Byung J. “BJay” Pak

• Served as lead trial and appellate counsel to the CEO of a technology company who was indicted by the grand jury and accused by the state attorney general’s office of committing a multimillion-dollar criminal tax fraud. After a vigorous pretrial litigation, obtained a dismissal with prejudice for all charges from the trial court. On appeal by the government, obtained the affirmance of the dismissal in a published opinion by the state Court of Appeals.
• Served as regulatory counsel to numerous blockchain (crypto, NFTs and crypto-adjacent) companies with respect to compliance with securities, Bank Secrecy Act, and other state and federal laws.
• Served as co-lead attorney for a special litigation committee of a Fortune 500 company and conducted an internal investigation regarding a shareholder derivative suit alleging accounting malfeasance by the company’s officers and directors.
• Served as lead trial counsel, representing the senior director in charge of global marketing of a multibillion-dollar pharmaceutical company in a parallel criminal and civil investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services into the company’s off-label marketing practices. Obtained a result of no criminal charges being filed, nor civil judgments entered, against the client.
• Served as co-lead trial attorney for a publicly traded asset management company in pursuing a $122 million fraudulent transfer suit against a major real estate developer. Negotiated a very favorable settlement for the client.
• Served as lead trial attorney for an international money remitter company related to an Anti-money Laundering/Bank Secrecy Act compliance investigation conducted by The U.S. Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Through his advocacy, the government declined to bring any charges.
• Served as lead investigative attorney for a special task force of a national organization of mayors and conducted an internal investigation into misconduct of the organization’s former executive director.
• Served as lead trial attorney for a multimillion-dollar medical practice in a criminal and civil health care fraud investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Office of the Inspector General.
• Served as lead trial lawyer for the CEO of wealth management company through a joint criminal and civil fraud investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission into allegations of a $25+ million fraud. Though his advocacy, the client received favorable plea terms, and the court imposed a sentence less than 75 percent from the government’s recommendation.
• Represented numerous C-suite and other high-ranking executives of hospitals and health care companies who the government identified as subjects or potential targets in criminal health care fraud investigations conducted by the Department of Justice, Criminal Division, and other law enforcement agencies. Through his advocacy, the government declined to bring any charges.
• Served as lead prosecutor investigating and prosecuting three individuals who conspired to commit theft of trade secrets of The Coca-Cola Company and sell them to its rival. After a trial, obtained convictions on all defendants, and obtained an imprisonment sentence for the lead defendant which is tied for the longest sentence on record.

As a former Senate-confirmed U.S. Attorney and legislator, BJay Pak has significant experience making high-stakes decisions. From 2017 to 2021, BJay served as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, overseeing all federal criminal prosecutions and federal government civil litigation in his district. As chief executive of one the largest U.S. Attorney’s Offices, he led 100+ assistant U.S. attorneys, 120+ legal professionals, partnered with approximately 300 law enforcement agencies, and was responsible for a district with nearly seven million people and a GDP of $370+ billion.

BJay previously worked as an assistant U.S. attorney, prosecuting white collar crimes, including securities and health care fraud, AML/KYC matters, intellectual property crimes, export control violations. BJay also served three terms in the Georgia General Assembly as a state representative, where he was involved in criminal justice reform efforts, and shaping the state’s health care and tax laws.

BJay uses his experience to assist corporations and individual clients in navigating sensitive legal, regulatory, and public relations issues, including government investigations, prosecutions, regulatory compliance, complex civil litigation, False Claims Act, and crisis management.

A summa cum laude graduate from University of Illinois School of Law, BJay is listed in Chambers, named in Georgia Trend Magazine as one of the “100 Most Influential Georgians,” and “Atlanta’s 500 Most Powerful Leaders” by Atlanta Magazine. He is a Registered C.P.A. in Illinois.

Bar Admissions

• Georgia

Education

• University of Illinois (J.D., 1998)
• Stetson University (B.B.A., 1995)

Memberships