Dee Spagnuolo is Ballard Spahr's Partner in Charge of Attorney Career Advancement and a member of the Executive Team of the firm's Management Committee. Dee's practice focuses on the representation of companies and individuals in a wide range of internal investigations in educational and corporate settings, and compliance and regulatory matters. Dee has defended clients in civil litigation and criminal investigations involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), state and federal false claims acts (FCA), and regulatory compliance and ethics. Dee is the Leader of the firm's Title IX Team and is a Co-Leader of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Counseling Team.
Dee's practice also includes the institutional response to sexual misconduct. She was one of the lead Ballard Spahr attorneys conducting a review of cases and internal procedures for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia following a grand jury indictment of several priests accused of sexual abuse. Dee also has extensive experience managing internal investigations, communications with law enforcement, disciplinary proceedings, and the interplay between civil and criminal proceedings in the area of sexual misconduct. Domestic and international clients have included educational institutions, corporations, nonprofit organizations, and religious institutions.
Experience
Representative Matters
- Conducts internal investigations of alleged civil rights violations, child abuse, and sexual misconduct in educational settings
- Represents a number of clients in litigation and internal investigations involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the Federal False Claims Act, regulatory and ethics compliance, and various business frauds
- Represents clients in front of the DOJ Fraud Section and Antitrust Division, various U.S. Attorney's Offices, the Philadelphia Office of Inspector General, State Attorney General Offices, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Office of Fair Trading in London
- Represents educational institutions, health care providers, pharmaceutical companies, and financial institutions in False Claims Act litigation
- Advises corporations on their diversity and inclusion policies and practices
Professional Highlights
Pro Bono Experience
Dee has represented a wide range of pro bono clients. She represents players on the Women's National Hockey Team as they seek gender equity with USA Hockey. Dee has also counseled and trained nonprofit organizations in the areas of child abuse reporting and criminal background policies.
Judicial Clerkships
Hon. R. Barclay Surrick, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 2003-2004
Professional Activities
American Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
National Association of College and University Attorneys
Recognition & Accomplishments
Named a Diverse Attorney of the Year, The Legal Intelligencer, 2015
Named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyers "Rising Star," 2008, 2010-2014
Recipient, The Legal Intelligencer's 2013 "Lawyers on the Fast Track" award, given to select young Pennsylvania lawyers whose achievements have distinguished them among their peers
Speaking Engagements
"The In-House Counsel Perspective," Perrin Diversity & Inclusion Conference, November 2, 2017
"Foul!: Gender Equality in Sport — An Oxymoron?" American Bar Association, Business Law Section Annual Meeting, Sports Law Committee, September 15, 2017
"Diversity and Inclusion Programs in the Financial Services Industry," American Bankers Association, January 23, 2017
Board Memberships & Community Service
Bowdoin College Board of Trustees
University of Pennsylvania Association of Alumnae
Publications
Co-author, "Complying with the Diversity & Inclusion Standards of Section 342 of Dodd-Frank Through Sponsorship Programs: Key Considerations for Development and Implementation," Mortgage Compliance Magazine, November 16, 2017
Co-author, "Getting with the Program: Tackling Section 342," Mortgage Compliance Magazine, November 1, 2016
Co-author, "Laying the Groundwork: Creating a Complaint Section 342 Program," Mortgage Compliance Magazine, February 4, 2015
Credentials
Education
University of Pennsylvania Law School (J.D. 2003)
Class President; Legal Writing Fellow; Editor-in-Chief, Journal of International Economic Law
Bowdoin College (A.B. 1996)
Captain of the varsity Field Hockey, Women's Ice Hockey, and Softball teams; All-American Honors in Field Hockey
Languages
Non-native fluency in Spanish; conversational in Italian
Admissions
Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit