"Some Will Rob You with a Fountain Pen" Bruce Searby at the World Bank Partnerships for Anticorruption Global Forum

On April 8-9, 2025, Bruce Searby participated in the prestigious Partnerships for Anticorruption Global Forum in Washington, D.C., an event hosted by the World Bank Group’s AC4D Program and the International Corruption Hunters Alliance (ICHA).

During his session, titled "Selling Secrecy: Tackling the Infrastructure that Enables Corruption," Bruce shared his expertise on the critical role that lawyers, accountants, corporate service firms, and wealth advisors play in both enabling and hindering financial transparency and accountability. He powerfully referenced a quote from American folk singer Woody Guthrie:

"Some will rob you with a six-gun,
And some with a fountain pen."

Bruce's thought-provoking insights on how corruption takes root in the legal profession resonated deeply with attendees, emphasizing the need for ethical practices across all industries, especially those that handle sensitive legal matters.

Bruce was joined by an esteemed group of experts, including Maira Martini from Transparency International, Brooke Harrington from Dartmouth College, and Ashish Kumar from the FATF Secretariat, among others, in what proved to be a highly engaging and impactful discussion.

Bruce Searby Speaks at OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum in Paris

Searby PLLC is proud to announce that Bruce Searby, also Founder and CEO of Good Ground, served as a featured speaker at the OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum, held in Paris.

Mr. Searby participated in the panel discussion, “Combating Transnational Bribery as a Driver of Environmental Crime,” on Tuesday, March 25, from 11:30 to 13:00. The session brought together leading voices to address how transnational bribery enables environmental crimes—including illegal logging, fisheries offenses, land clearing, and waste trafficking—and to explore strategies for enforcement, international cooperation, and private sector engagement.

Mr. Searby joined a panel of distinguished experts:

  • Juliana Daniel, Partner, Berardo Advogados

  • Juhani Grossmann, Director, Green Corruption, Basel Institute on Governance

  • Richard Morgan, Head of Government & International Relations, Anglo American, EITI Board Member

  • Sara Nicoletti, Anti-Corruption Coordinator, Resource Matters

The session was moderated by France Chain, Senior Legal Analyst, Anti-Corruption Division, OECD.

The OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum is a premier international platform for advancing anti-corruption policy and promoting integrity across sectors and borders. Searby PLLC is honored to contribute to these critical conversations at the global level.

Learn more about the forum here

Searby Law Successfully Defends Environmental Defender from Endangering Website Content 

Searby Law is pleased to share its successful intervention on behalf of an award-winning environmental defender.  Inciteful language promoted by a social media website posed a threat to the safety of the defender and his/her family.  Searby Law's anticipated legal action under California law against the social media company led to the removal of the content. This matter highlights the real-world dangers faced by those who work to protect natural resources and combat corruption, and Searby Law's advocacy for these front-line individuals, leveraging legal strategies to safeguard their security and continued efforts.

Searby Law Joins U.S.-Ukraine Business Council Membership

Searby Law is pleased to announce our membership in the U.S.- Ukraine Business Council (USUBC), an organization dedicated to advancing U.S. trade and investment interests in Ukraine’s emerging market. Since its founding, the USUBC has worked to improve conditions for bilateral trade, promote strong U.S.-Ukraine ties, and advocate for the U.S. business perspective within Ukrainian public and private sectors. As a member, Searby Law looks forward to supporting the Council’s mission and its members. Our firm is committed to contributing to Ukraine’s market growth and business development by providing legal support in high-stakes litigation, guidance on compliance with US domestic law and sanctions, advice on anti-corruption matters, and immigration.

Searby Law Organizes “The Politicization of Criminal Justice: A Non-Partisan Forum" at the Cosmos Club

We were honored to organize “The Politicization of Criminal Justice: A Non-Partisan Forum,” held last month at the Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C. The event brought together distinguished speakers to discuss specific cases and to examine the existing guardrails—or lack thereof—intended to prevent potential abuses of prosecutorial and judicial power. Distinguished speakers included counsel for President Biden, Hunter Biden, the Office of White House Counsel, former President Trump, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and the U.S. House of Representatives January 6th Committee, as well as leading journalists and a federal district judge.    

The sponsors of the event were Searby PLLC, Schertler Onorato, Mead & Sears LLP, Winston & Strawn LLP, and Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP. The discussion addressed both the genuine risks of prosecutorial abuses as well as false narratives of such abuses occurring. The panel fostered an impartial, informed dialogue on these critical issues.  

Please see some of the event highlights in the photos below.

Searby Law Client World Forest ID Garners Publication in the Wall Street Journal

On June 10, 2024, Washington nonprofit and Searby Law client World Forest ID garnered publication of an article in the Wall Street Journal regarding their efforts to identify sanctioned timber originating from Russia. The article describes their work using wood samples, AI, and statistical models to help European Union member states identify and successfully prevent the importation of Russian timber. World Forest ID will continue to expand their database to include other goods often tied to human rights abuses, including cotton, soy, and cacao, presenting an opportunity for governments to apply this technology to more adequately enforce these sanctions. Searby Law has assisted World Forest ID with raising funds.

See https://www.wsj.com/articles/keeping-sanctioned-russian-timber-out-of-the-eu-is-tricky-this-nonprofit-has-a-solution-1bf366b0?st=4yr1pifsmef0do0&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

Searby PLLC Joins the FACT Coalition’s Environmental Crimes Working Group

Searby PLLC is proud to announce our membership in the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition and our active participation in its Environmental Crimes Working Group.

This initiative underscores our commitment to addressing the intersection of environmental crime and illicit finance. By collaborating with FACT’s specialized working group, we aim to advance policy solutions that combat financial secrecy, disrupt the laundering of proceeds from environmental crimes, and promote sustainable practices.

At Searby PLLC, we are dedicated to fostering accountability, ethical business conduct, and global environmental protection.

Bruce Searby Ranked By Chambers and Partners for 2024 As Leading White-Collar Crime Lawyer

Bruce Searby was ranked by Chambers and Partners for 2024 in White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations. Chambers quotes: “Bruce is well regarded for his expertise in white-collar criminal defense. He offers particular experience in matters concerning environmental crimes, as well as allegations of fraud." Chambers also quoted someone as saying "Bruce is a fantastic lawyer who thinks creatively about every matter he works on" and another as saying “"[he] is excellent on the law, outstanding at complex work and cares about his clients." Chambers is an independent research company operating across 200 jurisdictions delivering detailed rankings and insight into the world's leading lawyers.

Goodyear's Malaysian Subsidiary Shutters Operation Accused of Illegal Labor Practices

In March 2024, a Goodyear subsidiary in Shah Alam, Malaysia closed its tire-manufacturing plant after workers reached a settlement agreement in 2022 compensating them. The company stated that it was closing its doors due to cost cutting strategies. Two years prior to the settlement, a Searby client led a civil society investigation into alleged labor rights violations involving hundreds of foreign migrant workers.

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