George E. Pence
Senior Counsel
Areas of Focus
- White Collar Defense & Government Investigations
- Export Controls & Economic Sanctions
- National Security
- Antibribery/Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)
- Crisis Management
- Anti-Money Laundering
- International Trade
- Recognized national security and white collar criminal defense and investigations lawyer.
- Practice focuses on export controls and economic sanctions and related administrative enforcement actions and criminal and civil proceedings.
- Served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
George advises clients on global investigations and white collar criminal defense, with a particular focus on cross-border enforcement risks arising from export controls and sanctions.
A key member of Akin’s Los Angeles office, George has a global practice and roster of clients. He advises U.S. companies with business affiliates and operations in China and across Asia, in addition to representing Chinese companies involved in U.S. investigations. George also has a robust, west coast white collar criminal defense practice with a growing California client base.
His clients include individuals and senior executives; international manufacturing, advanced technology and aerospace & defense companies; and asset managers and institutional investors, including sovereign wealth funds.
In addition, George has also represented senior executives and companies in fraud matters before the DOJ and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and on issues arising under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
Before joining Akin, George was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California, where he served as a point person for investigations and prosecutions involving export crimes, terrorism and other foreign policy and national security matters. He also served as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Intermittent Legal Advisor for Counterterrorism to Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
George earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he served as the articles editor for the Virginia Law Review.
- Represented C-suite executives of software companies in Department of Justice (DOJ) investigations and prosecutions related to fraud allegations.
- Defended manufacturers against DOJ allegations of fraud and immigration violations.
- Defended a semiconductor technology company in an export controls investigation before the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security and the DOJ.
- Assisted an international leader in test, design and emulation solutions in internal investigations, regulatory disclosures and corrective actions related to potentially unauthorized exports and re-exports.
- Represented executives and board members in connection with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) investigations involving allegations of fraud, money laundering and market manipulation.
EducationJ.D., University of Virginia School of Law, 2005
Bachelor of Arts in History, Princeton University, cum laude, 2002
J.D., University of Virginia School of Law, 2005
Bachelor of Arts in History, Princeton University, cum laude, 2002
ClerkshipsU.S.C.A., 9th Circuit
U.S.D.C., Northern District of Georgia
U.S.C.A., 9th Circuit
U.S.D.C., Northern District of Georgia
Bar AdmissionsCalifornia
New York
California
New York
- Office of Director of National Intelligence, National Counterintelligence and Security Professional Award for Outstanding Counterintelligence Operation.
- U.S. Attorney's Office, Nominated for the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Furthering the Interests of U.S. National Security.
- Super Lawyers, Southern California, Rising Star, 2014-2016.
- American Civil Liberties Union, Community Service Pro Bono Award, 2013.
- Member, Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence.
- Assistant U.S. Attorney, Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, 2016-2021.