7 Keys to Hiring the Best FBI Consultant

Key Factor #1: Extensive FBI Experience

Undoubtedly, the single most important factor when it comes to choosing an FBI consultant is years spent working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. However, not all experience is equal. As FBI agents accumulate years of service, they should progress in their careers. So, a former agent who spent years or decades with the FBI should have retired as a Special Agent, Supervisory Special Agent, Special Agent in Charge (SAC), or Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC).

Key Factor #2: Relevant FBI Experience

The FBI has a number of different investigative priorities, and its efforts span from targeting violent criminals to taking down high-level corporate and banking executives. As a result, when choosing an FBI consultant, you need to find a former agent who has significant experience that is relevant to the circumstances of your business’s or practice’s investigation. A former agent who handled domestic counterterrorism investigations may be extremely knowledgeable within his or her area of expertise, but he or she may also lack the insights needed to help you make strategic decisions about fending off allegations of government contract or benefit program fraud. 

The types of federal cases that fall within the FBI’s jurisdiction include:

• Civil rights
• Counterintelligence
• Cybercrime 
• Organized crime
• Public corruption
• Terrorism
• Violent crime
• Weapons of mass destruction (WMD)
• White-collar crime

At Oberheiden P.C., our FBI consultants have particular experience in the areas of cybercrime, organized crime, public corruption, and white-collar crime. FBI investigations targeting business and professional practices often focus on allegations in more than one of these areas, and business owners, executives, and practitioners need to have a comprehensive picture of the allegations against them when they are being targeted by the FBI. Our FBI consultants have the insights you need to make smart decisions focused on avoiding federal charges. 

Key Factor #3: Affiliation with a Federal Defense Law Firm

A highly-experienced FBI consultant will be able to provide a wealth of insights and information during a federal investigation. However, what an FBI consultant cannot do is provide legal advice. As a result, when working with an FBI consultant, it is also generally necessary to engage the services of a federal defense lawyer.

Oberheiden P.C. is a federal defense law firm with a national presence that is comprised of senior federal defense lawyers and former federal agents. This allows us to provide full-service advice and representation for businesses and professional practices that are facing FBI investigations. With former DOJ prosecutors, U.S. Attorneys, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys on our team, we are able to offer an insider’s perspective on both the investigative and prosecutorial aspects of high-stakes federal cases. 

Key Factor #4: Affiliation with Former Agents from Other Federal Agencies

In many investigations, the FBI does not act alone. Instead, it works in concert with other federal agencies – and often multiple other federal agencies – to take down targets and build strong cases for prosecution. Just as federal agencies rely on each other’s authority and expertise, federal consultants must often work together in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of both the reasoning behind and the possible trajectory of a federal investigation. 

In addition to our FBI consultants, at Oberheiden P.C. we are also able to offer our clients the services of:

• A former Special Agent with the DOJ Office of Inspector General (OIG)
• A former Special Agent with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Office of Inspector General (OIG)
• A former Special Agent with the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Division (IRS-CI)
• A former Inspector-in-Charge with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)
• A former Compliance Director with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Key Factor #5: Successful Results in Defense of Federal Investigations

An FBI consultant may have handled hundreds of investigations during his or her tenure with the federal government; but, how has this experience translated to advising business and professional clients that are facing FBI investigations? In addition to relevant experience as an active FBI agent, it is also critically important for an FBI consultant to have experience using his or her insights to private companies’ and individuals’ benefit. 

At Oberheiden P.C., our FBI consultants have played integral roles in protecting clients across the country against federal allegations. From drug crime investigations to Medicare fraud investigations under the False Claims Act, the FBI consultants at Oberheiden P.C. have amassed a substantial track record of helping our clients avoid charges for civil and criminal federal offenses. 

Key Factor #6: A Team Approach

Being affiliated with federal defense lawyers and former agents from other federal agencies only matters when everyone works as a team. If all of your business’s or practice’s advisors are siloed, you are not going to see the same benefits that you would if they took a collaborative approach. 

Our career defense lawyers, former federal prosecutors, and former federal agents work as a team in order to offer each client the full benefit of our team members’ collective experience and insights. Rather than pairing each client with a lawyer or an FBI consultant, each member of our firm’s team lends his or her knowledge to each case on an as-needed basis. By pulling in our FBI consultants and other professionals only when our clients need them, we ensure that all of the advice we provide is based on the maximum relevant experience we have to offer, and we avoid unnecessary costs for our clients in the process. 

Key Factor #7: Nationwide Availability

There aren’t that many FBI consultants that currently serve the private sector. When you factor in the considerations we discussed above, your list of options becomes even more limited. As a result, when choosing an FBI consultant, you will likely need to choose someone who offers nationwide availability. Even if you happen to find an FBI consultant in your city or town, he or she may still need to be prepared to travel in order to handle various aspects of the government’s investigation on your business’s or practice’s behalf. 

Each of the FBI consultants at Oberheiden P.C. serves clients on a nationwide basis. Like all members of our firm, our FBI consultants are prepared to travel in order to meet our clients’ needs at a moment’s notice. Whether you need a consultant on the ground at your company’s offices or you need a representative at the FBI’s headquarters in Washington D.C., Oberheiden P.C.’s FBI consultants are prepared to provide assistance when and where you need them. 

Bonus Factor: A Personal and Collaborative Approach

Movies and TV shows often paint a similar portrait of FBI agents as aggressive-minded, hard-edged individuals who will stop at nothing to put criminals in prison. While this popular perception certainly has some roots in truth, not all former FBI agents fit this mold. 

When choosing an FBI consultant, it is important to strike a balance. You want someone who is passionate about his or her work and who will relentlessly pursue a favorable outcome, but you also need someone who can speak to you like a person, who understands your priorities, and who can work collaboratively with you to build your business’s or practice’s defense. You need an FBI consultant who is available day and night, who will respond to your calls and texts promptly, and who will take a personal interest in making sure your business or practice is secure.

Speak with an FBI Consultant at Oberheiden P.C.

Do you need to speak with an FBI consultant regarding a federal investigation? If so, we encourage you to contact us immediately to speak with one of the consultants on our federal defense team. For a free and confidential case assessment, call 888-680-1745 or request to be contacted online now.