practice (2012-2014).
Freeh received a B.A. from Rutgers University (New Brunswick), a J.D. from Rutgers Law School (Newark), and an LLM from New York University Law School.