Zach Fardon chairs Latham’s Litigation Department in Chicago. Mr. Fardon's practice focuses on internal investigations, government investigations, white collar defense and complex business litigation. He is a trial lawyer who has tried numerous cases, both as a federal prosecutor and a defense lawyer, including cases involving charges of financial fraud, tax crimes, money laundering, corruption, racketeering and conspiracy. He has also briefed and argued appeals before the federal circuit courts.
Mr. Fardon routinely handles high-profile and sensitive matters for his clients. He has extensive experience helping clients navigate legal investigations and litigation that also require crisis management and media expertise. Mr. Fardon has conducted numerous internal investigations for private and public companies and has defended companies and individuals in connection with Justice Department and regulatory investigations.
Prior to joining Latham, Mr. Fardon served for nearly a decade as a federal prosecutor. During his tenure with the Department of Justice, Mr. Fardon tried several high-profile cases, including the historic corruption trial against former Illinois Governor George Ryan. Mr. Fardon also served as First Assistant US Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee in Nashville, where he supervised approximately 30 Assistant US Attorneys in all federal criminal and civil matters. As a prosecutor, he received numerous awards, including multiple DOJ awards for superior performance, the Chicago Crime Commission Star of Distinction Award, the Frank J. McGarr Award for Excellence in Service to the United States and the Cook County Crime Fighters Excellence in Law Enforcement Award.
Mr. Fardon is recognized by Chambers USA 2012 as a leading white-collar and government investigations lawyer. In addition, Mr. Fardon is recognized by Benchmark Litigation 2013 as a "Star" among White Collar litigators. Mr. Fardon teaches Trial Advocacy at Northwestern Law School. He is active on multiple boards, including: Chairman of the Board, Legal Aid Society; Member of the Board, A Better Chicago; and Member of the Board, Metropolitan Family Services.